New Zealand: All stories
Insurers need to get ready for the next climate-fuelled disaster: FMA
6 Aug 2025
Insurers need to do more to improve their claims processes and services as climate-driven disasters increase in frequency and severity, according to the Financial Markets Authority.
Gentailers to stockpile coal under new deal
5 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | An agreement between New Zealand’s four major electricity generators to establish a 10-year fuel reserve is being labelled a 'climate change stockpile', and could undermine momentum for renewable energy investment.
Warmer end to winter but dry spell expected over southern lakes
5 Aug 2025
As hydro lake levels hover just below average levels, climate forecasts indicate that warmer than usual weather conditions will reduce demand, but there will likely be less rain over the southern hydro lakes as New Zealand moves towards spring and summer.
Backlash over govt conservation changes
4 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The government’s proposed changes to the Conservation Act are the most significant roll back in conservation protections in a generation, according to the Green Party.
Climate change policy growing concern for farming sector
4 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | While farmer confidence has hit an eight-year high, concerns about climate change policy and the Emissions Trading Scheme are growing in New Zealand’s rural sector, according to Federated Farmers.
'A sneeze in the night': Peters questions NZ's climate culpability
4 Aug 2025
New Zealand First seems to be vying with ACT and farming lobby group Groundswell to claim credit for being the first to call for New Zealand to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
Why I’m in a coal bucket
4 Aug 2025
By Rach Andrews | OPINION: People might wonder why a 53-year-old grandmother would choose to climb into a 80 metre high stinky coal bucket on the rainy West Coast and settle in for the long haul.
'Yet another rate': Franz Josef ratepayers balk at $2.8m stopbank extension
4 Aug 2025
By Lois Williams, Local Democracy Reporter | Franz Josef ratepayers have given the thumbs down to plans for a $2.8 million stopbank extension to protect the town’s sewerage plant from the Waiho River.
Bill to restart oil and gas exploration clears final hurdle
1 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The government’s Crown Minerals Amendment Bill is set to become law after passing its third reading in parliament last night, with critics calling it humiliating for the climate minister and an embarrassment to New Zealand's international reputation.
Coal use drove recent emissions increase
1 Aug 2025
Increased use of coal for electricity generation was a large driver for an increase in New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions in the last quarter.
A modest geothermal strategy
31 Jul 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | The Government has unveiled a far more modest geothermal energy strategy than its primary backer, Resources Minister Shane Jones, had sought.
Last minute change to oil and gas legislation over cleanup costs
31 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government is expected to repeal the oil and gas ban today, with a last-minute amendment handing discretionary power to two ministers over the controversial issue of decommissioning.
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.
Multi-day protest continues at coal mine
30 Jul 2025
Bathurst Resources has been forced to truck coal from its Stockton mine as climate activists occupy coal buckets at the mine for a third day.
Hiringa eyes green methanol plant near Whanganui
29 Jul 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Green hydrogen pioneer Hiringa Energy is deep in planning to develop an “eight-to-nine figure” methanol plant near Whanganui, using a combination of biomass and hydrogen produced using renewable energy.
EV sales fall, but it’s complicated
29 Jul 2025
Imports of fully electric vehicles fell over 50% in value during the 12 months to June 2025, compared with the year ended June 2024, according to Stats NZ.
Wilding pines threaten Molesworth Station
28 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Without increased support, the unchecked spread of wilding pines will continue to creep across Marlborough’s high country – putting iconic landscapes and one of New Zealand’s top five biodiversity hotspots at serious risk, according to an expert.
Taranaki mayors want hydrogen kick-start from Wellington
28 Jul 2025
By Craig Ashworth, Local Democracy Reporter Taranaki mayors want central government to partner up with their councils to kick-start a hydrogen industry. This despite ongoing questions about the gas’s effectiveness in reducing carbon emissions.
Electricity Authority’s first steps towards market reform
28 Jul 2025
The Electricity Authority announced its first decision in the raft being considered by its Energy Competition Taskforce work with the Commerce Commission.
Urgent action needed to get on track for climate goals - commission
25 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand is making progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but more work is needed – urgently – to set up for future reductions, according to the latest report from the Climate Change Commission.
Centre for Sustainable Finance factchecks 'misleading' claims
25 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Centre for Sustainable Finance has hit back at Federated Farmers' complaints about a proposed framework for 'green' finance, saying the farmers' claims are misleading and misrepresent the aim of the framework.
Does NZ need a national incentive scheme for wetlands?
25 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | An expert is calling for a national incentive programme to restore New Zealand’s wetlands and wants to stop schemes to drain these vital carbon-sequestering ecosystems.
Media round-up
25 Jul 2025
In our round-up of the climate coverage in local media: Dairy conversions surge; Gore is hit with a drinking water crisis; meanwhile farming lobby groups Groundswell and Federated Farmers are up in arms about a plan to classify environmental impacts in the agriculture and forestry sector.
NZ govt’s fossil fuel plans could break international law
24 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government could be breaching international law with its plans to subsidise and expand fossil fuel extraction, following a ruling overnight from the world’s highest court.
GHG emissions up 0.9% in March quarter – Stats NZ
24 Jul 2025
The increase was mainly driven by a rise in industry emissions, particularly from the electricity, gas, water, and waste services industry.
Elation as Whanganui gets voice in fast-track seabed mining decision
24 Jul 2025
By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporter | A Whanganui District councillor is “elated” her council has been named a relevant authority in the fast-track application process for a seabed mining project off South Taranaki.
ComCom throws out farmers' banking cartel complaint
23 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Commerce Commission has thrown out a Federated Farmers complaint accusing New Zealand’s biggest banks of colluding to impose climate conditions on loans.
Can robot taxis solve NZ's transport woes?
23 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Ministry of Transport has tested the idea of driverless taxis as a futuristic fix. But while new modelling explores how "robotaxis" could ease congestion and reduce car ownership, critics say it misses a crucial point – the country’s worsening transport emissions.
Is extending Huntly power station to 2035 in consumers’ best interest?
22 Jul 2025
By Simon Orme | COMMENT: Genesis Energy is proposing a cartel to keep high-emitting Huntly Power Station in business to 2035. If extending Huntly has economic benefits, is a cartel necessary?
Forestry can be a big plus for sheep and beef farmers – but there are caveats
22 Jul 2025
By Keith Woodford | OPINION: These are good times for sheep and beef farmers with record product prices for meat, which is precisely why now is the time for sheep and beef farmers to be looking again at farm forestry.
UN court's decision could reshape approach to climate commitments
22 Jul 2025
The International Court of Justice will this week deliver its advisory opinion on what obligations countries have to address the impacts of climate change. It will be a vital step toward climate justice and equity, according to one local expert.
Govt failing Māori on climate commitments – Shaw
21 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Former climate change minister James Shaw says the Luxon-led government is failing to uphold its obligations under both the Paris Agreement and the Zero Carbon Act, warning that this inaction risks breaching Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Minister proud of potshots in seabed mine ‘culture war’
21 Jul 2025
By Craig Ashworth, Local Democracy Reporter | The oceans and fisheries minister says Supreme Court judges and local body politicians have been cowed by fear in a culture war over seabed mining.
Local govt bill 'completely misses the point,' passes first reading
18 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The government’s bill making changes to the Local Government Act to "refocus" councils on their core functions passed its first reading in Parliament last night, with critics saying it will set back climate resilience.
Importing LNG is feasible, but is it plausible?
18 Jul 2025
Importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a form of energy supply insurance is technically feasible, but an industry-commissioned report raises questions about whether it is financially plausible.
Media round-up
18 Jul 2025
In our round-up of the latest climate coverage in local media: with parts of the country still reeling from flooding exacerbated by climate change, debate heats up over who will pay for managed retreat from at-risk areas.
Does Aussie court ruling hold lessons for NZ?
17 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | A recent Australian court ruling should serve as a warning to New Zealand's decision-makers on how important it is to align climate targets and climate policies with the best available science, according to a climate litigation expert.
Expert rejects farmers call to ditch green investment framework
17 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Scrapping a proposed 'green' finance taxonomy before work on it is even finished would risk New Zealand being left behind in the transition to more sustainable systems, according to an expert.
Farmers slam proposed guidelines for sustainable finance
16 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | Federated Farmers is calling on the government to scrap its proposed framework for ‘green’ finance, saying it is ideologically driven, unworkable, and risks harming rural communities.
Foresters seek time; end to using ETS as a land use tool
16 Jul 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Production and carbon forestry owners have begged the environment select committee to at least give the sector more time to come up with workable rules for legislation intended to cap forest planting on farmland.
Reforms 'ignore root causes' of catastrophic slash discharges
16 Jul 2025
The government's proposed slash and forestry management changes ignore the root causes of "illegal and catastrophic discharges" from clear-felling sites on erosion-susceptible land, according to an expert.
Govt announces $600k package for flood-affected farmers in Nelson Tasman
16 Jul 2025
The government has announced a $600,000 support package for flood-affected farmers in the Nelson Tasman Region, a move Federated Farmers says is a lifeline.
Debanking bill 'financially dangerous'
15 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A private member’s bill aiming to stop financial institutions from considering ESG factors has been slammed by leading investment groups, legal experts, and climate finance advocates as misguided, financially dangerous, and legislative overreach.
4000 hectares of forest uprooted by extreme winds in Nelson-Tasman storms
15 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | Foresters are facing a massive clean-up and tens of millions of dollars worth of damage from recent climate change-fuelled storms at the top of the South Island, with initial reports of 4000 hectares of wind-thrown production forestry.
As the sea level rises, who will pay? Councils seek answers
15 Jul 2025
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter | North Canterbury's councils are seeking guidance from Government over who pays for protections from sea level rise, flooding and weather events.
Govt urged to make moves on electricity market
15 Jul 2025
Lobbying is increasing ahead of the release of the Frontier Economics report and the Government’s decisions on electricity market reforms.
‘Weaponised timber torpedoes’ – call for forestry changes after flooding
14 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | A climate scientist is calling for changes to forestry practices, after the second ‘one-in-one-hundred-year’ climate-fuelled flash flood to hit the top of the South Island in two weeks unleashed a torrent of pine forest waste, wiping out homes and a campground.
Researchers unveil new tools to accurately track methane emissions
14 Jul 2025
Breakthrough methane monitoring tools developed by Earth Sciences New Zealand are set to transform how farmers, landfill operators, and wastewater facilities track and tackle their methane emissions.
'Back-to-basics' approach for councils ignores climate risk
11 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | While ACT is standing local government candidates to oppose councils' attempts to manage emissions and ministers are calling for local authorities to 'get back to basics' - or even suggesting scrapping regional councils altogether - one expert says this narrative is putting communities at risk in the face of climate change.
Emissions Trading Scheme needs deep reform - commissioner
11 Jul 2025
The government’s attempt to limit forestry conversions on rural land is unlikely to lead to meaningful change, according to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
Govt’s rejection of CCC’s advice on climate targets undermines independent watchdog’s role, says opposition
Fri 21 Nov 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s latest dismissal of Climate Change Commission advice shows they have their heads in the sand about the reality of meeting climate targets, according to the Labour Party, while the Greens say Government decisions were an embarrassment on the world stage at COP30 this week.
NZ’s energy system at a crossroads – report
Fri 21 Nov 2025
A new report says New Zealand’s rapid shift toward a 95% renewable electricity system is at a critical turning point, urging faster consenting, stronger firming solutions and better grid planning.
Big ag processors coy about govt changing climate policy
10 Nov 2025
By Liz Kivi | While some economists are predicting that government backsliding on agricultural methane goals could hurt exporters’ access to premium markets, New Zealand’s major processors are remaining tight-lipped over the potential implications.
Mounting emissions due to Government decisions
Thu 20 Nov 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Coalition Government’s climate policies have added a whopping 26 million tonnes of emissions out to 2030, according to new analysis of Government projections.
Christchurch Airport boasts world-first liquid-hydrogen refuelling for test aircraft
30 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | Local companies working on hydrogen-electric flight have made ‘a significant step forward’ in successfully filling aviation tanks with liquid hydrogen produced and stored on-site at an international airport for the first time.
Foresters warn ETS reforms could fell innovation
Mon 17 Nov 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Elizabeth Heeg, chief executive officer for the Forest Owners Association, says forestry must not be stripped from the Emissions Trading Scheme, arguing that carbon income underpins forest management and rural resilience.
Vero warns losses to rise 26% by 2050 over extreme weather
29 Oct 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Extreme weather could drive a 19–26% spike in annual insurance losses by 2050, fuelled by rising seas and more intense flooding, according to Vero’s latest Climate-Related Disclosures Report.
