Mining permits surge as Jones touts revival – gold prices loom large
23 Feb 2026
Resources Minister Shane Jones is claiming early signs of success in his bid to boost the mining sector, citing new NZ Petroleum & Minerals data showing a rise in mineral permit applications and decisions in 2025. Though how much is driven by policy change and how much by very high prices for gold and other minerals is difficult to decipher.
Story copyright © Carbon News 2026
Climate change could sharply increase NZ landslide risk
Today 11:15am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Climate change could significantly increase the number and intensity of landslides in New Zealand, with new research showing a Cyclone Gabrielle-scale storm in a warmer world could trigger tens of thousands more slips across a wider area.
Pūkaki consent battle becomes proxy for system risk
Today 11:15am
The fight over Lake Pūkaki is no longer just about a consent change. It has become a proxy for how much New Zealand is willing to pay for electricity system resilience – and how that price should be set.
NZ’s latest push to roll out more EV chargers is a good thing – but can it go the distance?
Today 11:15am
A $50 million plan to expand New Zealand’s public electric vehicle (EV) charging network marks another step toward a lower-emissions transport system.
Global uncertainty driving solar surge
Mon 13 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Global instability and rising energy costs are pushing more New Zealanders towards solar, with companies reporting a surge in enquiries as households look for greater control and resilience in an increasingly uncertain energy landscape.
Self-interest should drive investment in overseas climate action, says former climate commissioner
Mon 13 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Wealthy countries – including New Zealand – aren’t doing nearly enough to fund climate mitigation in the developing world, with new research saying we need to "change the conversation" to spark action in this vital area.
NZ aid cuts put Pacific climate response at risk
Mon 13 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand’s aid spending dropped 12.8% in 2025, with Oxfam warning the cuts risk undermining climate adaptation efforts in the Pacific as the region faces an accelerating climate crisis.
Govt tweaks consenting rules for EV chargers
Fri 10 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has announced a national reset of planning rules for EV chargers, which it says aim to address infrastructure shortages which have put the brakes on electric vehicle uptake in New Zealand.
Activist ends five-day tree-top protest at West Coast coal mine
Fri 10 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A climate activist has ended a five-day tree-top occupation that blocked access to Bathurst Resources’ Cypress Mine on the West Coast, in a protest against plans to expand what could become New Zealand’s largest coal mine.
Climate change means a 2004-level flood would likely be worse today
Fri 10 Apr 2026
By Rebecca Hogan, Local Democracy Reporter | If floods equivalent to the devastating 2004 event hit Manawatū today, it is predicted the outcome would be more extreme “as a result of climate change”.
Media round-up
Fri 10 Apr 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: Past fuel price spikes failed to shift Kiwis out of their cars with signs suggesting it’s happening again, a 'she’ll be right' attitude is not enough in a climate crisis, and should forestry be listed as critical in the government's national fuel plan?
