Where’s Watts? Climate Minister no-show at climate conference
Today 10:45am
By Liz Kivi
Opposition parties have slammed the Climate Change Minister’s failure to front up to a major international conference in Christchurch, saying it shows that climate adaptation is a low priority for the National Party.
Story copyright © Carbon News 2025
Govt unveils National Adaptation Framework
Today 10:45am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Minister of Climate Change Simon Watts has revealed the first actions under New Zealand’s National Adaptation Framework, which sets out the Government's approach to the rising risks from natural hazards such as floods and storms.
‘Weird and sad’ – Tuvalu Climate Minister condemns NZ halving methane target
Wed 15 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | Dr Maina Talia, Tuvalu’s Minister for Home Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment, says he’s surprised at New Zealand’s decision to weaken its target for reducing methane emissions – and is planning to take up the issue with his counterpart Climate Minister Simon Watts this week.
Policy churn ‘bewildering and costly’: Commissioner urges cross-party fix for environmental management
9 Oct 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton warns that fragmented, stop–start policy and constant law reform are stalling progress on climate, freshwater and biodiversity.
Fast-track changes coming before end of year
3 Oct 2025
The Government is already preparing to amend its fast-track approvals law, even as the first projects consented under the regime begin construction.
NZ quiet on climate target at UN meeting
2 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand didn't mention its recently minted – but widely criticised – climate target for 2035 at a major multilateral climate meeting in New York last week, at an event which was ostensibly billed as a platform for leaders to present their new targets.
‘Damp squib’ – Govt energy plan slammed for locking in fossil fuels
2 Oct 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Critics across business, climate groups and the opposition say the Government’s electricity reforms duck structural change, double down on LNG and gas, and offer little relief for soaring power prices – warning of an “expensive white elephant", deeper energy poverty and a missed chance to scale renewables.
International organisations slam ‘no additional warming’ approach to methane
1 Oct 2025
A coalition of nearly 100 international organisations, including Greenpeace, have launched an open letter to governments calling for binding targets to cut industrial agricultural emissions, ahead of the New Zealand government's decision on its methane target.
‘Beyond embarrassing’ – Peters’ Paris remarks draw fire for talking down Pacific climate diplomacy
26 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Foreign Minister and NZ first leader Winston Peters says he wants to revisit the Paris Agreement with Pacific leaders because some may be unaware of how it’s structured.
More shoreline adaptation plans confirmed for Tāmaki Makaurau
24 Sep 2025
Auckland Council has now confirmed 18 of a total of 20 shoreline adaptation plans, which look at how council-owned assets and land can be managed in response to coastal hazards and a changing climate over the next 100 years.
