New Zealand: All stories
Ace Rentals trialing clean-fuel device already subject to ConsumerNZ doubts
6 Jun 2008
One of the country's car rental firms announced yesterday it is trialing a device which is says is new and cuts nitrous oxide and particulate exhaust emissions. However, it did not say the Consumers Institute has already tested it and “doesn’t buy the spin”.
Clean energy attractive to investors
6 Jun 2008
International corporate responsibility expert Anne-Maree O’Connor is predicting that the shift to green investing is here to stay.
Garnaut says excluding petrol from Australian ETS "unwise"
6 Jun 2008
The economist advising the Australian Government on how to deal with climate change, Ross Garnaut, has suggested it would be unwise to exclude petrol from any emissions trading scheme.
Memo NZIER: Millions of workers will benefit from strong climate change action
6 Jun 2008
While the secretly funded study on the NZ ETS by the NZIER ignored job creation outcomes arising from climate change action, a new report in the US says millions of workers will benefit.
Greens caution against being diverted by promise of electric vehicles
6 Jun 2008
Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons cautions against overlooking more immediate emission reduction solutions for New Zealand’s light vehicle fleet because of a general enthusiasm for electric vehicles.
EU Parliament looks at rules for carbon capture and storage
6 Jun 2008
BACKGROUNDER: The International Energy Agency predict a 70% increase in coal burning by 2030.
AgResearch unveils world leading methane-measuring facility
6 Jun 2008
A world-leading facility for measuring methane emissions from sheep and cattle will help in New Zealand’s response to climate change and build on the country’s reputation as an international leader in pastoral agriculture.
Kitchen experiment leads to plastic bag recycling breakthrough
6 Jun 2008
A kitchen experiment has led a Christchurch (New Zealand) man to a solution for one of the world’s biggest environmental problems – how to dispose of the ubiquitous plastic shopping bag.
Food prices will remain high over next decade, UN report says
6 Jun 2008
In the next 10 years food prices will remain well above the levels of the last decade, according to a report issued by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Business leaders: ETS fuels delay means incentives needed to buy electric and low-emision cars
6 Jun 2008
Business leaders yesterday welcomed a Carbon News report that Ministry of Transport officials are investigating options for incentives to encourage people to buy low-emission vehicles.
Contact's Otahuhu gas-fired plant out
6 Jun 2008
Contact Energy took its 400 megawatt Otahuhu B gas-fired power station near Auckland off line on Wednesday to repair a fault.
Funding talks underway to start New Zealand electric car industry
5 Jun 2008
EXCLUSIVE: New Zealand could soon be building its own electric cars.
Advisory group looking at incentives for electric vehicle buyers
5 Jun 2008
The Ministry of Transport’s Vehicle Energy and Renewables Group (VERG) is looking at ways of creating incentives for manufacturers to bring significant numbers of electric vehicles into New Zealand.
Progress on new climate change deal "extremely disconcerting" says UN leader
5 Jun 2008
The director of the UN’s Environment Programme describes current progress in negotiating a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Treaty as “extremely disconcerting”.
Ferrier meets Taylor on the question on taxpayers subsidising high earning farmers
5 Jun 2008
Fonterra CEO Andrew Ferrier and Environmental Defence Society chair Gary Taylor came togather yesterday for a blunt question and answer on taxpayers subsidising dairy farmer emissions.
PM: Significant risks to export industries without ETS and sustainability
5 Jun 2008
Prime Minister Helen Clark says she sees climate change as one of the biggest environmental and political challenges of our time and singificant risks to export industries if the country doesn't act to become more sustainable.
Maize silage makes the most of dairy effluent
5 Jun 2008
A project in the Waikato is developing options for dairy farmers concerned about nutrient management.
Widely varying figures on new jobs created by renewables
5 Jun 2008
Research on the number of "green jobs" being created by renewables sector growth are varying widely.
Lieberman: We've got a fight ahead of us on US ETS bill
5 Jun 2008
The senator behind the bill to introduce emissions trading in the US admits it is going to be a fight to get the 60 votes to shield it from the filibuster threat.
Heavy emitters group worries over carbon price
5 Jun 2008
Emissions unit prices of $50 a tonne are going to be a huge challenge for New Zealand businesses to absorb and remain profitable, according to the organisation representing heavy emitters.
Pernod Ricard New Zealand first winery to achieve five major international standards
5 Jun 2008
Pernod Ricard New Zealand (formerly Montana Wines) is the first wine company in New Zealand to achieve five top international industry standards relating to quality, environment, health and safety, for all its vineyards, wineries and packaging facility.
Crest Energy upbeat at close of Kaipara tidal energy consent hearings
4 Jun 2008
Crest Energy is upbeat in the wake of week-long planning hearings for their tidal energy project in the Kaipara Harbour.
Neptune’s non-notified consent a victory for innovation over caution
4 Jun 2008
Greater Wellington resource consent processing officer Raymond Chang has told Carbon News that the council’s decision not to notify Neptune Power’s resource consent application for their tidal energy project in Cook Strait was made so as not to “sink the boat” financially before the project had going.
ETS bill goes on the block today at select committee
4 Jun 2008
The shape of New Zealand's emissions trading scheme goes on the block today.
Climate Change Governator due in town
4 Jun 2008
Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was due in town today – by video link.
Anderton weighs into Greens again: Are they Arthur or Martha on dairy prices?
4 Jun 2008
Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton has made his scond strong attack in three days on the Greens.
Together we can change the world, says UN envrionmental head
4 Jun 2008
Four million new Zealanders alone cannot resolve the global warming programme, but can when they join with the world’s other 6.5 billion people, the head of the UN’s environmental programme said in Auckland last night.
Genesis loses Jackson to Gippsland utility corporation
4 Jun 2008
Genesis CEO Murray Jackson is leaving.
Australian Minister talks on ETS and fuel prices
4 Jun 2008
Australia's Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, has talked with The Sunday agenda programme on fuel prices and the proposed emissions trading scheme.
Transpower looks at possible new central North Island grid links for renewables
4 Jun 2008
Transpower has released its documentation for consultation on two investigation projects to facilitate the connection of renewable generation to the National Grid.
Overwhelming support for wind energy
4 Jun 2008
New research shows that New Zealanders overwhelming favour renewable energy for electricity generation.
Farmers calculate carbon emissions online
4 Jun 2008
The Carbon Farming Group has launched an easy to use, online calculator which enables farmers to identify how the Emissions Trading Scheme may affect them and their business.
ECCA figures on Kiwis and renewables
4 Jun 2008
75% of New Zealanders support marine energy as a future electricity generation option, according to research released by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
Pike River tunnel reaches Hawera fault
4 Jun 2008
Pike River Coal Limited (Pike River) says the tunnel being driven to access the premium quality hard coking coal deposit has now reached the Hawera fault zone.
US farmers told they're in a sustainability race
4 Jun 2008
The sustainability message is being delivered through to US farmers.
Conference-bolstered Greens going to play hard ball on ETS
3 Jun 2008
Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimmons has come away from the party’s annual conference at the weekend strengthened in her position to play hardball over the emissions trading scheme.
Forum assures committee: parliamentary process is parliamentary process
3 Jun 2008
The Government-appointed multi-sector Leadership Forum on Climate Change is not working as an alternative to the select committee process – and has told the select committee considering the emissions trading scheme so.
Farm level obligation possible in ETS bill
3 Jun 2008
The ETS bill is likely to be framed so individual farms can become the point of obligation to account for emissions.
Key reveals thoughts on "bastardised" ETS scheme to student blogger
3 Jun 2008
National leader John Key has referred to different credit phase out timelines for different sectors as “a bit of a bastardised way to develop an emissions trading scheme”.
Electric vehicles no panacea, says Meridian
3 Jun 2008
Meridian says its electric vehicle trial will give New Zealanders “a first and early glimpse of the technology,” but warns that it is a mistake to view electric vehicles as a solution to all our carbon emission woes.
Today's the day of the big debate on crucial United States ETS bill
3 Jun 2008
The major Liebermann-Warner cap and trade bill is due to be debated in the US Senate today NZ time.
NZ solar efforts look small compared with EU's strong sector growth
3 Jun 2008
CARBON NEWS SPECIAL FEATURE. - While little appears to be happening in New Zealand, the use of solar energy, one of the most accessible and affordable sources of renewable energy available is growing steadily in Europe.
Brazillian ambassdor snaps back on rain forest-for-fuel claims
3 Jun 2008
The Brazilian Ambassador to New Zealand Manoel Gomes-Pereira, tired of his country being used as a piñata in the rainforests debate, has taken the unusual step for a diplomat of making a spirited public defence of Brazil’s biofuels strategy.
Aussie truck drivers: include fuel in ETS
3 Jun 2008
Australian truck drivers back the inclusion of fuel in their Government's emissions trading scheme and consider cuts to the fuel excise to be bad policy.
Disesel price no impact on truck numbers
3 Jun 2008
Rising diesel prices will not affect the number of trucks on the road if customers can afford to cover the increase, says the Road Transport Forum.
ETS impact modelling problems in Australia
3 Jun 2008
Economists in Australia are struggling to measure the impact on the economy of a proposed 90% emissions cut by 2050.
Red Stag co-generation plant puts $1m a year on bottomline
3 Jun 2008
Red Stag Timber of Rotorua, operator of the Waipa Sawmill, has emerged as the poster child of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s campaign to use renewable energy from wood fuel.
US study: US$35 per ton carbon price will cut emissions 10%
3 Jun 2008
A new analysis by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business shows possible positive short-term effects of establishing a mandatory price for CO2 emissions inthe United States.
When it comes to buying climate friendly vehicles 11% will part with the cash
3 Jun 2008
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — Although many new-vehicle buyers may want to purchase an environmentally friendly vehicle, only 11 percent are “very willing” to pay more to do so.