Topics tagged with 'Agriculture'
Businesses don’t get it, says green campaigner
3 May 2013
Most campaigns promoting the advantages of green business are failing to gain traction because they are preaching to the converted, says a commercial lawyer who has found a new vocation.
Eco report points finger at fishing
26 Apr 2013
New Zealand’s fishing industry is the major contributor to this country’s ecological footprint, new research shows.
Co-operate or crash, warns forests expert
26 Apr 2013
A forestry expert is calling for co-operation between farmers, conservation interests, scientists and officials to avoid a “biodiversity train-wreck” in New Zealand.
On yer bike … it could be the best way to go
26 Apr 2013
The bicycle could come into its own as a major part of city transport systems if an international forum meeting in Bali has its way.
IT’S OFFICIAL: Forests make way for dairying
19 Apr 2013
Government figures have confirmed what the carbon market has known for months – forests are being cleared and converted to dairy farms on the back of rock-bottom carbon prices.
Women want out of the barn and into the boardroom
19 Apr 2013
The dairy industry is looking to girl-power to combat problems like climate change and the global recession.
Hurunui wind farm gets green light
19 Apr 2013
Meridian Energy’s $200 million Hurunui wind farm is to go ahead.
Private sector looms as key funder of forests
19 Apr 2013
The private sector is emerging as a key source of financing the sustainable management of forests that, if tapped properly, could result in benefits for the environment and for businesses.
Fracking waste danger to food, say Greens
12 Apr 2013
New Zealand risks damaging its international reputation as an exporter of quality food by disposing of oil industry wastes on to farmland, the Green Party says.
Think bionergy, farmers will be told
12 Apr 2013
Farmers are being urged to think about how they can boost farm income by turning shelter belts and other bits of forestry into biofuels.
We’re losing good land, says report
12 Apr 2013
The international community is losing vast amounts of agricultural production due to the effects of continuing land degradation such as desertification, says a new study.
Australia's weather bad and getting worse
5 Apr 2013
The heatwaves, flooding and bush fires striking Australia have already been intensified by climate change and are set to get worse, says a new report.
Farmers get $30m to help them to adapt
5 Apr 2013
The Australian Government has pumped $30 million into a project that will look at how farm practices can be adapted to reduce carbon emissions and earn farmers a second income stream by generating and selling carbon credits.
Climate change could make us a better wine producer
28 Mar 2013
New Zealand is one of a handful of countries that could benefit as the Earth's warming phase drives a wave of change through the world of wine, according to climate change experts.
Science claims victory in beetle battle
28 Mar 2013
Success in tackling a destructive beetle on the West Coast has underlined the importance of having integrated pest management plans on farms, scientists say.
Biodiesel NZ good buy, says new owner
15 Mar 2013
Christchurch shipping executive Andrew Stark does not agree with political claims that Biodiesel NZ is a bad investment.
UN experts eye ways to fight drought
15 Mar 2013
Countries need to work together to use their experiences, science and technologies to create formal national preventive policies against droughts, say United Nations officials.
Critics uneasy with Fonterra-DOC deal
8 Mar 2013
Fonterra has signed the country's biggest corporate conservation deal in what Conservation Minister Nick Smith says is a sign of the success of the Government's blue-green agenda.
Australia backs clean food production
8 Mar 2013
A $20 million centre to boost clean, green food production has been opened in Sydney by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Expense puts farmers off, says expert
8 Mar 2013
Many current livestock emission reduction technologies would not be adopted by farmers at the current price for carbon without a significant reduction in their cost, an Australian conference has been told.
Caltex launches specialised diesel fuel
8 Mar 2013
As legislative requirements for emission standards in heavy transport tighten, Chevron NZ has announced the launch of Caltex with Go Clear, a specialised diesel exhaust fluid required for SCR technology found onboard new trucks, tractors and buses.
Meet the ETS winners ... and losers
1 Mar 2013
Depressed, depressed, and depressed sounds like a state of mind, and for some it could well be, but indications are that the erosion of the Emission Trading Scheme as a cost effective mechanism for reducing and abating greenhouse gas emissions is real and spreading across the planet.
Water huge issue for food producers, says Nestle chief
1 Mar 2013
The food industry has been warned by one of its biggest players that water scarcity is among the greatest threats it faces.
Voluntary deals don't work, say Greens
22 Feb 2013
Voluntary accords like the new Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord are no substitute for effective rules and standards, the Green Party says.
UN boosts 30 countries into green economies
22 Feb 2013
United Nations agencies will support 30 countries over the next seven years to build green economy strategies that will generate jobs, promote clean technologies and reduce environmental risk.
Millions back farming sustainability
22 Feb 2013
New Zealand’s agricultural sector says it is collaborating with government in a multi-million dollar nationwide programme to ensure a sustainable future for pastoral industries.
Meat exporter targets energy savings
15 Feb 2013
One of New Zealand’s biggest meat exporters is set to build its international brand through a range of energy management and efficiency measures.
Solar sponge soaks up gas emissions
15 Feb 2013
Australian scientists have created a 'solar sponge' which captures and then releases carbon dioxide using the power of natural sunlight.
Cuts will delay low-carbon Europe
15 Feb 2013
Cuts to the energy infrastructure package in the EU's new budget will increase costs and delays to the European Commission’s plans for a low carbon economy by 2050, says the EU’s top energy civil servant.
'Pure NZ' impossible mountain, says scientist
8 Feb 2013
The 100% Pure brand is stopping New Zealand reaching its potential, says the current holder of the Prime Minister’s Science Communicator Prize.
Gas research centre gets more funding
8 Feb 2013
The Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium has secured funding from the agriculture sector and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to continue research to find tools for mitigating greenhouse gases.
New wind generator does it on the ground
1 Feb 2013
A new wind-energy company will change the way that people look at windpower, say the company's directors.
Why you should give up red meat, not flying
1 Feb 2013
People who want to have an effect on climate change would be better to give up red meat and changing lightbulbs than to stop taking flights, says a new study.
Green cooking stoves make Helen's headlines
1 Feb 2013
The story of an indigenous family in central Brazil which now uses clean, economical and green cook stoves provided through a United project is among 12 winners of an annual storytelling competition.
Second tranche units make an appearance
25 Jan 2013
Units from the second tranche of the pre-1990 forests allocation are starting to trickle into the market.
Southern lignite stupid idea, says farmer
25 Jan 2013
The idea of digging up fertile farmland for lignite coal is “100% stupidity,” a visiting Australian farmer says.
Bio crop could put money in the margins
18 Jan 2013
A team of New Zealand researchers say that biofuels can be produced sustainably and economically from crops grown on the margins of paddocks.
Forest returns dragging the chain
18 Jan 2013
The sluggishness of the carbon market appears to be reflected in this year’s post-1989 forest carbon returns.
Research scientists eye funding for funds
18 Jan 2013
Scientists involved in research to reduce biological carbon emissions are being offered funding to help them to apply for funding.
Groser goes green in Berlin
18 Jan 2013
Climate Change Issues Minister Tim Groser is at Berlin’s Green Week – the largest food, agriculture and horticulture festival in the world.
So, what exactly is going on in Europe?
18 Jan 2013
Despite its green credentials, Europe has ramped up its consumption of coal.
Black carbon looms as much bigger problem
18 Jan 2013
Black carbon, the soot produced by burning fossil fuels and biomass, is a more potent atmospheric pollutant than previously thought, according to a four-year international study just released.
Forest owners to vote on industry voice
18 Jan 2013
Forest owners will vote in March on a plan that aims to give all commercial forest and woodlot owners a say in the future of their industry.
Dull year behind us, flat year ahead
18 Jan 2013
The past 12 months have seen little domestic activity in terms of NZU purchasing to meet obligations under the ETS.
Agriculture: It's not all bad news
7 Dec 2012
Agriculture can be good news for the climate, a new report says.
New phone app digs up the dirt on soil
7 Dec 2012
Australia’s national soil databases can now be accessed in real time online through a new iPad app called SoilMapp.
Get smart with power, says PowerSmart chief
30 Nov 2012
New Zealand could switch to solar energy generation more quickly if the industry was on a level playing field with traditional generation, says one of the founders of a company just named the sustainable small business of the year.
Environment watchdog questions fracking
30 Nov 2012
Environmental issues associated with fracking can be managed, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment says.
UN wants private sector to stand up
30 Nov 2012
A new United Nations-led partnership aimed at showcasing innovative models for fighting climate change says it’s time the private sector became a significant investor.
Fifty years of observations, no reversal of glacier climate damage
Tue 31 Mar 2026
Media release: Earth Sciences New Zealand | Fifty years on from the first aerial survey of our Southern Alps glaciers, late snow and variable summer weather delivered a temporary reprieve from rapid ice loss, says Earth Sciences New Zealand.
$30m airline fund risks ‘burning public money’ without lasting benefit – expert
20 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A $30 million government package to support regional air routes risks delivering poor value for money while increasing emissions, according to transport strategist Tim Adriaansen.
Signs of jet fuel hoarding emerge in Asia on Iran oil shock
26 Mar 2026
Signs are growing that Asian countries are hoarding jet fuel after the Iran war sent oil prices surging, reflecting growing strain on the aviation industry.
Wellington planting nears one million trees
Mon 30 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Greater Wellington’s parks restoration programme will hit one million native trees this year, with the first dams to rewet peat wetlands in Queen Elizabeth Park now completed after a years-long effort to bring these ecosystems – and their carbon sequestering superpowers – back to life.
Air NZ joins Marsden Point SAF project
3 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Air New Zealand has quietly added its name to a consortium exploring the viability of green hydrogen production for sustainable aviation fuel at Channel Infrastructure’s Marsden Point energy hub.
Economic contraction will impact carbon market
Wed 1 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | While higher fossil fuel prices strengthen the long-run economics of decarbonisation, the current fuel crisis won’t inspire near-term confidence in the carbon market, according to Lizzie Chambers of Carbon Match.
Why the real oil crisis hasn’t started yet
Wed 1 Apr 2026
If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed much longer, things will get really bad, really fast.
Carbon price: Ups and downs amid geopolitical uncertainty
26 Mar 2026
By Liz Kivi | After ups and downs in recent weeks, the carbon market again broke above the $40 mark this week, with questions around how the Middle East conflict will play out weighing on market confidence.
Labour mulls GIDI 2.0 as factory closures mount
Wed 1 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Factory closures across the country could have been prevented if the last Labour-led government’s GIDI fund to assist companies with the cost of electrification hadn't been scrapped, Labour energy spokesperson, Megan Woods, says.
Death toll in Afghanistan flooding increases to 28, authorities say
Wed 1 Apr 2026
Afghan authorities said Monday that the death toll from severe weather that has struck swathes of the country over the past four days has increased to 28, with 49 people injured. Dozens of people have died from extreme weather in the country so far this year.
Sustainable retail-office project breaks ground under new Green Star framework
19 Feb 2026
Construction is set to begin on a new retail-office development in central Auckland, which is targeting a 40% reduction in embodied carbon and 25% lower energy.
Opposition attacks Govt over fossil fuel phaseout backdown
2 Feb 2026
By Liz Kivi | Revelations that Resources Minister Shane Jones ruled out New Zealand signing up to a 'road map' away from fossil fuels at last year’s global climate summit show the National Party’s minor coalition partners’ undue influence over the Government, according to Labour leader Chris Hipkins.
Carbon trading schemes cut more emissions than carbon taxes, according to global study
20 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Carbon trading schemes are more effective than carbon taxes at reducing emissions, cutting fossil fuel use, and accelerating the shift to renewable energy, a global study has found.
‘Even more bonkers now’ – energy expert on LNG terminal
Wed 1 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | An energy consultant says the Government’s plan to back an LNG import facility is a “non-starter” in the face of rising gas prices due to the Middle East conflict.
Environmental groups call for ETS reform
20 Feb 2026
Several environmental organisations are calling on political parties to make climate and biodiversity central to the 2026 election campaign, with reforming the Emissions Trading Scheme seen as a key priority.
Dairy farmers' lack of climate action 'even bleaker' than water inaction – Upton
Wed 1 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Government projections for cutting agricultural emissions are being undermined by low farmer uptake, with the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment warning the country is relying on “heroic” assumptions to meet its methane targets.
Transport dominates NZ’s rising consumer emissions
10 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Transport pollution was the biggest contributor to an increase in New Zealand’s consumption-based emissions in 2023, with emissions from household travel up 12%, and consumption-based emissions totalling 58.3 million tonnes – up 1.6% from the previous year.
Lawyers complain to ombudsman over Govt failure to release LNG modelling
Wed 1 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Lawyers for Climate Action has made a formal complaint to the Ombudsman over the Government’s failure to release information about its controversial decision to build a LNG import terminal.
RMA to speed up fossil fuel consents
18 Aug 2025
By Liz Kivi | An energy lobby group has welcomed a last-minute amendment to the RMA that puts fossil fuels on the same footing as renewables, however a sustainable energy expert says the move “beggars belief.”
FMA to ease conditions for green bond issues
Tue 31 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Green, social and sustainability-linked bonds will face lower disclosure requirements and regulatory costs under a class exemption newly granted by the Financial Markets Authority.
Tuvalu prioritises climate change in agreement with NZ
Fri 27 Mar 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand has pledged an additional $20 million to climate resilience work in Tuvalu, more than doubling Aotearoa's aid to the tiny island nation in the current financial year.
Five trees can’t offset a car: Lawyers accuse Mazda of greenwashing
9 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Lawyers for Climate Action NZ is taking Mazda to the Advertising Standards Authority over its claims that a tree-planting programme will offset vehicle emissions.
Govt missing opportunity to slash electricity prices, says expert
11 Feb 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s fixation on eliminating the "dry-year risk margin" as a lever to reduce costs misses a much bigger opportunity to lower electricity prices, according to Christina Hood, head of Compass Climate.
NZ prepares to join ‘gold rush’ for white hydrogen
25 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand may be close to commercialising the capture and use of naturally occurring ‘white’ hydrogen, with investment plans for developments in the Wairarapa region picking up pace in response to spiralling oil prices.
Media round-up
20 Mar 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: Crown lawyers agree High Court could quash emissions plan if found unlawful; NZ is locked in 'disaster inertia'; and climate change is notably absent from new development laws.
Climate law change spanner in the works for Waitangi Tribunal Inquiry
19 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s controversial changes to New Zealand’s legal framework for climate policy have thrown a spanner in the works for a long-running Waitangi Tribunal Inquiry into climate change.
Govt process to change climate plan ‘fundamentally flawed’, says judge
18 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The government’s 2024 changes to New Zealand’s first Emissions Reduction Plan was “as fundamentally flawed a process as I think I have ever seen”, the judge presiding in a case challenging climate change decision-making has said.
Cleantech expo coming to Auckland
26 Mar 2026
New Zealand’s first national cleantech expo is set to bring together 30 innovators, in what organisers say is the country’s fastest growing area in the tech sector.
NZ First targets regional share of mining royalties
Mon 30 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand First has proposed returning 50% of mining royalties to regional communities, saying that too much of the value from resource extraction is currently flowing to Wellington.
NZ's latest climate target 'weak' – Climate Action Tracker
24 Jun 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand's new international climate target to 2035 is weak, and could even allow for higher emissions than the 2030 target, according to a global scientific project that tracks government climate action.
Worst in a generation: Environmentalists slam fisheries reform bill
25 Mar 2026
Media release: Greenpeace | The Fisheries Amendment Bill, which will likely have its first reading in parliament this week, is being labelled the worst fisheries policy in a generation by environmental groups who are calling for it to be rejected to protect ocean health.
Kiwis overly optimistic about state of environment
27 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New research suggests many New Zealanders believe the environment is in better shape than it really is, with public perceptions often out of step with scientific evidence.
‘They pushed so many lies about recycling’: the fight to stop big oil pumping billions more into plastics
24 Feb 2026
Plastic production has doubled over the last 20 years – and will likely double again. For author Beth Gardiner, metal water bottles and canvas tote bags are not the solution. So what is?
Activists occupy controversial gold drilling site
25 Mar 2026
By Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | Opposition in Golden Bay to a controversial gold mine at Sams Creek has flared up over the weekend after several activists briefly occupied a drilling site.
China has a new competitor? Kazakhstan reveals huge rare Earth deposit that could power the next tech boom
25 Feb 2026
China’s grip on rare earths might finally see some competition, and the world is already taking notice.
World-leading plasma torch takes aim at NZ's most potent greenhouse gases
24 Mar 2026
Media release | A high-tech plasma torch was lit up today as Minister of Conservation, Hon Tama Potaka, officially opened the $10 million National Refrigerant Destruction Facility – signalling a new era in addressing the environmental impact of New Zealand’s most potent greenhouse gases.
DOC trims costs and winds down jobs for nature
10 Nov 2025
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is entering a new phase of tighter budgets and structural change as it winds down the pandemic-era Jobs for Nature programme and reshapes its operations to absorb long-term cost pressures.
Why the Iran war may have just killed the AI boom
26 Mar 2026
The $1.5 trillion in committed AI infrastructure spending by major tech companies is built on an assumption of a functional global supply chain, which the Iran conflict has fundamentally broken.
Pacific climate response in question as NZ finance remains unclear
19 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | With New Zealand's $1.3 billion international climate finance commitment set to end with no clarity on what follows, the Auditor-General says oversight of that funding remains patchy and long-term outcomes are unclear.
Two Australian states offer free public transport as war pushes up fuel prices
Mon 30 Mar 2026
Public transport in two Australian states will be made free to incentivise people not to drive as fuel prices soar due to the war in the Middle East.
Infrastructure plan calls for ‘predictable approach’ to electrifying economy
18 Feb 2026
Aotearoa’s first National Infrastructure Plan, introduced to Parliament yesterday, calls for "a predictable approach to electrifying the economy" as one of ten priorities for the next decade.
‘Stop burning fossil fuels’ pleads scientist as extreme rain causes floods yet again
Fri 27 Mar 2026
Northland and Auckland have again been lashed by heavy rain, with hundreds of people evacuated last night because of extensive flooding in the Far North, and some areas hit by more than a month's average rainfall in just 24 hours.
AI tool predicts wildfire danger faster than current systems
26 Mar 2026
Media release | A wildfire forecasting system powered by artificial intelligence could help detect dangerous fire conditions earlier and reduce the cost of wildfire response, according to new research from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury.
Record wind output helps shield the UK from worst of Iran war fallout
Wed 1 Apr 2026
Record output from wind farms has helped boost total clean power supplies in the United Kingdom to new highs so far in 2026, and allowed power firms to pare use of fossil fuels to multi-year lows.
