New Zealand: All stories
At last, we're beginning to talk like grown-ups
12 Oct 2018
By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | Depending on your viewpoint, the world moved closer to – or further away from – climate destruction this week.
Forestry boom turns Ireland into an ecological dead zone
12 Oct 2018
Sponsored conifer plantations now cover hundreds of hectares of what once was rich farmland in Ireland, smothering the landscape and driving out endangered wildlife.
$840 MILLION: What climate change has cost us
11 Oct 2018
Climate change has cost New Zealand at least $840 million over the past decade – prompting warnings at a business conference that adaptation to now-unavoidable impacts could cost more than cutting emissions.
Bioenergy will lead the way, predicts IEA
11 Oct 2018
“Modern” bioenergy will lead the global expansion of renewable energy up to 2023, the International Energy Agency says in its latest forecast.
Why 6 per cent a year should get the job done
10 Oct 2018
Cutting global emissions by 6 per cent a year should keep warming to no more than 1.5deg, one of New Zealand’s top mathematicians has calculated.
NEW NATS: We're getting the climate message
10 Oct 2018
The National Party says it’s going through a “metamorphosis” on climate change – and it appears to include accepting that the way New Zealand uses its land is going to change.
Government backs cuts to reach 1.5deg
9 Oct 2018
The Government backs emissions cuts in line with keeping global warming to no more than 1.5deg, and says negotiations with the National Party for cross-party agreement on climate policy are going well.
Minerals sector puts case for use of public land
9 Oct 2018
Many of the minerals required for the low-carbon economy are on public conservation land in New Zealand, the minerals sector says.
Three decades later, Chernobyl goes solar
9 Oct 2018
Ukraine has unveiled a solar plant in Chernobyl, just across from where a power station, now encased in a giant sarcophagus, caused the world’s worst nuclear disaster three decades ago.
Wind-solar hybrid means 24-hour energy
8 Oct 2018
A power project in Ohio will take advantage of solar's midday burst of energy and wind's all-day power to provide more consistent clean energy to the grid.
Unions put case for place in low-carbon economy
5 Oct 2018
Unions will put the Government on notice today over what they think a “just transition” to a low-carbon economy actually means.
Jet makes historic flight on LanzaTech fuel
5 Oct 2018
One-time New Zealand company LanzaTech developed the fuel for a Virgin Atlantic jet which has just flown from Orlando to Gatwick powered by a blend of aviation fuel and ethanol produced from waste gases.
WASTE NOT: Dumped plastic can be worth its weight in gold
5 Oct 2018
Plastics are among the most valuable waste materials – it’s possible to convert all plastics directly into useful forms of energy.
Public backs Govt's long-term climate strategy
4 Oct 2018
The Government’s plans to lock climate policy into long-term legislation – and to include all methane – has overwhelming public support.
Mazda picks up the pace in electric vehicles
4 Oct 2018
Mazda has laid out plans to revamp its product line-up, saying that all its vehicles will come with electric power by 2030.
VESPA VETO: Why Genoa is moving to ban its icon of cool
4 Oct 2018
Nothing symbolises Italian urban chic quite like the Vespa. But in the city that gave birth to them, the diehards suddenly have a fight on their hands because of pollution.
MONDAY'S MESSAGE: Quite simply, it's up to us
3 Oct 2018
By publisher ADELIA HALLETT | One of the most important scientific papers ever produced will be released on Monday, and the ramifications for New Zealand could be huge.
Even fish can eat this latest replacement for plastic
3 Oct 2018
A new alternative to plastic has the possibility to “replace all the packaging we know,” because it is so safe that even fish can eat it.
Uber puts $10m into sustainable transport
3 Oct 2018
Uber has announced a $10 million investment over the next three years in sustainable mobility.
ETS farming delay could be costly, says EY
2 Oct 2018
Postponing bringing agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme risks exposing New Zealand’s economy to a shock, says one of the world’s largest accounting firms.
Regional energy leaders to talk transition
2 Oct 2018
Political and energy sector leaders from across Asia and the Pacific will converge in Wellington later this month to talk about the implications on the region’s energy systems of the low-carbon transition.
High-yield farms clue to feeding the world
2 Oct 2018
Forget organic agriculture: instead, go for growth, use less land and choose high-yield farms. They may be the best answer to the planet’s needs.
The thing with electric cars is selling them
2 Oct 2018
Electric cars are poised to arrive en masse in European showrooms after years of hyped concept-car launches. The trick now is selling them at a profit.
Scientists have high hopes for solar-flow battery
2 Oct 2018
Scientists in the United States and Saudi Arabia have harnessed the abilities of both a solar cell and a battery in one device - a "solar-flow battery" that soaks up sunlight and efficiently stores it as chemical energy for later on-demand use.
Plastic-eating mushrooms are the new waste superheroes
2 Oct 2018
Mushrooms are capable of expediting the breakdown of plastic waste, says a new study from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in London.
Multilateralism is the key, PM tells world
1 Oct 2018
The world must return to multilateralism if it is to combat climate change, says Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Cargo ship pioneers passage through Arctic
1 Oct 2018
A Danish-flagged cargo ship has successfully passed through the Russian Arctic, in a trial voyage showing that melting sea ice could potentially open a new trade route from Europe to Asia.
Make nature your business, urges academic
28 Sep 2018
Companies are being told to take a hard look at what they can do for New Zealand’s struggling biodiversity – because it’s good for business.
New report criticises slow disclosure
28 Sep 2018
Another report just released says companies are slow to disclose the financial implications of climate risk for their businesses.
Changing climate is destabilising mountains
28 Sep 2018
It's not just the atmosphere and the oceans that are heating up. An ever-denser blanket of greenhouse gases is also sending warmer air and water deeper into the planet's rocky bones.
What happened to solar panels on roads?
28 Sep 2018
Four years ago, a viral campaign wooed the world with a promise of fighting climate change and jump-starting the economy by replacing tarmac on the world’s roads with solar panels.
Corporate tree-planting not always a good thing
28 Sep 2018
Eager-to-please businesses might earn goodwill by planting trees, but sometimes their actions are not good news for the planet.
Property company wins energy-saving award
27 Sep 2018
Installing energy-efficient lighting and heating systems in properties has seen Goodman Property Trust cut greenhouse gas emissions by 775 tonnes.
Climate change could mean the end of our hoki and chips treat
27 Sep 2018
Will a warming world spell the end of the traditional New Zealand Friday night hoki and chips?
OPINION: It's time for the trackless tram
27 Sep 2018
By PETER NEWMAN | I began my life as an activist academic in 1979 when the Western Australia government closed the Fremantle railway, saying buses would be better. Patronage immediately fell by 30 per cent and I ran a four-year campaign to save the railway.
Ministry likes look of targeted green taxes
26 Sep 2018
The Ministry for the Environment says it likes environmental taxes – especially for dealing with climate change and water problems.
OFFICIAL VIEW CLASHES ON OIL AND GAS STAND
25 Sep 2018
Officials want the door left open for a future government to allow oil and gas exploration again.
PM PLEADS CLIMATE CASE FOR PACIFIC
25 Sep 2018
Pacific people have a right to keep their maritime zones – even if their islands are gone, New Zealand has told the United Nations.
Farmers say no to environmental taxes
24 Sep 2018
Farmers are overwhelmingly opposed to environmental taxes – unless the revenue comes to them.
Building walls on seafloor might help, say scientists
24 Sep 2018
Building walls on the seafloor might become the next frontier of climate science, as engineers seek novel ways to hold back the sea level rises predicted to result from global warming.
Sun-powered golden sandwich gives solar panels more bite
24 Sep 2018
Japanese scientists have developed a sun-powered golden sandwich: an experimental solar panel that they claim could be up to 11 times more effective than most equipment on the market.
Satellite will precisely track how ice is melting
24 Sep 2018
The world will soon have a much clearer picture of how quickly humans are melting Earth’s ice and expanding the seas, with data collected by a sophisticated satellite launched by Nasa.
Getting rid of free credits worth $2b, says TWG
21 Sep 2018
Ditching free carbon credits for trade-exposed heavy emitters could generate $2.1 billion a year in revenue, the Tax Working Group says.
Wind and rain gives renewables a boost
21 Sep 2018
A wet and windy winter slashed New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation.
Exxon, Chevron join oil and gas climate alliance
21 Sep 2018
ExxonMobil, Chevron and Occidental Petroleum have joined a global group of oil giants aiming to limit their climate impact.
Microplastics take to the skies by riding with flying insects
21 Sep 2018
Microplastic can escape from polluted waters via flying insects, research has revealed, contaminating new environments and threatening birds and other creatures.
Why all new buildings should be carbon-neutral
20 Sep 2018
Requiring all new buildings to be carbon-neutral is the most cost-effective emissions-reduction action New Zealand can take, the Government is being told.
‘Circle of five’ carmakers under EU cartel probe
20 Sep 2018
The European Commission's anti-competition team is looking into BMW, Daimler and the VW group for allegedly limiting the roll-out of technology meant to clean up car emissions.
Diesel vehicle numbers still growing
20 Sep 2018
Three years after the Dieselgate scandal erupted, the number of highly polluting diesel vehicles on Europe’s roads has risen to 43 million.
European nations make plans for hydrogen
20 Sep 2018
Dozens of European countries are backing a plan to increase the use of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels to cut the continent’s carbon emissions.
Local govt shake-up risks weakened environmental outcomes – Commissioner
Fri 27 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government’s push to simplify local government is "deeply flawed" and has been launched without a clear understanding of which functions must remain regional, according to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.
Govt plan to encourage new energy investment won’t cut costs for ordinary Kiwis
Thu 26 Feb 2026
By Liz Kivi | While gentailers and major energy users have welcomed the Government’s plan to leverage public sector demand to drive new energy projects, an expert says it is unlikely to reduce prices for ordinary people.
Govt's solar on farms initiative to cut costs, boost resilience
17 Feb 2026
Farms across Aotearoa will begin installing solar panels and battery systems as part of a government-backed demonstration programme designed to test whether on-farm renewable energy can reduce electricity costs and improve energy security for the food and fibre sector.
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 EV uptake decelerates
23 Feb 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand’s EV uptake is lagging behind other countries, with a huge drop in EV sales since 2023 bucking international trends, at the same time the Government contemplates abolishing its standard for clean cars entirely.
Tairāwhiti needs proper Govt support to heal the land – not empty announcements for political optics
24 Feb 2026
OPINION: The Government’s answer to Tairāwhiti’s severe erosion crisis – that the region apply for modest, contestable funding rounds – while rejecting the region's own land transition business case, leaves our long-term resilience hanging in the balance, writes Manu Caddie.
Kiwi startup takes on global plastic pollution
12 Feb 2026
A New Zealand startup is launching what it says is the world’s first plastic-free effervescent drink tablet, with the ambitious aim of eliminating bottled beverages to reduce global plastic pollution.
