New Zealand: All stories
Hydrogen plant to start construction
10 Feb 2026
Construction is set to start this month on Hiringa Energy’s long delayed green hydrogen project in South Taranaki, after years of consenting fights that culminated in the Court of Appeal rejecting Greenpeace’s challenge in late 2023.
$8.9m research project to map future ocean change around Aotearoa
10 Feb 2026
The major research project aims to better understand how warming oceans are driving extreme weather events around New Zealand, from heavy rainfall to tropical cyclones.
Critical minerals talks with US questioned in Waitangi Tribunal climate inquiry
9 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand and the United States' negotiations over critical minerals have raised questions for the Waitangi Tribunal’s long-running inquiry into climate change.
Fast-track panel rejects Taranaki seabed mining bid
9 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A fast-track approvals panel has declined Trans-Tasman Resources’ proposal to mine the seabed in the South Taranaki Bight, finding credible risks to marine species and determining the project would breach obligations to Māori under the Fast-Track Approvals Act.
Green Member’s Bill aims to give whales legal ‘personhood’
9 Feb 2026
The Green Party wants to give whales legal rights, including the right to sue.
Annual emissions fell to lowest in 15 years in Sept 2025
5 Feb 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions fell to their lowest annual total in the year to September 2025 since records began 2010, according to Statistics New Zealand data published this morning.
$7m boost for marae adaptation as climate impacts intensify
5 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A further $7 million has been committed to marae climate resilience projects under the second stage of the Māori Climate Platform, with funding targeted at flood protection, water infrastructure, renewable energy and, in one case, relocating a marae to higher ground.
Auckland Council raises flood mitigation limit to avoid costly buyouts
5 Feb 2026
By Taelegalolo'u Mary Afemata, Local Democracy Reporter | As Auckland Council’s storm recovery programme moves into its final phase, councillors have agreed to lift the cap on flood mitigation spending per household in a bid to avoid more expensive property buyouts.
Media round-up
5 Feb 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: Climate change is a key focus for iwi leaders gathering at Waitangi this week, a second town is red-listed by AA Insurance for new home insurance policies, and the loss of life during recent weather events should cause us to reflect on our relationship with vulnerable landscapes in a changing climate.
'Damning' report challenges forestry’s role in Tairāwhiti as sector rejects conclusions
4 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New independent analysis commissioned by Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti challenges long-standing claims that industrial forestry underpins the Tairāwhiti economy.
Govt backs fusion research as part of long-term clean energy push
4 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is investing up to $35 million in fusion energy research through a loan to New Zealand start-up OpenStar Technologies, saying investment could strengthen New Zealand’s energy security.
Auckland Council opens $1m Climate and Emergency Readiness Fund
4 Feb 2026
Community groups across Tāmaki Makaurau are being invited to apply for a new $1 million Climate and Emergency Readiness Fund, designed to support locally led action on climate change, disaster preparedness and climate adaptation.
Heavy EV charger hub opens at Lower Hutt landfill
4 Feb 2026
By Justin Wong, Local Democracy Reporter |In a nationwide first, heavy electric vehicles can now recharge at Lower Hutt’s Silverstream Landfill.
Scientists warn that reforms entrench instability as climate risks grow
3 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Science reforms intended to strengthen New Zealand’s research system are instead compounding long-standing failures, according to the New Zealand Association of Scientists, which says instability, lost capability and weak accountability are leaving the country increasingly exposed to climate hazards.
The politics of risk in 2026
3 Feb 2026
The opening speeches of Parliament’s first sitting days offered little new policy detail, but they repeated the themes likely to define energy and environment politics in 2026 - and the framing each party wants to carry into an election year.
Changes to climate reporting expected by mid-year
3 Feb 2026
Changes to New Zealand’s climate reporting requirements are expected to become law by mid year, with the Finance and Expenditure Committee recommending passing the bill when it reported it back last week.
Kiwis want Govt investment to reduce climate risk
2 Feb 2026
New Zealanders strongly support proactive efforts to reduce the risks from climate related events like flooding, landslips and sea level rise and keep communities safe, according to a new survey.
Opposition attacks Govt over fossil fuel phaseout backdown
2 Feb 2026
By Liz Kivi | Revelations that Resources Minister Shane Jones ruled out New Zealand signing up to a 'road map' away from fossil fuels at last year’s global climate summit show the National Party’s minor coalition partners’ undue influence over the Government, according to Labour leader Chris Hipkins.
Gisborne council urged to stop 'appeasing' forestry industry
2 Feb 2026
By Zita Campbell, Local Democracy Reporter | A Gisborne environmental group is lobbying the Gisborne District Council to stop appeasing the forestry industry, and protesters say they want more action “faster”.
Commentators slam Govt inaction in aftermath of climate change-fuelled storms
30 Jan 2026
By Liz Kivi | Climate action - or inaction - is shaping up to be an election issue, with multiple commentators drawing a line between the Coalition Government’s backsliding on climate targets and the deadly extreme weather events of the past week.
Foresters warn emissions plan changes push risk into next decade
30 Jan 2026
The New Zealand Institute of Forestry says the Government’s amendment to the Second Emissions Reduction Plan provides welcome policy clarity in the short term, but leaves significant delivery risks unresolved beyond 2030, particularly as agriculture pricing is shelved and greater reliance is placed on forestry removals.
Greenpeace slams ‘bogus’ climate plan
30 Jan 2026
The Government’s re-jigged emissions plan has a giant “cow-shaped hole” in it, exposing a climate strategy that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, according to Greenpeace.
Ōtara homeowner lays bare cost of flood-proofing as council confirms no private funding
30 Jan 2026
Taelegalolo'u Mary Afemata | A lifelong Ōtara resident is using her family home as a real-world example of what flood resilience looks like in practice.
Media round-up
30 Jan 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: A climate scientist says it's not too late for people to reduce emissions and slow the effects of climate change, forestry urges Government to remove legal accountability for slash, and which regions lead NZ in rooftop solar – and which ones lag behind?
Out of Paris, but will the US formally quit the UN climate regime?
30 Jan 2026
The Trump administration has decided to withdraw the US from the broader UN climate convention, raising questions about the legality of the move and what it means in practice.
Govt updates emissions plan to blow past legislated target
29 Jan 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government has updated its emissions reduction plan, with agricultural emissions now set to blow past the legislated 2030 target.
Govt rules out support for Gisborne storm transition plan
29 Jan 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has ruled out providing financial support for Gisborne District Council’s long-term storm and land-use transition plan, despite mounting evidence that poor land use is intensifying the impacts of extreme weather across Tairāwhiti and other regions.
New Auckland alliance to accelerate nature regeneration
29 Jan 2026
Auckland Council alongside the Sustainable Business Network have launched the Tāmaki Taiao Alliance, a new collaboration designed to accelerate nature regeneration at scale across Tāmaki Makaurau.
Court rejects challenge to Minister and Commission over climate targets
28 Jan 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Supreme Court has rejected Lawyers for Climate Action’s bid to challenge the Climate Change Commission and former Climate Minister James Shaw over climate targets, ending a long-running case which had been working its way through the courts since 2021.
Govt weighs LNG backstop as gas decline accelerates
28 Jan 2026
Liquefied natural gas imports are moving from a back-pocket idea to an active procurement process, with ministers expected to make decisions soon on whether – and how – to add LNG as an emergency backstop for New Zealand’s tightening gas and electricity system.
NZ’s sodden January explained: what’s driven this month’s big wet?
28 Jan 2026
By James Renwick, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington It has been a month of umbrellas rather than sunscreen across much of New Zealand, with persistent rain, low sunshine and deadly storms dominating headlines and daily life.
Shifting peak power use could save NZ $3 billion, report finds
27 Jan 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Almost a quarter of New Zealand’s peak electricity demand could be shifted to off-peak hours, saving the country $3 billion in power generation and infrastructure to meet peak demand, according to new analysis from EECA.
Govt consulting on further ETS fee cuts for foresters
27 Jan 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has moved to reduce compliance costs for forest owners, announcing a further cut to ETS registry charges and a new consultation on service fees, a move welcomed by forestry industry groups.
Energy and environment enters an election year pressure cooker
27 Jan 2026
Parliament resumes this week but the year ahead is already framed by the November 7 election.
Supreme Court mandates climate consideration in petroleum permitting
26 Jan 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government must consider climate change when offering petroleum exploration permits, according to a recent ruling from the Supreme Court.
Financial sector must account for hard realities of climate change
26 Jan 2026
COMMENT: While the world’s largest asset manager ditching its $2 billion climate tech commitment to New Zealand is part of a greater walkback of climate finance, concerns about climate-related risk continue to shape present-day financial decisions, writes David Hall.
Hawke’s Bay weather response: What councils changed after Cyclone Gabrielle
26 Jan 2026
By Linda Hall, Local Democracy Reporter |Hawke’s Bay councils say preparation played a key role in responding to the latest devastating weather to strike the country.
Climate law change spanner in the works for Waitangi Tribunal Inquiry
19 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s controversial changes to New Zealand’s legal framework for climate policy have thrown a spanner in the works for a long-running Waitangi Tribunal Inquiry into climate change.
Seasons greetings for the summer break
19 Dec 2025
The Carbon News team is taking a break over the summer holidays. We’ll be back with more crucial climate coverage from New Zealand and around the world from 26 January 2026.
Pacific climate response in question as NZ finance remains unclear
19 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | With New Zealand's $1.3 billion international climate finance commitment set to end with no clarity on what follows, the Auditor-General says oversight of that funding remains patchy and long-term outcomes are unclear.
Wetlands and biodiversity at risk as mining rules loosen: Greenpeace
19 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Greenpeace says Government changes to national direction instruments under the RMA paves the way for mining in wetlands and biodiversity hotspots and will expose some of Aotearoa’s most fragile ecosystems to irreversible damage.
State-owned farmer drives profit growth with emissions reductions
19 Dec 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Government-owned Landcorp, trading as Pāmu, is one-third of the way to meeting its 2031 emissions reduction targets, with five years left to run to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30.3% against 2021 emissions.
Govt unveils plans for carbon storage regulations – and ETS rewards
18 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Government has released plans to regulate carbon capture and storage in natural geological formations, which include Emissions Trading Scheme incentives, with the aim of introducing related legislation in 2026.
Farm-level emissions cuts possible, but almost everything stands in the way
18 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Progress to slash farming emissions is being blocked by limited farmer confidence in mitigation tools, inconsistent engagement, misinformation and a lack of clear policy signals, according to a new report.
NZ hydrogen regulation to catch up with the world
18 Dec 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | The government has announced a regulatory reset for New Zealand’s emerging clean tech hydrogen sector.
Could tidal energy one day power NZ?
18 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New research suggests Aotearoa holds some of the world’s strongest tidal-stream energy potential – enough to generate up to 93% of today’s electricity use – but one expert cautions that extracting energy at such a scale could have significant impacts and remains highly uncertain.
Climate change policy moving to new mega-ministry
17 Dec 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | The Government’s primary adviser on climate change policy, the Ministry for the Environment, is to be folded into a new mega-agency that will also cover urban, transport, local government and housing.
RMA’s successors hinge on two untested bets
17 Dec 2025
Two ideas sit at the heart of the Government’s replacement for the Resource Management Act: regulatory relief and spatial planning.
Communities must be central to climate adaptation strategies – 10 insights to guide national policy
17 Dec 2025
Discussions about how New Zealand should adapt to a changing climate have been going on for more than two decades.
NZ could become ‘dumping ground’ for dirty vehicles: Commissioner
16 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi | Simon Upton, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, has warned the Government that its changes to the clean car standard could turn the country into a dumping ground for high emitting cars, making future emissions budgets harder to achieve.
Govt tweaks consenting rules for EV chargers
Fri 10 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has announced a national reset of planning rules for EV chargers, which it says aim to address infrastructure shortages which have put the brakes on electric vehicle uptake in New Zealand.
Pūkaki consent battle becomes proxy for system risk
Today 11:15am
The fight over Lake Pūkaki is no longer just about a consent change. It has become a proxy for how much New Zealand is willing to pay for electricity system resilience – and how that price should be set.
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.
Annual emissions fell to lowest in 15 years in Sept 2025
5 Feb 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions fell to their lowest annual total in the year to September 2025 since records began 2010, according to Statistics New Zealand data published this morning.
NZ’s latest push to roll out more EV chargers is a good thing – but can it go the distance?
Today 11:15am
A $50 million plan to expand New Zealand’s public electric vehicle (EV) charging network marks another step toward a lower-emissions transport system.
Wellington planting nears one million trees
30 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Greater Wellington’s parks restoration programme will hit one million native trees this year, with the first dams to rewet peat wetlands in Queen Elizabeth Park now completed after a years-long effort to bring these ecosystems – and their carbon sequestering superpowers – back to life.
Businesses look for ways to cut costs in response to oil shock
1 Apr 2026
New Zealand’s small and medium-sized businesses are looking for ways to ease the pressure as global tensions see rising fossil fuel prices and diminishing supply, with decision-makers mulling measures including work-from-home polices and transport or logistics changes.
