New Zealand: All stories
No hurry on methane emissions, says Groser
31 Mar 2009
Trade and Associate Climate Change Minister Tim Groser says that with no technology available to counter agricultural methane emissions, New Zealand will not push the case just for a 'first' on emissions trading.
ETS review hearings start on Thursday
31 Mar 2009
The ETS review committee will begin hearing submissions on Thursday morning, with the list of those who will be presenting being provided to committee members tonight.
ARC sees back-to-the-future transport solution
31 Mar 2009
The Auckland Regional Council is recommending a back-to-the-future approach to fixing Auckland’s transport woes in the light of the Government’s recent transport infrastructure funding announcements.
Meridian tests Kaipara potential for wind power
31 Mar 2009
Meridian Energy is assessing the wind generation potential of a site at Pouto in the Kaipara Harbour.
Wellington eyes hydro plant at Wainuiomata
31 Mar 2009
The Greater Wellington Regional Council is evaluating a scheme to install a hydro-generator plant at its Wainuiomata water treatment plant.
National-Labour-Green deal possible on ETS
27 Mar 2009
The National Government could have a majority for a revised emissions trading scheme without the Act Party.
Energy leader backs cross-party action on ETS
27 Mar 2009
The prospect of cross-party support for an emissions trading scheme is being welcomed by energy infrastructure company Vector.
ETS hearings timetable out today
27 Mar 2009
Submitters to the ETS review committee should know later today the timetable for submission hearings.
Insurers work through climate disasters liability
27 Mar 2009
The insurance industry is grappling with the issue of how to insure against carbon lost through fires, biosecurity breaches, cyclones and other disasters.
Follow the Danes on animal tax, say farmers
27 Mar 2009
Federated Farmers is using the actions of Danish politicians to keep pressure on the ETS review committee.
Solid Energy wants action on southern lignite
27 Mar 2009
Solid Energy is keeping close tabs on legislators seeking an excuse to leave Southland’s rich lignite resources untapped.
Blue Mountain finds the BOOT fits
27 Mar 2009
Blue Mountain Lumber is proving that energy investment can be made in isolation from long-term considerations of risk surrounding the original use.
Happy forest owners now look for better NZUs price
24 Mar 2009
Foresters greeted the first sale of NZUs with keen interest but are looking for an improved price, says Earnslaw One environment manager Peter Weir.
Energy leader calls for carbon tax solution
24 Mar 2009
New Zealand’s largest domestically owned and operated energy company is calling for the government to postpone the emissions trading scheme and reconsider a carbon tax.
Harmonising Tasman emissions schemes could mean massive losses
24 Mar 2009
Harmonising the Australian and New Zealand emissions trading schemes could cause massive losses for forestry firms here and bring fuels into the scheme six months early.
NZ business leaders slow on carbon market uptake
24 Mar 2009
TZ1 chief Mark Franklin says that New Zealand businesses are slow at coming to terms with carbon markets.
Biofuels and e-car experts in capital talks
24 Mar 2009
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee will open EECA’s fifth biofuels and electric vehicles conference in Wellington this morning, kicking off a programme strong on international perspectives.
NZ-UK business group criticises airport taxes
24 Mar 2009
The sole New Zealand-United Kingdom trade lobby group has broken cover and come out publicly against proposals advanced in recent months by the British Government to increase and reshape future airport departure taxes.
Coal turned to gold for British millionaire
24 Mar 2009
British millionaire Sir Robert Ogden’s ocean going yacht La Masquerade, which has been cruising New Zealand waters in recent weeks, is testimony to the great fortunes that can be made from coal.
EXCLUSIVE: Forestry credits sale marks world first
20 Mar 2009
New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme has had its first trade.
Australia move could cut agriculture from ETS
20 Mar 2009
Aligning New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme more closely with that of Australia could mean an indefinite delay to bringing agriculture into the scheme, opening this country to charges of unfair subsidies, Greenpeace says.
Brownlee facts spur power station protesters
20 Mar 2009
Energy statistics for the last quarter of 2008 are being used to add weight to the calls for Genesis Energy to abandon its proposed power station in Kaukapakapa.
Kiwi charcoal system in line for world prize
20 Mar 2009
A New Zealand company’s carbon-capturing innovation is one five finalists in the Financial Times UK’s global Climate Change Challenge.
Wood-pellet industry resents officials’ disinterest
20 Mar 2009
The wood burner industry is annoyed that it continues to receive less-than-enthusiastic support from government sustainable agencies, including EECA.
Infratil happily waits for Tasman emissions schemes
20 Mar 2009
Hesitation on both sides of the Tasman over implementing the emissions trading regimes, along with the falling price of crude oil, is a problem for what many view as the most imaginative investment by Infratil.
ETS select committee starts hearing views
20 Mar 2009
The select committee reviewing the emissions trading scheme has started hearing submissions.
Farmers want agriculture, food out of ETS
17 Mar 2009
Federated Farmers wants agriculture and food production removed from the emissions trading scheme.
World gets interested in our forestry NZUs
17 Mar 2009
International interest is growing in New Zealand forestry units.
Greens call for forest industry to diversify
17 Mar 2009
Forestry and Biosecurity Minister David Carter addresses the International Biosecurity Conference in Rotorua this morning amidst calls for New Zealand to diversify its forest plantation species to make it less vulnerable to catastrophic forest losses caused by biosecurity breaches.
Capital acts to reduce carbon footprint
17 Mar 2009
Greater Wellington's Regional Sustainability Committee has implemented what it describes as a new regional greenhouse gas emissions inventory - a plan to reduce the region's overall carbon footprint.
Govt setting bad example, says UN award winner
13 Mar 2009
The scaling back of government green initiatives is setting a bad example for the private sector, says a Wellington environmental consultancy that has just been recognised by the United Nations.
Select committee has a chance to get it right
13 Mar 2009
The emissions trading scheme review is a good process which could give New Zealand a chance to “get it right”, says a leading climate change adviser.
Chauvel: Forget Australia and get on with our ETS
13 Mar 2009
Calls for alignment with Australia are really calls for New Zealand to delay the implementation of its emissions trading scheme, says Labour’s climate change spokesman Charles Chauvel.
Insurers now wary of climate change risks
13 Mar 2009
Climate change is an "emerging risk," the CEO of insurance underwriters Lloyds of London told an Auckland business gathering this week.
Mapp urges biofuel crops for our badlands
13 Mar 2009
Crown Research Minister Wayne Mapp says that the parts of New Zealand unsuitable for growing food should be cultivated for biofuels.
Foresters: We've had enough of uncertainty
10 Mar 2009
The forestry industry says the Government should ignore calls to abandon the emissions trading scheme in favour of alternatives such as Business NZ’s proposed low-level all-gases tax or levy on every unit of emissions.
Biofuels bad news for third world, ecologists warn
10 Mar 2009
Having large numbers of motorists switch to biofuels would be “bad news for the planet and for many millions of third world people suffering through the expansion of agrofuels to feed the rich world's cars", warns the Pacific Institute of Resource Management.
Time right for mass home insulation, says economist
10 Mar 2009
The time is right for a recession-busting programme of infrastructure development such as mass home insulation, says a leading economist.
Australian researchers claim algae breakthrough
10 Mar 2009
Australian researchers say they have scored a world first by being able to quantify algae’s ability to sequester greenhouse gas.
Good week for the Roundtable
10 Mar 2009
COMMENT: The Business Roundtable will be pleased with the influence it is achieving through Nick Smith’s office.
Rising tides seen as threat to our wetlands
10 Mar 2009
Salt intrusion into coastal wetlands due to rising seas through global warming is a pending problem for New Zealand, according Len Everett, the British Columbia director of Ducks Unlimited.
Forum: M-co chief on electricity review
10 Mar 2009
I must take issue with your article of last Friday “Electricity Commission review puts M-co at risk.”
Smith calls for new report on cost of ETS
6 Mar 2009
Two teams of economists with different opinions about the cost of the emissions trading scheme have been told to come up with a joint report for the ETS review.
Include biochar in ETS, urges top scientist
6 Mar 2009
World-renowned Australian scientist Professor Tim Flannery says that biochar technology – acknowledged as possibly our greatest chance of reducing atmospheric carbon – should be included in New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme.
Minister backs ETS review climate change stand
6 Mar 2009
The emissions trading scheme review is standing by its decision not to hear debate about the validity of climate change science - and has the backing of Climate Change Minister Nick Smith.
ETS delay hampers lake protection moves
6 Mar 2009
Delays in establishing a domestic carbon market are hampering the efforts of a trust set up to protect an iconic New Zealand natural landmark.
Credit freeze forces foresters to stall harvests
6 Mar 2009
A bank freeze on credit - especially on letters of credit - is prompting forestry owners to keep their trees in the ground because they cannot find the cash to export them.
Electricity Commission review puts M-co at risk
6 Mar 2009
The anticipated review of the Electricity Commission is being viewed as an opportunity to overhaul the wholesale marketing of electricity in New Zealand.
FORUM: In praise of urban forests
6 Mar 2009
Landscape architect Debbie Tikao argues for developers, councils and communities to get planting:
Foresters might end milling to earn carbon credits
3 Mar 2009
Central Districts forestry interests are considering leaving their trees in the ground long term, instead of milling them, so that they earn forestry credits, especially from Europe.
Greens announce water policy, including nitrogen fertiliser phase-out
Today 12:45pm
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party announced its water policy yesterday, promising to phase out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, as well as destructive fishing methods, if the party is elected in November.
Faster consenting, harder trade-offs
Today 12:45pm
Faster consenting is starting to produce results, but this week's decisions show speed has not removed the harder trade-offs around electricity security, conservation, ecology and climate liability.
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.
Weakening Clean Car Standard would hurt EV uptake, industry warns
Today 12:45pm
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Electric vehicle advocates say weakening the Clean Car Standard would reduce access to new EV models, undermining New Zealand's place in global supply chains and slowing the country's transition to lower-emissions transport.
Seymour ‘imploring’ council to go easy on foresters is abuse of authority: EDS
Today 12:45pm
By Liz Kivi | The Environmental Defence Society says that Regulation Minister David Seymour’s attempt to influence Gisborne District Council to ‘go easy’ on forestry companies in enforcing environmental laws is a clear abuse of ministerial authority.
NZ Taxonomy project scoops London Climate Week award
24 Jun 2026
The New Zealand Taxonomy project has scooped an innovation award at the International Climate Bonds awards in London this week.
