New Zealand: All stories
Key players ponder Nat's 'unusual' R&D decision
10 Oct 2008
Key players in New Zealand’s renewable energy sector are stoic - if somewhat bemused - in the face of National’s announcement that it intends dropping the 15 per cent tax-credit for research and development if it wins power.
Bluff smelter sale could mean big problems in the south
10 Oct 2008
BHP Billiton’s ever-closer acquisition of Rio Tinto could solve one big and enduring problem ... and create another even bigger one.
Buffett makes a bid for power - that's our power
10 Oct 2008
American billionaire-investor Warren Buffett, through holdings in the Wells Fargo Bank, is on the verge of assuming beneficial control of Transpower’s South Island high-voltage electricity grid.
Airport has high hopes for $50m green pier building
10 Oct 2008
A building the Auckland Airport company hopes will be the first in the country to win the prestigious Leed green-building certification opens today.
FORUM: Institute of Forestry reply
10 Oct 2008
It is time for politicians and farm leaders to stop using knowledge of cobalt deficiency and incomplete economic analysis as excuses for deforestation, says NZ Institute of Forestry president Andrew McEwen.
Ministry updates GHG reporting guidelines
10 Oct 2008
The Ministry for the Environment has updated its guidelines for companies wanting to undertake voluntary greenhouse-gas reporting.
NZ in danger of missing clean-tech boom, warns expert
7 Oct 2008
New Zealand is in danger of missing the clean-energy economic boom, says the man behind the country’s first energy innovation forum for investors.
Major players say no to carbon price-cap proposal
7 Oct 2008
A call for a price-cap on carbon in New Zealand is supported by neither the Government nor significant industry players spoken to by Carbon News.
No need for panic-buying, Smith tells businesses
7 Oct 2008
The National Party is not pushing the panic-button over the issue of businesses buying carbon credits - despite companies being urged to consider buying sooner rather than later.
Our shipping treated badly, say West Coast businesses
7 Oct 2008
West Coast business interests say that the carbon emissions trading regime is being deliberately slanted to favour rail over coastal shipping, effectively by-passing Westport and Greymouth as coal exporting ports.
We can have cheaper street lights, says promoter
7 Oct 2008
Replacing street lighting with low-energy alternatives at no extra cost to councils or developers is possible under a new sustainable funding model, says the promoter.
London might get Olympics buses from Ashburton
7 Oct 2008
Ashburton’s Designline appears to have won a bid to supply eco-buses for London’s Olympic Games in 2012.
Power users unite in push for electricity reform
3 Oct 2008
Electricity users across the economy are joining forces to push the Government into the biggest review of our electricity system since the 1996 deregulation.
Wind power poser: Low lakes mean low wind speeds
3 Oct 2008
The same weather conditions that cause hydro-generation lakes to go dry will also stop some wind farms generating power, according to a new report.
Asian coal demand gives longer life to Stockton mine
3 Oct 2008
Solid Energy’s Stockton coal mine will operate for at least another 20 years.
Huntly helps Genesis to $10m profit increase
3 Oct 2008
Electricity and gas supplier Genesis Energy has announced a $10 million rise in annual profit - due largely to the fact that low South Island hydro lake levels have meant that the Huntly thermal power station has been running.
'Hard year' nearly halves Meridian profit
3 Oct 2008
State-owned Meridian energy’s profits have almost halved.
Waste water becomes drinkable using NZ algae process
3 Oct 2008
Farms, meat processing plants and factories could soon be recycling their own discharged water on-site thanks to a world-leading algae-based refining process developed in Blenheim.
Houston company buy-in will boost Contact Energy coal
3 Oct 2008
Houston-based Conoco Phillips has filled the investment vacuum in Origin Energy, left by British Gas, itself a subsidiary of British holding company Centrica.
Kiwi company claims world first for charcoal
30 Sep 2008
A world-first invention has been unveiled in Blenheim today with multi-billion dollar earning potential and the ability to impact on carbon capture on a global scale.
Big emitters play the waiting game with ETS
30 Sep 2008
Some of New Zealand’s major emitters of greenhouse gases are waiting to see who wins the election before committing themselves to buying carbon credits.
Bosses know little of carbon risk, survey shows
30 Sep 2008
Most of the people running New Zealand companies have no idea of their enterprises’ carbon risk.
Holcim debates future of South Island cement works
30 Sep 2008
Cement manufacturer Holcim could be in line for carbon emission credits if it keeps its Westport works.
Garnaut to tell Aussies how life will be in Carbonland
30 Sep 2008
Australians this week will get their best look yet at life in a carbon economy.
London link boosts NZX international standing
30 Sep 2008
NZX’s tie-up with London’s Plus Markets Group gives the New Zealand Stock Exchange a foothold in its drive to internationalise itself through its carbon emissions trading and registry.
Turning milk bottles into useful products
30 Sep 2008
Clever thinking by University of Auckland Faculty of Engineering students is set to change the way milk bottles are recycled on Waiheke Island.
EXCLUSIVE: It's official, we're losing climate change battle
26 Sep 2008
The world is losing the battle against climate change, with global carbon emissions rising sharply last year, a hard-hitting scientific paper due out today will show.
Nats vow to sweep new broom through forest industry
26 Sep 2008
National hopes to sweep a new broom through the forestry sector, promising changes to the Resource Management Act, pushing for offsetting to be included in the Kyoto Protocol, and creating open, regular dialogue between the government and industry.
ANALYSIS: Our future under K2 bleak without forestry
26 Sep 2008
The release of the National Party’s forestry policy has received a warm reception from the sector, with the New Zealand Forest Owner’s Association applauding the party for listening to the industry.
Hydrogen economy tumbles down the NZ wish-list
26 Sep 2008
A government-sponsored research project into a hydrogen economy for New Zealand shows signs of having been sandbagged by political parties' moves to suppress debate on coal.
Pallet-maker puts the heat on plastic bags
26 Sep 2008
A Christchurch company has developed a heat process that converts consumer plastics into industrial freight pallets.
Heavy emitters told climate change issues ripe for litigation
23 Sep 2008
It is only a matter of time before a class action is brought against heavy emitters in New Zealand over damage caused by climate change, says Kensington Swan partner Bryan Gundersen.
Market readies as NZUs about to go on line
23 Sep 2008
Excitement is mounting on the trading markets as NZUs (New Zealand units) are about to go live.
Bank offers customers fixed-price diesel deal
23 Sep 2008
Westpac is leveraging off its drive into industrial equipment leasing by expanding the package, and is now offering its customers a longer-term fixed price on their diesel supply.
New waste bill puts pressure on manufacturers
23 Sep 2008
The Waste Minimisation Bill, expected to get royal assent today, has been almost overlooked in the wake of the passing of the emissions trading legislation.
Patagonia talks paved way for Poznan, says Parker
23 Sep 2008
Promoting emissions-reducing technologies and making countries accountable for failing to reach reduction targets were two of the issues on the table in high-level talks Patagonia last week, says Climate Change Minister David Parker.
Programme helps firms to get to know their carbon footprint
23 Sep 2008
A new programme to help large emitters to measure their carbon footprint has been launched by Landcare.
Our ETS action outstrips nuclear stand, says international expert
19 Sep 2008
New Zealand’s “brave” emissions trading scheme is as significant on the world stage as our 1980s stand against nuclear energy, and could lead to the formation of an Asia/Pacific carbon-trading bloc, says an international climate-change consultant.
National's fisheries policy hooks seafood industry
19 Sep 2008
National’s fisheries policy would leave the industry more than $130 million better off over the first eight years of New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme, the industry says.
Promises, promises ... but what are the costs, asks forester
19 Sep 2008
The “Cassandra of carbon trading” says that the ETS-era is characterised with promises of rewards, yet riddled with unknown costs to achieve them.
Crest appeal one of four over tidal power scheme
19 Sep 2008
Four appeals have been lodged against the Northland Regional Council's decision to grant resource consents for New Zealand's first tidal energy project – including one from the developer itself.
New Hamilton hospital first to go green
19 Sep 2008
New Zealand’s first green hospital, due to be opened next year in Hamilton, will be registered under the Australian green-rating system because no standard exists here.
Want a new Mitsi electric? Don't hold your breath
19 Sep 2008
Only one of Mitsubishi’s i MiEV electric vehicles is confirmed as coming to New Zealand in 2009 for display and evaluation purposes – and there are doubts the car maker will ever bring “useful” numbers them into the country for sale.
FORUM: Is the door open for a carbon tax?
19 Sep 2008
Kensington Swan energy specialist Bryan Gunderson looks at the impacts of Australia adopting a carbon tax.
ETS picture becoming clearer for forest owners
16 Sep 2008
The forestry sector will know precisely how to participate in the emissions trading scheme when the forestry stakeholder reference group meets with MAF at the end of the month.
Entrepreneur finds use for dairy effluent
16 Sep 2008
Electricity industry entrepreneur Brian Tolley says that his BioGenCool system that turns dairy effluent into electricity and fertiliser is the only way to cope with New Zealand’s biggest agricultural pollutant.
Kiwi boffin says he can turn tyres into fuel
16 Sep 2008
A New Zealander has developed a compact and mobile refinery appliance that he says can derive automotive fuel from the nation’s dumped tyres.
Kaipara hapu lodges appeal against Crest tidal project
16 Sep 2008
Northern Kaipara tribal group Te Uri o Hau has appealed the Northland Regional Council’s recommendation that Crest Energy be given resource consent for its Kaipara Harbour tidal energy project.
NZ key player at Patagonia climate change talks
16 Sep 2008
New Zealand is one of a handful of key countries at an international dialogue in Patagonia to guide the development of the post-2012 climate change accord.
Govt promises ‘earlier action’ in response to Commission’s warning climate targets at risk
Today 11:30am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government says it will “explore opportunities for earlier action” ahead of the third Emissions Reduction Plan, and has committed to looking at ways to stop the system of free carbon credits for industrial polluters from disincentivising industrial decarbonisation.
Transpower tracks more than 100 new grid projects
Tue 14 Oct 2025
Transpower’s latest connection data show more than 100 generation, storage and load projects in its pipeline, reflecting the rapid pace of electrification across the country.
All carrot, no stick for farmers on methane
Today 11:30am
By Pattrick Smellie | COMMENT: The abandonment of methane emissions pricing and the adoption of a weaker target is effectively the last nail in the coffin of the historic cross-parliamentary consensus embedded in the Zero Carbon Act 2019.
Govt releases updated emissions projections
Mon 13 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Ministry for the Environment has released updated emissions projections to 2050, which show significant differences to the Climate Change Commission's recent projections for the same period.
Air NZ inks deal for its first internationally verified carbon credits
9 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | Air New Zealand has committed to buying 8000 tonnes of carbon removals by 2030, in partnership with local native forest investment platform My Native Forest.
Emails show forestry lobby fought Gisborne crackdown as slash clean-up drags on
26 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Sustainable land use advocates are accusing Eastland Wood Council of stonewalling efforts to tighten forestry rules, after correspondence between the group and the local council was released under the Official Information Act.
Climate credibility gap widening for Aussie firms
1 Oct 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Australian public companies’ climate change commitments are in retreat, reflecting difficulty in achieving stated targets and increased fossil use, but not because of any pressure to make less effort, according to a study of major companies’ ESG reporting.
