New Zealand: All stories
Government plays loose with ETS facts
15 Nov 2013
The Government is claiming credit for climate change policies – including the Emissions Trading Scheme - introduced by its predecessor.
EDITORIAL: The message is clear ... we have a government of climate deniers
15 Nov 2013
By editor ADELIA HALLETT. The reason for the Government’s failure to take decisive action on the biggest issue facing us became clear this week; it still doubts the science behind anthropogenic climate change.
Warsaw the great test of will, say Greens
15 Nov 2013
COP19 will be the critical test of the international community’s will to prevent dangerous climate change, says Green Party climate change spokesman Kennedy Graham.
Biggest field yet chases green business awards
15 Nov 2013
This year’s Sustainable Business Network awards have attracted unprecedented interest.
CCS will be big, say energy leaders
15 Nov 2013
Carbon capture and storage will be a major part of plans to combat climate change, say the world’s energy and environment ministers.
Smartrafts ... smart way to treat waterways
15 Nov 2013
A local company turned to nature to develop a water-treatment system that costs nothing to run, uses no energy and works continuously with minimal maintenance.
WANTED: Projects that are changing our lives
15 Nov 2013
The hunt is on for projects that are changing for the better the way New Zealanders use energy.
Minister approves new product packaging rules
15 Nov 2013
Product stewardship councils have been put in place for the recycling of plastic, aluminium, paper, glass and cardboard packaging.
Palm oil group agrees on new rules
15 Nov 2013
Three palm oil companies have signed a charter with environmental groups on responsible palm oil production.
Emissions cuts vital, says carbon watchdog
15 Nov 2013
Ambitious emissions reductions targets should be a prerequisite for access to international carbon markets, a carbon markets watchdog says.
Hope from Europe
11 Nov 2013
The NZU market finished the week on a subdued note, as selling interest dries up for now. OMFinancial reports:
Poland will be stepping stone, says Groser
8 Nov 2013
Climate Change Minister Tim Groser says that next week's COP19 conference in Poland will lay the groundwork for a new international agreement on tackling climate change.
New freshwater rules won't work, say scientists
8 Nov 2013
Farmers say it’s a new start to freshwater management, but at least some scientists say Government proposals released this week won’t improve the quality of our waterways.
Meet Kennedy Graham, green sheep of the family ... and a man business would be wise to watch
8 Nov 2013
By editor ADELIA HALLETT. The irony of an ancestor owning a coal mine is not lost on Dr Kennedy Graham.
Young man in a hurry ... all the way to Warsaw
8 Nov 2013
A young man with a commerce degree and an interest in alternate energy will represent New Zealand at COP19 in Warsaw next week.
LanzaTech wins praise for China operation
8 Nov 2013
LanzaTech’s steelmill-waste-to-bioenergy plant in Beijing has earned recognition from international sustainability certifier RSB.
New carbon capture projects get go-ahead
8 Nov 2013
Five new carbon capture and storage projects have been approved.
Earthwise quickly stacks on the business
8 Nov 2013
An Auckland-based maker of environmentally friendly cleaning products has been named first in this year’s Deloitte Fast 50.
Massey scientists unlock plant secrets
8 Nov 2013
Massey University researchers have the first convincing evidence that inter-breeding between closely related species (hybridisation) can aid plants during periods of environmental change.
NZ gas fireplace wins accolades
8 Nov 2013
A New Zealand-designed gas fireplace has been recognised as the most efficient in Europe.
DOC names partnerships head
8 Nov 2013
The Department of Conservation has appointed environmental and recreational consultant Dr Kay Booth to lead DOC’s conservation partnerships group.
Dunedin takes serious look at carbon footprint
8 Nov 2013
Dunedin City Council is one of the first local authorities in the country to measure its carbon footprint against the global greenhouse gas standard, ISO 14064-1:2006.
New footprinting standards available
8 Nov 2013
New international standards for carbon footprinting are now available in New Zealand.
Doha decision forced hand on setting 5% emissions target, says Groser
1 Nov 2013
New Zealand’s expulsion from international carbon markets was a factor in the Government’s setting of this country’s 2020 emissions reduction target.
Paper explains why public not consulted
1 Nov 2013
The Government chose not to consult the public over its 2020 emissions reduction target, despite knowing that the target was inconsistent with three-quarters of earlier public submissions.
Business must play major role, says minister
1 Nov 2013
The Government wants business to take a leading role as New Zealand moves to a low-carbon economy.
Energy leaders to talk carbon capture
1 Nov 2013
Advances in carbon capture and storage technologies will be on the agenda at a high-powered meeting of the world's energy ministers and business leaders next week.
Winemakers serious about sustainability
1 Nov 2013
Sustainability is the new normal in the wine industry, if entries in this year's Air New Zealand Wine Awards are anything to go by.
World foresters go face to face in Rotorua
1 Nov 2013
Financing forestry to mitigate climate change will be on the agenda when international foresters meet in New Zealand next week.
How new food forest courses will add to our larder
1 Nov 2013
Many more food forests are likely to spring up around New Zealand as a new tertiary qualification shows how to produce food in ways which mimic forest ecosystems.
Marsden money goes to climate change research
1 Nov 2013
Just over $3 million of this year’s $59 million Marsden Fund will go into climate change research.
Papers reveal Treasury push for zero GHG target
25 Oct 2013
Treasury wanted New Zealand to adopt a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of zero per cent below 1990 levels.
Our GHG emissions on the way up ... not down
25 Oct 2013
New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions are on track to rise by 2020, not fall as the Government has pledged.
Parties stay quiet on 2015 carbon auctions
25 Oct 2013
A new government might not auction carbon units in 2015.
Young forester happy to play the long game
25 Oct 2013
A young forestry investor says he’ll start selling carbon when spot NZUs get to $10.
Why Sydney wants to bend the power rules
25 Oct 2013
The City of Sydney is pushing for new rules to make low-carbon trigeneration affordable.
Toyota finds green is good for business
25 Oct 2013
Toyota dealers throughout New Zealand say business has increased since they went green and cut electricity consumption by more than a million kilowatts.
Greens quiz minister on emissions reduction
25 Oct 2013
News that New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions are expected to grow by more than a third by 2040 prompted questions in Parliament this week, as Green Party climate change spokesman Dr Kennedy Graham sought to pin the Government down on just how it planned to reach its emissions reduction targets.
Green designer takes a flexible approach
25 Oct 2013
By PETER KERR. Here’s an example of a simple idea being good, and a good idea being simple.
NZ turns away Australian carbon units
18 Oct 2013
More than two million Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) issued under that country’s Carbon Farming Initiative will not be eligible for surrender in New Zealand.
Solar revolution carries huge financial pain
18 Oct 2013
An imminent revolution in the use of solar energy poses a huge financial risk to the Government and energy companies, an industry pioneer says.
Would you like cadmium with that?
18 Oct 2013
Scientists are working on a cadmium-free potato as part of a response to growing alarm over the accumulation of the toxic heavy metal in New Zealand soils.
Big users keen on cutting energy costs
18 Oct 2013
Big energy users are looking for ways to reduce energy use and costs, Statistics New Zealand says.
Major food firms sign up to substainability
18 Oct 2013
New Zealand sustainable reporting company Rata Sustainable Certification Programme has moved into the food sector.
Lightbulbs get the recycling treatment ... but not here
18 Oct 2013
Sydney has launched a city-wide lightbulb recycling system – but there are no plans to do the same for the millions of bulbs that come into New Zealand each year.
Hydro power heads for growth period
18 Oct 2013
The world's hydropower installed capacity is expected to rise by 3.5 per cent by 2020, a new report says.
US biodiesel set to pass billion-gallon mark
18 Oct 2013
The United States biodiesel industry is on pace to produce more than the 1.28 billion gallons set under the Renewable Fuels Standard for this year.
Oil engineer joins environment board
18 Oct 2013
The Government has appointed an engineer with a background in electricity generation and the oil and gas industry to the board of the Environmental Protection Authority.
Where's the Kiwi vision, asks IPCC author
11 Oct 2013
New Zealand could substantially cut greenhouse emissions from transport but lacks the vision to do so.
Expert dismisses Wellington rail plan
11 Oct 2013
Wellington’s Public Transport Spine Study is not backed by science and should be dismissed, says an international expert in sustainability.
Pacific Islands call for fossil fuel phase-out, NZ hangs back
Thu 23 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Pacific Islands nations have launched a landmark declaration for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific, calling for a Fossil Fuel Treaty and urgent phase-out of fossil fuels, however New Zealand isn’t rushing to join the call.
Announcements expected soon on $200M gas fund
Today 11:45am
By Pattrick Smellie | Fossil fuel companies appear likely to take up a $200 million government fund to encourage additional oil and gas exploration, dashing lobbyist Business New Zealand’s hopes that it might be repurposed to underwrite industrial electrification.
Fonterra admits ‘100% grass-fed’ claim breached law in greenwashing row
2 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Fonterra has admitted its “100% New Zealand grass-fed” claims on Anchor butter were misleading and breached the law, settling a case brought by Greenpeace Aotearoa over packaging used between December 2023 and April 2025.
Climate pollution static but NZ still on track for first emissions budget, says MfE
17 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand is still on track to meet its first emissions budget, according to the Ministry for the Environment, despite the pace of emissions reductions slowing to a standstill.
NZ’s latest push to roll out more EV chargers is a good thing – but can it go the distance?
14 Apr 2026
A $50 million plan to expand New Zealand’s public electric vehicle (EV) charging network marks another step toward a lower-emissions transport system.
Wilding conifers continue to plague Southland
17 Apr 2026
By Matthew Rosenberg, Local Democracy Reporter | Fast-spreading conifer trees are causing headaches in Southland as inconsistent funding continues to hinder control efforts.
Victorian Hydrogen announces Southland urea fertiliser project using coal
Wed 22 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Australian-based Victorian Hydrogen has announced it is developing a new 1.5 million-tonne-a-year urea fertiliser operation in Southland, which it will apply for under fast-track legislation.
