New Zealand: All stories
Offsets flow from China, Ukraine and Russia
16 May 2014
China, the Ukraine and Russia continue to be the major source of offsets entering the European Emissions Trading Scheme, latest figures show.
New-look energy system catches the wind
16 May 2014
A new wind power generation system is so safe it can be built alongside existing city buildings, reducing power transportation costs, its American developer says.
Coal use spiking climate mitigation costs
16 May 2014
The global cost of pegging global warming to 2deg has risen by $8 trillion in the past two years, due to soaring coal use which has eclipsed the roll-out of renewable energies, says a new report.
Australia expects slow start with emissions fund
16 May 2014
The Australian Government expects that less than half of the $2.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund will be spent over the next four years.
Drought lines up corn for a fall
16 May 2014
Maize yields are on the increase in the United States − but so is the crop’s sensitivity to drought. Scientists calculate that, as things stand, crops could lose 15 per cent of their yield within 50 years.
You could bill the beef, scientists tell Brazil
16 May 2014
Scientists have come up with a new prescription to address the Amazon rainforest’s health problems: reduce deforestation more efficiently by taxing freerange beef.
Can we harness the might of magma?
16 May 2014
Can enormous heat deep in the earth be harnessed to provide energy for us on the surface? A promising report from a geothermal borehole project that accidentally struck magma – the same fiery, molten rock that spews from volcanoes – suggests it could.
New environment rules keep foresters in line
16 May 2014
A new standard provides forest owners and managers with environmental, economic, social, and cultural criteria that support the sustainable management of forests.
Early carbon auctions unlikely, says Government
9 May 2014
The Government says it is unlikely to auction carbon units before 2016.
Businesses keen on solar, but need official help
9 May 2014
Businesses are about to install enough solar panels on their roofs to generate 5.5 megawatts of electricity – the equivalent of a small hydro power station.
Companies need disaster insurance, says expert
9 May 2014
Companies should be required to take out public liability insurance to protect taxpayers from having to foot the bill for environmental disasters, an environmental law expert says.
Southland gets nod for wood-fuel hub
9 May 2014
Southland is to become a supply hub for a wood-fuel industry, it has just been announced.
US businesses tread water on enviro issues
9 May 2014
By KIEREN COOKE.- If corporate America attended climate change college, the report card would read: “Modest progress but has to try much harder.”
UN names Christchurch and Timaru as our worst air polluters
9 May 2014
Air pollution in Timaru and Christchurch exceeds World Health Organisation guidelines, latest figures show.
Be very wary of oil, report urges big investors
9 May 2014
Investors are being urged to warn oil companies that they are risking trillions of dollars in exploiting oil fields that will probably never be profitable − and to consider selling their shares if the companies fail to listen to them.
Air NZ aims high with solar power programme
9 May 2014
Air New Zealand will install the largest single solar array in New Zealand at its Auckland Technical Operations base later this month.
Meltdown as ice-cream maker sides with campaigners
9 May 2014
United States-based ice cream company Ben & Jerry’s recently caused a stir by siding with the World Wildlife Fund and Australian Marine Conservation Society’s Fight for the Reef campaign.
Canberra finds ways to implement emissions plan
9 May 2014
The Australian Government will be able to implement its Emissions Reduction Fund in July - but business may bypass the scheme in year one.
Why Australia has something to worry about
9 May 2014
The state of Australia’s environment is a real worry – the report cards exist to prove it.
Europe reports fall in CO2 emissions from energy use
9 May 2014
The carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion decreased by 2.5 per cent across the European Union last year, according to early estimates published this week.
Scientists answer soil microbes questions
9 May 2014
Scientists from the United States, China and Ireland may have settled one big question about climate change: don’t rely on the soil microbes to help to damp down the temperatures.
Food crops might lose their bite, says report
9 May 2014
Food crops might become less nutritious as climate change kicks in, new research has found.
Pure NZ campaign a liability, says consultant
2 May 2014
New Zealand’s 100% Pure marketing campaign is a 100% liability, says an Auckland environmental consultant.
NZUs issued to post-1989 forest owners
2 May 2014
Nearly seven million NZUs have been issued so far this year to owners of post-1989 forests.
Abbott's emission scheme seen as short-term fix
2 May 2014
Australia’s $2.5 billion Emissions Reduction Fund has been described as “Nero’s fiddle”.
Australia explains how emissions plan will work
2 May 2014
The Australian Government has released its Emissions Reduction Fund White Paper, setting out what it calls a cost-effective, practical and simple approach to reduce national emissions without a multi-billion dollar carbon tax.
New guide has sustainability answers
2 May 2014
Want to make sure your supply chain is green? Try the Sustainable Business Network’s new business directory.
China's city smog might have a silver lining
2 May 2014
China's response to its air pollution crisis might provide a major breakthrough in addressing global warming and a new impetus to international climate change negotiations, according to analysts.
It’s here … all-weather solar power (even at night)
2 May 2014
With the help of some clever engineering, the power of the Sun can now keep electricity turbines running however cloudy it may be, both night and day.
Science aims to cut brown coal emissions by 50%
2 May 2014
Australian scientists plan to conduct a $A1 million trial with the aim of reducing emissions from brown coal-generated electricity by 50 per cent compared to current technology.
Plastics industry on right track, says EU
2 May 2014
As the European Commission prepares to review the EU’s waste targets, the plastics industry, a symbol of the EU’s ‘throw-away society’, is one of the focal points in discussions on resource efficiency.
It's time to put non-edible biomass to work
2 May 2014
Bioenergy and biofuels have an important role to play in lowering the use of carbon-intensive fossil fuels – a point underscored by the IPCC report which confirmed the need for further research to improve such technology. By ADAM LEE, Professor of Sustainable Chemistry, and KAREN WILSON, Professor of Catalysis and Research Director, of Aston University, Birmingham.
Charge raises questions about 'clean coal' method
2 May 2014
Recent news that a gas project in Queensland has been charged with environmental harm has put the spotlight on underground coal gasification, or UCG.
LEDs light the path for bulb sales
2 May 2014
Philips Lighting says that its latest market data shows uptake of LED lighting continues to increase.
So long Shane Jones, a man who got the message
24 Apr 2014
Shane Jones’ legacy to the Labour Party – and potentially New Zealand - is a policy designed to release the environmental and social potential of forestry, as well as boost economic returns.
At last, we're moving on wood carbon rules
24 Apr 2014
New Zealand is finally moving to recognise carbon stored in wood products – two years after it could have done so.
Householders doing their bit in Australia
24 Apr 2014
The latest review of Australia’s energy-saving appliance scheme has delivered a rare trifecta: a good news story for the economy, the community and the environment.
Climate policy and the need for clarity and certainty
24 Apr 2014
Cutting emissions now makes business sense for industry, writes TAMARYN NAPP, a research associate at Imperial College, London.
Fracking is flying high, but how long can it last?
24 Apr 2014
The fracking industry is the new star on the US energy scene, credited by its backers with bringing down domestic fuel prices and revitalising the US economy. But amid the talk of an energy revolution, there are questions about just how long the fracking boom can last.
By hook or by crook, science is finding new routes to energy
24 Apr 2014
While politicians posture, and climate scientists sigh sadly, researchers in laboratories continue to devise ingenious new ways to save energy, increase efficiency, and make the most of solar power.
The energy revolution is jammed in reverse
24 Apr 2014
Keeping the rise in global average temperatures to no more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels will not be prohibitively expensive, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says, though it won't be easy.
Energy-effiicient homes not our strong point, says expert
24 Apr 2014
New Zealand is lagging behind the rest of the world in terms of knowledge, understanding and positive action when it comes to energy-efficient building, according to a leading Canadian specialist about to visit the country.
Farmers earn environment awards
24 Apr 2014
The Ballance Farm Environment Awards have finished another successful year, with supreme winners from 10 regions recognised for their outstanding contribution to agricultural sustainability.
Scientists question Ruataniwha hearing advice
17 Apr 2014
Serious questions raised in Parliament about the independence of scientific advice in consent hearings from Government scientists are justified, says a key witness in the Ruataniwha dam hearing.
Climate change means the skids are under skiing
17 Apr 2014
Skiing on New Zealand’s highest skifields will be viable for another generation – but possibly not for longer than that - thanks to climate change.
Agriculture gas emissions on the rise, warns UN
17 Apr 2014
Agriculture greenhouse emissions have nearly doubled over the past 50 years and may increase by another 30 per cent by 2050, according to new estimates from the UN Food and Agricultural Organization.
Budgeting for use of carbon is key to cutting emissions
17 Apr 2014
Seriously tackling New Zealand’s emissions requires the use of carbon to be budgeted for in the same way the nation budgets for government spending.
National driving climate change, say Greens
17 Apr 2014
New Zealand's latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory submitted to the UN confirms National’s policies are driving climate change, the Green Party says.
We’re on the right track, says Groser
17 Apr 2014
The latest climate crisis report from the United Nations emphasises the need for a truly global agreement in 2015 to ensure efforts to cut greenhouse gases are effective, says Minister for Climate Change Issues Tim Groser
More CO2 could limit plants' protein output
17 Apr 2014
As global temperatures rise, more than one third of the land surface might become more arid.
Local govt shake-up risks weakened environmental outcomes – Commissioner
Fri 27 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government’s push to simplify local government is "deeply flawed" and has been launched without a clear understanding of which functions must remain regional, according to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
Gisborne leads NZ in solar battery uptake as resilience drives demand
Today 11:00am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Battery storage is rapidly moving from add-on to mainstream in New Zealand’s residential solar market, with 2025 data showing stark regional differences in uptake, according to new analysis.
Govt's solar on farms initiative to cut costs, boost resilience
17 Feb 2026
Farms across Aotearoa will begin installing solar panels and battery systems as part of a government-backed demonstration programme designed to test whether on-farm renewable energy can reduce electricity costs and improve energy security for the food and fibre sector.
Annual emissions fell to lowest in 15 years in Sept 2025
5 Feb 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions fell to their lowest annual total in the year to September 2025 since records began 2010, according to Statistics New Zealand data published this morning.
Air NZ joins Marsden Point SAF project
Tue 3 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Air New Zealand has quietly added its name to a consortium exploring the viability of green hydrogen production for sustainable aviation fuel at Channel Infrastructure’s Marsden Point energy hub.
Tairāwhiti needs proper Govt support to heal the land – not empty announcements for political optics
24 Feb 2026
OPINION: The Government’s answer to Tairāwhiti’s severe erosion crisis – that the region apply for modest, contestable funding rounds – while rejecting the region's own land transition business case, leaves our long-term resilience hanging in the balance, writes Manu Caddie.
Kiwi startup takes on global plastic pollution
12 Feb 2026
A New Zealand startup is launching what it says is the world’s first plastic-free effervescent drink tablet, with the ambitious aim of eliminating bottled beverages to reduce global plastic pollution.
