New Zealand: All stories
YOUNG v OLD: The battle goes on in the forest
5 Aug 2020
Are young trees or old forests more important for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it?
Trucks and buses are the electric future
5 Aug 2020
There aren't enough batteries in the world to electrify all the cars, so instead we should be focusing on trucks and buses.
Finance sector essential to adapting to climate change
4 Aug 2020
The Government is being told banks should toughen up on lending for properties vulnerable to sea-level rise and flooding.
Downstream turns on the power
4 Aug 2020
Pumped-hydro, a "blind" focus on renewable electricity instead of cutting emissions from all energy systems, and the closure of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter are all on the agenda at this year's Downstream Conference. GAVIN EVANS of Businessdesk is there.
New-look Scott Base is all go for green
4 Aug 2020
THE COLOUR of the new Scott Base may not be decided, but one thing is clear – the building will be green.
Big Oil takes big hit from covid-19
4 Aug 2020
The world's leading oil and gas giants are revealing the scale of the damage inflicted on the industry by the coronavirus pandemic, with top American companies reporting billions in losses while some European companies were able to eke out small profits.
More coal power-generation closed than opened last year
4 Aug 2020
The size of the global coal power fleet fell for the first time on record over the first six months of the year, with more generation capacity shutting than starting operation.
Count climate in insurance risk, says Robertson
3 Aug 2020
The Reserve Bank should be required to take climate change into account when assessing threats to the insurance industry, the finance minister says.
WORTH NOTING ...
3 Aug 2020
The 52nd Parliament sits this week for the last time, before being dissolved on August 12.
Flying to bounce back faster in domestic markets
3 Aug 2020
Air travel is resuming on many routes as restrictions to contain the spread of coronavirus ease.
WORTH NOTING ...
31 Jul 2020
Today is the last day for submissions on new air-quality standards to reduce the amount of small particulate matter New Zealanders breathe.
E-trains gain upper hand over hydrogen locomotives
31 Jul 2020
Rail operators could make big savings by choosing electric battery power over hydrogen fuel cells when replacing diesel engines, a new study has suggested, although the ever-changing price of energy means the jury is still out on the best power source.
Scientists pull 100-million-year-old microbes from sea
31 Jul 2020
Microbes buried beneath the sea floor for more than 100 million years are still alive, a new study reveals.
Country's climate change costs are climbing
30 Jul 2020
Climate change is now swallowing the lion’s share of the Government’s environmental spending, prompting suggestions we should have a dedicated Climate Change Ministry.
Mandatory product stewardship on the way
30 Jul 2020
A shake-up of the waste management system means six industries will have to take responsibility for their products once consumers have finished with them.
Is there time for the nuclear fusion dream to work?
30 Jul 2020
The biggest science experiment on Earth could avert climate change. But is there still time for nuclear fusion to work?
WORTH NOTING ...
30 Jul 2020
The Environment Committee is sitting today to discuss the Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill.
New law needed for managed retreat, says review
29 Jul 2020
Authorities could have the power to seize land threatened by climate change under a proposed new Public Works Act-type law.
The campaign that made Swedes give up flying for good
29 Jul 2020
Europe’s major airlines are likely to see their turnover drop by 50 per cent this year as a result of the covid-19 pandemic, while European airports expect to welcome 700 million fewer passengers.
Carbon emissions chill atmosphere at edge of space
29 Jul 2020
While greenhouse gases are warming Earth’s surface, they’re also causing rapid cooling far above us, at the edge of space.
New drillers must keep links with Taranaki Maori
28 Jul 2020
Anyone bidding for new oil and gas exploration licences will have to agree to ongoing consultation with Mâori for the life of the licence.
WORTH NOTING ...
28 Jul 2020
Today is the last day to enter the Sustainable Business Awards – get yours in by 5pm.
How plastic pollution problem could look by 2040
28 Jul 2020
We’re bombarded by information on the topic of marine litter and plastic pollution, but how much do we really know about the problem?
How nature and business can boost each other
28 Jul 2020
Businesses that add value to nature instead of degrading and destroying it could tap into a $10.1 trillion opportunity which could create 395 million jobs by 2030.
Microsoft can’t achieve climate goals alone
28 Jul 2020
Back in January, Microsoft announced arguably the most ambitious climate plan of any tech company to date.
Big Hydro not the only way, says energy expert
27 Jul 2020
Paying industry not to use electricity during peak demand should be considered as an alternative to a multi-billion-dollar new hydro scheme, an energy expert says.
Replace RMA with new law, says EDS
27 Jul 2020
New Zealand's primary planning law, the Resource Management Act should be scrapped and replaced with totally new legislation, the Environmental Defence Society says.
Big emitters marshall carbon forces in Australia
27 Jul 2020
Companies responsible for 14 per cent of Australia’s industrial emissions are coming together to figure out how to decarbonise the sector.
States rev up plans for electric trucks and vans
27 Jul 2020
The world enjoyed cleaner air and clearer skies earlier this year as streets and highways largely emptied during coronavirus-related lockdowns. The sharp decline of oil-burning vehicles gave a glimpse into a world without pollution-spewing tailpipes and fewer growling 18-wheelers, school buses, and other large vehicles.
FRIDAY POLITICS: Ready and willing
24 Jul 2020
In a week that saw the end of the political careers of a Cabinet minister and yet another Opposition MP, a political drama of a climate sort has been playing out in suburban Auckland.
Kiwi protesters put pressure on Australian banks
24 Jul 2020
Australian banks operating in New Zealand are being urged to follow Kiwibank’s lead and stop lending on fossil-fuel projects.
Tesla crushes rivals with first full-year profit
24 Jul 2020
Electric vehicle-maker Tesla has posted its first full-year profit – not just beating analyst expectations but also cementing its position as the most valuable automaker in the world and highlighting the huge advantage it holds over legacy car makers.
Farm growth pushes up Canterbury gas emissions
23 Jul 2020
Agricultural intensification is pushing up Canterbury’s greenhouse gas emissions - but it's a different story in most other regions.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ...
23 Jul 2020
Parliament sits today in Wellington, while Environment Canterbury meets in Christchurch.
Covid crisis delays climate NES
22 Jul 2020
National guidelines on dealing with greenhouse gas emissions might be delayed because of the covid-19 crisis.
Niwa crew goes wrestling with the buoys
22 Jul 2020
Coronavirus border restrictions mean six Niwa staff face four straight months at sea in a bid to keep an international ocean research project afloat.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ...
22 Jul 2020
Sustainable finance is on the agenda for a Sustainable Business Network/Institute of Finance Professionals session today.
Cars rule as virus shakes up travel trends
22 Jul 2020
As with other parts of the global economy, covid-19 has led to rapid changes in transport trends.
Stored electricity can make cleaner fuels
22 Jul 2020
With renewable energy now the cheapest way of mass-producing electricity, the race is on to find the best way to conserve the surplus for use at peak times, and also to use the stored electricity to develop new fuels for transport.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ...
21 Jul 2020
Parliament sits today for the first time since Judith Collins replaced Todd Muller as Leader of the Opposition.
Making electricity from methane-rich water
21 Jul 2020
The massive Lake Kivu stores huge amounts of methane gas, which Rwanda is extracting to produce electricity.
Is storing CO2 in rocks a solution to climate change?
21 Jul 2020
An effective climate change solution may lie in rocks beneath our feet.
Developing floodplains risks lives, warns scientist
20 Jul 2020
An expert in river flooding is calling for a halt to all development on floodplains in the wake of a massive storm that hit Northland at the weekend, causing extensive flooding.
Push on with the plan, Aucklanders told
20 Jul 2020
Auckland's plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the impacts of climate change should not be postponed because of the covid-19 pandemic, councillors are being told.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ...
20 Jul 2020
Auckland Council’s environment and climate change committee meets tomorrow for the first time since March.
FRIDAY POLITICS: Enter the Man from the North
17 Jul 2020
Cabinet minister and New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is angry about the long shadow Rogernomics still casts over the people of the North.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ...
17 Jul 2020
Parliament resumes next week with a new-look National Party Front Bench.
Green Party calls for national electrification plan
Mon 20 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party is calling for a national plan to electrify homes, transport and industry using renewable energy, to reduce fossil fuel dependence in response to the Middle East crisis.
Going concern status flags depth of Methanex NZ's gas crisis
Tue 21 Apr 2026
Methanex's New Zealand operation is relying on financial support from its Canadian parent to remain a going concern after a second consecutive year of asset impairments left the business with negative equity.
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.
Climate pollution static but NZ still on track for first emissions budget, says MfE
Fri 17 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand is still on track to meet its first emissions budget, according to the Ministry for the Environment, despite the pace of emissions reductions slowing to a standstill.
NZ’s latest push to roll out more EV chargers is a good thing – but can it go the distance?
14 Apr 2026
A $50 million plan to expand New Zealand’s public electric vehicle (EV) charging network marks another step toward a lower-emissions transport system.
Wilding conifers continue to plague Southland
Fri 17 Apr 2026
By Matthew Rosenberg, Local Democracy Reporter | Fast-spreading conifer trees are causing headaches in Southland as inconsistent funding continues to hinder control efforts.
Victorian Hydrogen announces Southland urea fertiliser project using coal
Today 11:45am
By Liz Kivi | Australian-based Victorian Hydrogen has announced it is developing a new 1.5 million-tonne-a-year urea fertiliser operation in Southland, which it will apply for under fast-track legislation.
