New Zealand: All stories
OBITUARY: Kiwi pioneered biochar research
4 Dec 2009
A New Zealander who was a world pioneer in advocating the use of biochar to sequester carbon has died en route to the international climate change talks in Copenhagen.
At last, the forestry show can hit the road
4 Dec 2009
A Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry road show to explain to the emissions trading scheme to forest owners is about to hit the road – a year later than planned.
Greens see jobs aplenty in carbon storage bonanza
4 Dec 2009
New Zealand can create thousands of jobs and store millions of tonnes of carbon, according to new research from the Green Party.
No-go Nicolson: It's best I stay down on the farm
4 Dec 2009
Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson says he’s doing his bit for climate change by not going to international climate change talks in Copenhagen next week.
The truth about climate change making you rich
4 Dec 2009
By Jeff Siegel - Last week, Ed Begley Jr was invited to discuss global warming on Fox News with Stuart Varney.
Be warned: ETS is here and businesses must comply
27 Nov 2009
Chief financial officers and boards must come to terms with the emissions trading scheme now or risk exposing their businesses to significant risk, a senior adviser is warning.
It's game on as ETS interest starts to flow
27 Nov 2009
New Zealand businesses are waking up to the reality of the emissions trading scheme.
Businesses to have say in allocation rules
27 Nov 2009
New Zealand businesses will have a chance to influence the way in which free credits to trade-exposed companies are issued.
Soil sequestration seen as cash boost for farmers
27 Nov 2009
Soil sequestration of carbon will be a significant income source for farmers in the future, says the head of the Berl economic analysis group.
Cleantech bigger money-maker than the internet
27 Nov 2009
By Nick Hodge - The billionaire venture capitalist John Doerr says cleantech is the largest economic opportunity of the 21st century.
ETS: What Climate Change Minister Nick Smith says
27 Nov 2009
The Government has secured the support of the Maori Party to enable New Zealand to implement an affordable and workable emissions trading scheme next year.
ETS: Forest owners say deal is unjust
27 Nov 2009
Forest owners say pre-1990 forests are likely to be worth next to nothing because of the ETS. Owners have been landed with the massive liabilities of being part of the scheme, but cant earn carbon credits.
ETS: Shark swallows the Maori minnow
27 Nov 2009
There is a famous story in Te Ao Mâori. It is about a kahawai, not unlike the Mâori Party, and the great white shark. The great white shark said to the kahawai
ETS: Federated Farmers praise handiwork
27 Nov 2009
Federated Farmers has taken cold comfort that its behind-the-scenes lobbying might have saved each New Zealand farm some $27,000 from 2030.
Maori win ETS voice ... and trip to Copenhagen
23 Nov 2009
The Government has done a deal with the Maori Party over the emissions trading scheme that will see iwi consulted over the rules for the allocation of free carbon credits in agriculture and fishing, and taking a seat at the Copenhagen climate change talks.
Opposition gets ready to mount counter-offensive
23 Nov 2009
A carbon price cap of $100, transparency over heavy emitters making donations to political parties, and bringing agriculture into the ETS in 2013 as originally planned are among counter proposals the Labour Party will put up against the National-Maori Party deal to change the scheme.
Smith: Agreement enables progress on climate change
23 Nov 2009
The Government has secured the support of the Maori Party to enable New Zealand to implement an affordable and workable emissions trading scheme next year, Minister for Climate Change Issues Nick Smith says.
Labour: A 'quick and dirty deal'
23 Nov 2009
Today's "quick and dirty deal" with the Maori Party lumps taxpayers with a $110 billion bill allowing big polluters to continue polluting, Labour Leader Phil Goff said today.
Greens: Deal will cost everyone
23 Nov 2009
Legitimate Treaty settlement concerns are not a good reason for Maori to support flawed legislation that will cost both Maori and Pakeha dearly, the Green Party said today.
Multi-party backing for admin bill to develop emissions trading market
23 Nov 2009
Parliament has adopted a Commerce Select Committee report’ recommending changes to law which will allow the country’s new emissions trading market to develop.
ETS changes mean tomorrow's NZers will pay 84 per cent of Kyoto costs, says council
23 Nov 2009
The Sustainability Council is sticking by its claim that amendments to the emissions trading scheme will mean that tomorrow’s New Zealanders will have to pay for today’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Maori quiet on ETS small print till Monday
20 Nov 2009
Details of a deal between the Maori Party and the Government for support for changes to the emissions trading scheme could be revealed on Monday.
Australia, US woo NZ biofuel pioneer
20 Nov 2009
A New Zealand pioneer in making bio-oil from algae is considering quitting the country.
IN THE HOUSE: Maori Party ETS deal
20 Nov 2009
Parliament yesterday discussed the potential impacts of the emissions trading scheme on Maori.
Posh house wins most-sustainable award
20 Nov 2009
A sophisticated inner-city Christchurch home has been named this year’s best sustainable home valued at more than $1 million.
Forum: Taking agriculture forward with the Emissions Trading Scheme
20 Nov 2009
Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith speaks to the Federated Farmers National Council Meeting in Wellington yesterday.
Time for a cup of tea, says veteran Nat
20 Nov 2009
A life-long National Party member is criticising the Government’s “headlong rush” into changes to the emissions trading scheme.
Next steps will depend on Maori Party bottom line
16 Nov 2009
ANALYSIS. – The backroom deal with the Maori Party will determine if changes to ETS law get through Parliament.
Oops! Treasury sums wrong by $50 billion
16 Nov 2009
Treasury underestimated by $50 billion the cost of proposed changes to the way in which the government hands out free carbon credits.
ETS debate might still be a week away
16 Nov 2009
Parliament might not debate changes to the emissions trading scheme until next week.
Dejected dairy giant plans next ETS move
16 Nov 2009
Dairy giant Fonterra is considering its next move after a parliamentary select committee failed to prevent measures that will exclude the co-operative’s processing from receiving free carbon credits.
Harmonisation not the way, says expert
16 Nov 2009
An international expert on emissions trading says that detailed harmonisation of the New Zealand scheme with that of Australia is not necessary or desirable.
Goff slams Government's billions blunder
16 Nov 2009
The shambolic process around the Government’s proposed Emissions Trading Scheme has been exposed by a $50 billion blunder by National, Labour Leader Phil Goff said today.
Greens: ETS something worth swearing about
16 Nov 2009
Revelations that Climate Change Minister Nick Smith's proposed changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme are going to cost taxpayers an extra $105 billion is something really worth swearing about, Dr Russel Norman, Green Party Co-Leader, said today.
National foolish in slavishly following Australia, says Chauvel
16 Nov 2009
The Australian Government's decision to exclude agriculture from its emissions trading scheme is further evidence of the folly of National's headlong rush to harmonise with Australia in this area, Labour's climate change spokesperson Charles Chauvel says.
Aussie farmers out of ETS ‘faster than a rat up a drainpipe’
16 Nov 2009
As predicted by Federated Farmers two weeks ago, Australia’s Federal Government yesterday opted to permanently exclude farmers from its emissions trading scheme.
Error sends cost of ETS changes skyrocketing
13 Nov 2009
The cost of changes to the emissions trading scheme might be up to three times as high as the Government has said.
Vote deadlocked as ETS bill returns to House
13 Nov 2009
A deadlocked select committee is expected to report back to Parliament today on the Government’s planned changes to the emissions trading scheme.
Divided Maori Party likely to toe the line on ETS
13 Nov 2009
The Maori Party is deeply divided over changes to the emissions trading scheme – but is unlikely to split its vote on the issue.
Treasury says it hasn't got Kyoto accounts wrong
13 Nov 2009
Treasury is disputing a claim that it has failed to include liabilities for future forestry harvesting in New Zealand’s Kyoto accounts.
FORUM: Britain stands shoulder to shoulder with Maldives on climate change
13 Nov 2009
By Douglas Alexander, British international development secretary, and Mohamed Nasheed, president of the Maldives
Farmers might move offshore, warns Fonterra
6 Nov 2009
Fonterra is being cut out of free carbon credits under the Government's amended emissions trading scheme - and is warning the move could drive farmers offshore.
Methane scare: NZ urged to watch and wait
6 Nov 2009
New Zealand policy makers are being urged not to react too quickly to American research suggesting methane might play a bigger part in climate change than previously thought.
ETS politics frustrating, says business chief
6 Nov 2009
Wellington’s obsession with the politics of climate change and carbon trading is turning off the rest of the country, says the EMA (Northern).
We can meet deadline, says ETS committee
6 Nov 2009
The Government says it’s on track to have changes to the emissions trading scheme in place by the time international leaders gather in Copenhagen next month to negotiate the next global climate change agreement.
Electric cars could deliver $8 billion+ net benefit
6 Nov 2009
The net benefit to New Zealand from comparing no uptake of electric vehicles to the expected market demand is $8.2 billion over a 50 year analysis period.
Forum: Why must New Zealand adopt the limitations of the Australian CPRS, asks EITG's Richard Hayes
6 Nov 2009
Cabinet minutes from the September 14 have some sobering news for forest owners thinking of selling credits off shore by converting NZU units to international government compliance assigned amount units (AAU) units.
FORUM: Country needs a change of focus
6 Nov 2009
Sustainable development remains high on the international agenda, even as policy makers are distracted by the political and fiscal fall-out of the global financial crisis, says NZIER.
Environmental priorities must connect the dots, say Greens
6 Nov 2009
This week's New Zealand Institute of Economic Research report on environmental priorities fails to connect the dots between modern environmental challenges, particularly when it suggests that reducing climate change emissions is a low priority for New Zealand, says the Green Party.
ETS a ‘broken paradigm’ undercutting biodiversity efforts
Mon 25 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Pure Advantage is calling on the government to reform the Emissions Trading Scheme, with a new policy briefing saying that New Zealand’s offset-heavy approach is a “broken paradigm” undermining biodiversity and shifting risk to communities.
Profound shifts in our changing energy system – new data
Wed 27 Aug 2025
New Zealand’s energy system is undergoing a profound shift as falling gas production and a dry hydro year reshaped the electricity market in 2024, according to data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Energy in New Zealand 2025.
International scientists slam NZ govt's proposed approach to methane
13 Aug 2025
New Zealand's proposed approach to methane emissions has again been attacked by international climate scientists, with a new study saying the attempt to redefine climate target-setting by livestock-exporting countries undermines the transition to a sustainable and equitable food system
Marginal drop in last year's regional emissions
Wed 27 Aug 2025
Regional greenhouse gas emissions were down slightly last year, with a fall in gas supply leading to a big drop in Taranaki, but more coal burnt leading to higher emissions in Waikato, according to new figures from Stats NZ
Fund for low emissions transport winds up
31 Jul 2025
New Zealand’s Low Emission Transport Fund has officially wrapped up, ending a nine-year programme that put hundreds of millions of dollars towards accelerating the country’s shift to cleaner transport.
Certainty crucial to emissions cuts – Watts
20 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says that policy certainty is the Government’s primary lever for unlocking private capital and meeting climate targets, telling a carbon forestry conference that ETS settings are 'locked' through 2030.
Why climate strategy is now central to business success
Tue 26 Aug 2025
SPONSORED CONTENT: Ahead of next month’s Climate Change and Business Conference, New Zealand businesses are being urged to treat climate strategy not as a regulatory burden, but as a core driver of economic competitiveness.
