NZ ‘clearly’ breaching international law on climate – Vanuatu Climate Change Minister
12 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi
Vanuatu’s Climate Change Minister, Ralph Regenvanu, says New Zealand restarting fossil fuel exploration and subsidies is an obvious breach of international law, exposing the country to international and domestic litigation.
Story copyright © Carbon News 2025
New funding for low methane farming uptake
Wed 29 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The government will co-fund projects under an Early Adoption Accelerator scheme announced today to accelerate the uptake of low emissions farming technologies emerging from the AgriZero public-private partnership.
Peters backs rail over road as Govt weighs heavier trucks
Wed 29 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Winston Peters has broken ranks with the Government over proposed changes to heavy vehicle rules, saying rail – not bigger trucks – is the answer to New Zealand’s fuel pressures as the Coalition considers easing weight limits to reduce freight costs.
Minister signals hands-off approach to emissions policy
Wed 29 Apr 2026
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts used last week's estimates debate to set out the Government's approach to emissions reduction, attributing New Zealand's lowest recorded emissions since 1998 in 2024 not to government policy but to the behaviour of households and businesses.
Coal-to-urea plan ‘extremely unlikely’ to be zero carbon
Tue 28 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | A plan to turn Southland coal into nitrogen fertiliser is extremely unlikely “if not impossible” to be net zero, despite the claims of the Australian company applying to fast-track it, says sustainable energy expert Ralph Sims.
Forest & Bird warns Emissions Trading Scheme ‘failing’
Tue 28 Apr 2026
New advice from the Climate Change Commission shows that New Zealand’s main climate policy tool is broken and at risk of collapse without urgent action to cut gross emissions, according to environmental advocates Forest & Bird.
High Country protections at risk under new Crown land bill
Tue 28 Apr 2026
A proposed law change has ruled out carbon farming as a permitted activity but could open large areas of South Island High Country to intensified development and potential sale, with the Environmental Defence Society warning that iconic landscapes and biodiversity values are at risk.
Announcements expected soon on $200M gas fund
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Fossil fuel companies appear likely to take up a $200 million government fund to encourage additional oil and gas exploration, dashing lobbyist Business New Zealand’s hopes that it might be repurposed to underwrite industrial electrification.
Biodiversity plan heavy on talk, light on action, expert warns
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A newly released government biodiversity implementation plan has been criticised for lacking practical action, with one expert saying it focuses too heavily on discussion and data gathering rather than delivering results on the ground.
Northland community climate resilience fund faces massive demand
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Susan Botting, Local Democracy Reporter | A three‑year‑old ratepayer-funded Northland Regional Council community climate resilience fund is experiencing strong demand, with to date around five times more money sought than is available.
Media round-up
Fri 24 Apr 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: What is the real cost of storm-hit infrastructure? Urgency is needed over climate adaptation funding; and a community conservation group has won a legal victory against multinational mining company OceanaGold.
