New Zealand: All stories
Green groups want say on Ruataniwha changes
17 Nov 2014
Environmental groups want to have their say on a late tweak to the conditions imposed on the proposed $230 million Ruataniwha dam in Hawke's Bay in a High Court challenge.
Expand climate portfolio, says Mahuta
17 Nov 2014
The Cabinet portfolios of agriculture and climate change should be given to the same person, says Labour Party leadership hopeful Nanaia Mahuta.
Lakes expert to spotlight water quality
17 Nov 2014
An American water quality expert who has studied and modelled the effects of nutrients in American lakes will be sharing his knowledge at a public forum in Rotorua this week.
Launchpad jury likes wilding pines project
17 Nov 2014
Taking an environmental problem and turning it into a commercial success has seen a Queenstown social enterprise team taken under the wing of a business incubator.
New Australian report debunks coal industry myths
17 Nov 2014
The coal industry has many friends in high places, and none more so than Tony Abbott, Prime Minister of Australia − one of the world’s major producers of a fuel that earns the country billions from exports.
UK ignores pledge to end fossil fuel support
17 Nov 2014
Despite promises to phase out subsidies to the coal, oil and gas industries, a new report says the UK and other G20 governments are still providing them with massive financial help.
Diet's effects on emissions give food for thought
17 Nov 2014
American researchers confirm that a shift to vegetarian, Mediterranean or fish-based diets would cut greenhouse gases, conserve forests and savannah, and have a big impact on obesity-linked health problems.
Designer dumps leather and heads for greener pastures
17 Nov 2014
An eco-conscious Kiwi designer is saying goodbye to leather.
How Mighty River is switching on to the new economy
10 Nov 2014
Generator Mighty River Power is claiming a stake in the new economy, pushing for New Zealand’s car fleet to go electric and indicating that it will move into the water business.
Trustpower's Aussie wind farm breezes along
10 Nov 2014
The second stage of Kiwi company Tustpower's project to build South Australia's largest wind farm has been launched, ahead of time and under budget.
Climate change will send pollen count soaring
10 Nov 2014
Scientists have identified a new hazard that will arrive as a result of climate change: a huge increase in hay fever and pollen allergies.
India wants to double coal production
10 Nov 2014
The man responsible for maintaining India’s power supply says he wants the country’s coal production to double within the next five years.
Big business sounds water warning bells
10 Nov 2014
Two-thirds of the world’s largest companies are reporting exposure to water risks, some of which have potential to limit growth, says the Carbon Disclosure Project.
EU plans power supergrid to boost renewables
10 Nov 2014
An electricity supergrid is being planned to connect all 28 European Union countries and provide them with insurance against power blackouts.
Why Australia’s entire power sector should support target
10 Nov 2014
There’s been much talk about how uncertainty over the future of Australia's Renewable Energy Target (RET) is affecting the renewable energy industry.
US drought shows why the price of water should rise
10 Nov 2014
Last January, California Governor Jerry Brown declareda State of Emergency following projections of severe drought.
Social acceptance new key for today's miners
10 Nov 2014
A licence to dig is no longer enough for today’s mining and extractive companies. Stakeholder approval is progressively becoming a “must have” for mining companies around the globe — a requirement these companies widely acknowledge through what’s known as a “social licence to operate”.
Our emissions plan hopeless, says renowned academic
3 Nov 2014
New Zealand has no chance of meeting its 2020 emissions reduction target under current policies, says a leading scientist involved in the latest IPCC report.
What the politicians said ...
3 Nov 2014
All three of New Zealand's major political parties say that the IPCC's latest call on climate change is important.
Climate refugees? We'll think of something ...
3 Nov 2014
New Zealand still has no plan to help climate change refugees – despite acknowledging that many Pacific Islands people might need to be relocated.
State miner rethinks environment liabilities
3 Nov 2014
The State coal-miner says its future environmental liabilities are not as great as it thought.
Tararua turbines set power-output record
3 Nov 2014
Two New Zealand wind turbines have set a world record for output.
Southern winery wins green award ... again
3 Nov 2014
A Marlborough winery that uses miniature sheep to tidy around its vines has won another sustainability award.
Business network names sustainability finalists
3 Nov 2014
Finalists for this year's Sustainable Business Network Awards have been named.
Denmark wants to be coal-free by 2025
3 Nov 2014
Denmark is looking into how the country can stop using coal as an energy supply by 2025, says Climate and Energy Minister Rasmus Helveg Petersen.
Actually, a high oil price might be a good thing for the world
3 Nov 2014
Oil prices have fallen dramatically since August – and, rather counter-intuitively, this could be a bad thing.
Salt-poisoning a growing threat to crops
3 Nov 2014
Salt is poisoning around 2000 hectares of irrigated farm land every day – and has been doing so for the past 20 years, according to new research.
Business leaders praise EU emissions deal
3 Nov 2014
A group of influential business leaders is welcoming Europe's new climate and energy deal.
Hunt for oil anchors Govt's environment plan
28 Oct 2014
The National Party is leading off its environmental package for its new term in power with plans to encourage more oil exploration – despite the burning of fossil fuels being the single biggest cause of climate change.
Honey hits the jackpot for steep-land believer
28 Oct 2014
In 2010, Taranaki farmer Neil Walker was enthusiastic about the potential for a combination of carbon farming and beekeeping to rejuvenate steep-land farming.
Green-coke pioneer puts faith in public-funding
28 Oct 2014
Clean-coal company CarbonScape is the first clean-tech company in New Zealand to use crowd-funding to raise capital.
Good tyres tread lightly on the Earth
28 Oct 2014
New Zealand could cut greenhouse gas emissions by 6000 tonnes a year by installing fuel-efficient tyres on the nation’s fleet of light vehicles.
Emissions register has a new look
28 Oct 2014
The Environmental Protection Authority is making the national emissions register more user-friendly.
Trans-Pacific Partnership threatens green trade deal
28 Oct 2014
The Trans-Pacific Partnership threatens a green trade deal that could ultimately do more to reduce carbon emissions than international climate agreements such as the failed Kyoto Protocol.
Supplies of rare earth materials are still far from secure
28 Oct 2014
Materials essential for technology products such as electric vehicles, wind turbines or hard disks, known as rare earth elements, aren’t becoming any less rare, or any less crucial.
Universities act to hit fossil fuel firms where it hurts
28 Oct 2014
Glasgow recently became the first European university to join the rapidly expanding fossil-free divestment movement. Following hot on the heels of the Australian National University, Glasgow promised to move £18m of investment over the next 10 years.
Chile's new tax could open carbon doors for NZ
20 Oct 2014
Chile’s new carbon tax potentially offers New Zealand an opportunity to offset some of its own agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, says economist Dr Suzi Kerr.
Soils SOS as cities gobble up our best growing land
20 Oct 2014
New Zealand is allowing its elite soils to be eaten up by cities – despite signing up to a new global campaign to protect valuable agricultural land.
Rod Oram: Why I'm getting out of fossil fuels
20 Oct 2014
Business commentator Rod Oram is putting his money where his mouth is when it comes to sustainable investment.
Kiwi savers want investments to do clean work
20 Oct 2014
A survey of New Zealanders has revealed that Kiwis care deeply about how their KiwiSaver funds are being invested and that they want more sustainable KiwiSaver options.
Fracking boom could mean up to 12% more carbon emissions
20 Oct 2014
The consistent message from those who would seek to exploit shale gas is that it has three distinct advantages over existing forms of fossil fuel energy: it is cheap, it has a lower influence on global warming, and it reduces the reliance in foreign imports.
Greenpeace v Shell via Lego: The building blocks of a successful campaign
20 Oct 2014
October 9, 2014, was a big day in eco-activism: Lego announced that it would not renew a product-placement deal with Shell, following concerted pressure from Greenpeace as part of a campaign to ban Arctic oil exploration by attacking firms associated with such activities.
A new agricultural economy is knocking on the door
20 Oct 2014
Europe should be pushing for the rapid expansion of its network of biorefineries, to produce European food, fuel and feed, as well as a range of other high-value products that replace fossil fuels, writes ROBERT WRIGHT, Secretary-General of the European Renewable Ethanol Association:
Fish-catching technique nets innovation award
20 Oct 2014
A technique allowing wild fish to be landed live – and released if necessary – has won the supreme title in the New Zealand Innovators' Awards.
Problem seaweed could provide biofuel solution
20 Oct 2014
It has often been used as a farmland fertiliser, and in some communities it is eaten as a vegetable, but now researchers believe that seaweed could power our cars and heat our homes.
Solar chief: There’s no cost to solar energy, only savings
20 Oct 2014
SolarCity Corp, the United States’ largest residential solar service provider, has a history of pushing the envelope.
Outlook palls for fossil fuel investment
20 Oct 2014
Warnings within the world of high finance are coming thick and fast that the increasingly urgent need to combat climate change means investors could lose heavily by sinking funds into coal, oil and gas.
Don’t get too excited, no one has cracked nuclear fusion yet
20 Oct 2014
Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin’s excitement in the media announcement last week that it could make small-scale nuclear fusion power a reality in the next decade has understandably generated
Anxious foresters await review of foreign credits ban
13 Oct 2014
A controversial decision to make foresters the only emitters banned from using cheap foreign carbon credits to offset their greenhouse gas emissions is under review.
BUSINESS POSER: Are you creating value, or destroying it?
13 Oct 2014
New Zealand is leading the world on integrated reporting.
Govt climate claims don't match reality, lawyers say
Wed 17 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Lawyers for Climate Action has accused the Government of presenting an overly positive picture of New Zealand's climate progress at the United Nations climate summit in Bonn, arguing key claims on emissions reductions and support for the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal are not reflected in domestic policy.
Canadian firm seeks Crown co-investment for Genesis-supported gas storage project
Fri 19 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | A proposed gas storage project supported by Genesis Energy has sought Crown co-investment through the $200 million Gas Security Fund.
Fed Farmers' election wish-list includes stopping whole-farm conversions to carbon forestry
9 Jun 2026
Federated Farmers has launched a five-point plan for the next government, setting out what it says should be a major focus for political parties heading into the November election.
'Terrible result': Emissions barely budged in 2024
5 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions were virtually unchanged in 2024, falling by 0.03%, despite the economy shrinking by ten times that amount during the same period, according to new data.
Labour pledges unlimited public transport for $20 a week
10 Jun 2026
The Labour Party is promising to cap weekly public transport fares at $20 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, if elected in November.
Nature-based solutions – such as forestry – crucial for carbon removal
5 Jun 2026
COMMENT: Transitioning from erodible pasture to well-managed forest can yield substantial environmental benefits, writes James Treadwell.
Ballance secures gas for 2026 as it progresses energy transition plan
Tue 16 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | One of the largest industrial gas users in New Zealand is working on an energy transition plan to futureproof domestic fertiliser manufacturing, while continuing to secure ongoing gas supply contracts.
