Topics tagged with 'Agriculture'
Ten things they want you know about wind energy ...
10 Jun 2011
New Zealand has one of the best wind resources in the world, and EECA is out to bust some myths about generating energy from it.
Parties battle over carbon farming plans
10 Jun 2011
The Gillard Government has called on the Opposition to stop political game-playing which could delay Australian farmers and rural communities from securing significant benefits under the Carbon Farming Initiative.
Charcoal company gets special mention
3 Jun 2011
New Zealand charcoal technology company CarbonScape has been singled out on the world scientific stage.
Hopes dim for safe emissions levels
3 Jun 2011
Greenhouse gas emissions increased by a record amount last year, to the highest carbon output in history, putting hopes of holding global warming to safe levels all but out of reach, according to unpublished estimates from the International Energy Agency, says Carbon Market Solutions.
Labour might sweeten ETS deal for farmers
27 May 2011
Labour might sweeten the carbon deal for farmers by letting them become the point of obligation under the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Estimates pinpoint cost of ETS to farmers
27 May 2011
Bringing biological greenhouse gas emissions from farms into the Emissions Trading Scheme will cost dairy farmers about 2.8 cents per litre of milk solids, government estimates show.
Biodiesel maker to set up Nelson plant
20 May 2011
Solid Energy subsidiary Biodiesel New Zealand is setting up a bulk distribution facility in Nelson.
Project to study our footprint on the world
20 May 2011
An in-depth research project will consider New Zealanders' ecological footprint.
ETS reviewers eye Australian farm plan
13 May 2011
The panel reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme is looking at Australia’s plan to give tradable credits to farmers for storing carbon in soil.
Forest credits near nine million mark
13 May 2011
Nearly nine million NZUs have been issued for carbon stored in post-1989 forests last year.
Figures show we're not so bad, say farmers
13 May 2011
Latest statistics show that New Zealand agriculture is not the intensive, greenhouse-gas emitting industry that it is portrayed as, says Federated Farmers.
Billion tonnes of food thrown away, says report
13 May 2011
About a third of all the food produced for human consumption each year – roughly 1.3 billion tonnes – is lost or wasted, according to a new study.
Smallholders miss out on new carbon measure
6 May 2011
Government officials are rejecting calls to allow the owners of small forestry blocks to use a new system for measuring carbon.
UN aims for world ban on pesticide
6 May 2011
The insecticide endosulfan has been added to the list of persistent organic pollutants to be eliminated worldwide.
Why the ETS needs transparency
6 May 2011
Is the ETS a mature market yet? asks Carbon Market Solutions.
Don't delay agriculture, says world body
29 Apr 2011
Agriculture should come into the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme in 2015 as planned, says one of the world’s most influential organisations.
Caygill crew on target to produce report
29 Apr 2011
The panel reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme is on target to meet its report-back deadline, its chairman says.
Clark urges businesses to go low carbon
29 Apr 2011
Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark has made an international appeal for businesses to transform their enterprises into low-carbon operations that are environmentally sound and benefit communities.
ETS review predictable so far
29 Apr 2011
With the findings of the ETS Review due out in June, the consultation phase of the review is has drawn to a close.
Ag bags join move to recycling
29 Apr 2011
Agricultural feed manufacturer Fiber Fresh Feeds Ltd has taken a further step towards being 100 per cent clean-and-green by becoming the first stock feed company able to recycle its bags using the Agrecovery Wrap recycling programme.
We can cut carbon ... so why fudge the figures?
21 Apr 2011
New Zealand has a wealth of carbon-reduction opportunities - so why is it fudging figures to the United Nations, asks Sustainability Council executive director SIMON TERRY.
Animal emissions appear to be lower
21 Apr 2011
New Zealand’s agricultural emissions to 2012 are likely to be lower than thought.
China on a clean energy roll
21 Apr 2011
China, the world’s biggest emitter, continues to power ahead in the green revolution, and has topped the Pew Environment Group's clean energy investment rankings for 2010.
Forest-planting rates still low post-ETS
15 Apr 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme has failed to boost forest planting.
Environment champion sees ETS loophole
15 Apr 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme should be tightened so that new carbon-intensive industries do not get taxpayer subsidies, the Parliamentary Commission for the Environment says.
Ban gas CERs or wreck market, says trader
8 Apr 2011
The price of carbon in New Zealand will crash if industrial gas CERs are not banned from the Emissions Trading Scheme from 2013, a trader is warning.
Forest owners will get 9m carbon credits
8 Apr 2011
The Government will issue more than nine million carbon credits to the owners of post-1989 forests this year.
Foresters see way to reduce ETS risk
8 Apr 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme can be tweaked to reduce risk for the forestry sector without needing any taxpayer subsidy, the Forest Owners' Association says.
New centre gets up close to nitrous oxide
8 Apr 2011
New Zealand’s ability to measure emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide just got better.
Study suggests bio-farming does the job
8 Apr 2011
The preliminary results from a project to study the impact of biological farming systems suggest it reduces nitrogen leaching.
Greens question Fonterra over water action
8 Apr 2011
The Green Party is congratulating Fonterra for investing in clean-water technology in its Australian factory - but want to know why it won’t do the same at its Wairarapa factory.
Synthetics answer might lie outside ETS
1 Apr 2011
Greenhouse gas emissions from the synthetic gases sector could be dealt with outside the Emissions Trading Scheme, says ETS review panel chair David Caygill.
What the IEA thinks of our ETS
1 Apr 2011
The International Energy Agency says there is no guarantee New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme will actually reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Greens: Emissions target is green-washing
1 Apr 2011
The Government’s greenhouse gas emissions target is little more than green-washing, said the Green Party.
The business of marine energy, May 25 and 26
1 Apr 2011
The growing maturity of marine energy both here and overseas will be the theme of this year's Aotearoa Wave and Tidal Energy Association (Awatea) conference in Wellington.
Scientists show biochar slashes animal gas
25 Mar 2011
New Zealand scientists have proved that emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide from animal urine can be cut drastically by adding biochar to the soil.
Fonterra finds way to beat ETS problems
25 Mar 2011
Fonterra says a lack of liquidity in the New Zealand carbon market has caused the dairy co-operative some problems in its first year under the Emissions Trading Scheme.
How Europe found other ways to cut emissions
25 Mar 2011
Europe has found that you don’t have to bring every industry into an emissions trading regime to get them to cut their greenhouse gas emissions, the panel reviewing the New Zealand scheme is about to hear.
New centre will test gas samples
25 Mar 2011
The National Centre for Nitrous Oxide Measurement will be opened at Lincoln University next week.
New carbon measurement regime for large forests
25 Mar 2011
Owners of large forests are about to shift to a compulsory personalised carbon measurement system.
Ministers reveal more carbon details
25 Mar 2011
The Australian Government has released more details about its plans to put a price on carbon.
Jilted Fonterra to plead case at ETS review
18 Mar 2011
Access to free credits for trade-exposed businesses and the entry of agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme are two of the issues Fonterra will be raising with the ETS review panel.
Forests credit allocations top five million
18 Mar 2011
Owners of pre-1990 forests have now been allocated more than five million carbon credits.
Data predicts corn peril if temperatures rise
18 Mar 2011
A hidden trove of historical crop yield data from Africa shows that corn – long believed to tolerate hot temperatures – is a likely victim of global warming.
ETS review panel wants YOUR input
11 Mar 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme review panel wants to know how the scheme is affecting businesses, households, farmers, foresters and Maori.
ETS PAPER 1: Businesses feel the costs
11 Mar 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme has increased the cost of electricity and fuel for businesses by about 1 per cent of revenue, the panel reviewing the scheme says.
Caygill crew meets business leaders
11 Mar 2011
The committee reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme has already met with some of the country’s most influential bodies as it works towards its June deadline.
Fertiliser firm wins battle over inhibitor
11 Mar 2011
A Christchurch company has won a court battle to patent its nitrogen emissions-reducing fertiliser.
Scientists get help with ag research
11 Mar 2011
The Government has announced a fellowship programme as part of New Zealand’s efforts on the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.
Welcome to the Year of the Forest
11 Mar 2011
The 2011 International Year of Forests was launched this week at Parliament by Forestry Minister David Carter and Woodco chair Doug Ducker.
FMA urges sharper focus on climate risk disclosures
Today 11:30am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand companies are making steady progress in climate-related financial disclosures, but the Financial Markets Authority says many organisations still need to provide clearer and more robust reporting on physical climate risks and their potential business impacts.
$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.
Europe has 'maybe six weeks of jet fuel left', energy boss warns
20 Apr 2026
Stocks would reach a tipping point in June if Europe was unable to replace at least half of its imports from the Middle East, the organisation said in a report this week.
Govt ramps up war on wilding pines with $79m boost
Mon 25 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is ramping up efforts to contain the spread of wilding pines with a $79 million funding boost aimed at protecting farmland, biodiversity hotspots, tourism landscapes and water catchments across New Zealand.
Thumbs up for Govt help for businesses transitioning from gas
Today 11:30am
By Liz Kivi | Businesses and climate advocates alike have welcomed the Government’s pre-budget announcement that it will help secure cheap lending for businesses transitioning from gas, as New Zealand’s domestic supply dwindles.
Govt unveils long-awaited voluntary carbon market guidance
15 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has released long-awaited guidance for New Zealand’s voluntary carbon and nature markets, as questions continue for the sector despite ministers signalling support for its growth.
Trump officials, billionaires and the quiet reshaping of America’s public lands
Today 11:30am
A controversial land swap orchestrated by the megarich could be “a harbinger of what’s to come” for public lands under Trump.
Carbon News updates forward curve
13 May 2026
Carbon News has updated its ten-year NZU forward curve, following a recent rise in spot market prices, with NZUs rallying from about $34 in January to nearly $54 in early May.
New coal plants hit ‘10-year’ global high in 2025 – but power output still fell
Fri 22 May 2026
The number of new coal-fired power plants built around the world hit a “10-year high” in 2025, even as the global coal fleet generated less electricity, amid a “widening disconnect” in the sector.
Mike Smith’s asymmetric victory
Mon 25 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | COMMENT: The New Zealand Government’s recent move, undercutting citizens’ rights and the rule of law to cancel the country’s most important climate case is a massive win for Mike Smith, the climate change activist who brought it.
Green building council calls for clean energy policies
18 May 2026
The New Zealand Green Building Council has released its 2026 election manifesto calling for policies to reduce energy waste in buildings, lower household and business energy costs, and improve New Zealand’s energy security.
What Magyar’s defeat of Orbán in Hungary means for climate and energy
21 Apr 2026
Hungary has played a disproportionate role in EU climate and energy policy in recent years, by repeatedly vetoing climate action and by delaying the phaseout of Russian fossil-fuel imports.
Conservation land open for voluntary carbon market schemes
12 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The government is to open up the Crown-owned conservation estate to private investment in voluntary carbon market projects.
Marae solar project boosts sustainability and mana motuhake
Mon 25 May 2026
By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporter | Five marae from Whanganui to Taumarunui are running on solar power and many more could join a major green energy initiative aimed at cutting electricity costs and strengthening community resilience.
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.
How do hurricanes and typhoons form and is climate change making them stronger?
Mon 25 May 2026
Rising temperatures mean that hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones have the potential to bring stronger winds and heavier rain – and scientists warn it only takes one strong storm to bring major impacts.
EDS urges MPs to scrap the Fisheries Amendment Bill
5 May 2026
Media release | The Environmental Defence Society today lodged a substantive submission on the Fisheries Amendment Bill.
Biomass sector asks: where did the love go?
18 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand has sufficient biomass in its plantation forests to replace natural gas for industrial process heat at lower costs than electrification, but is failing to get the attention it deserves, sector leaders say.
Govt’s LNG plan puts trade deals at risk, lawyers warn
Today 11:30am
By Liz Kivi | Lawyers for Climate Action are warning that the government’s plans for an LNG import terminal and to subsidise gas fields are in breach of New Zealand’s free trade agreements with the UK and the EU.
Hipkins pans LNG plan as ‘massive step backwards’
19 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Labour leader Chris Hipkins has told a Queenstown audience that a Government he leads would not proceed with a planned LNG import terminal, if elected at November’s election.
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.”
New funding for low methane farming uptake
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.
NZ Govt’s move to halt climate litigation under international scrutiny
19 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Local and international NGOs have signed an open letter calling on the Government to reconsider its decision to shield major emitters from legal liability for climate-related harm.
Why ‘greenhushing’ signals deeper issues with NZ’s climate risk reporting regime
15 May 2026
By Hang Pham, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington | Most of us are familiar with the concept of greenwashing: organisations exaggerating or overstating their environmental credentials. But in New Zealand, there are signs the country’s climate disclosure regime may inadvertently be driving a very different trend: not saying much at all.
‘Formidable’ El Niño expected this winter
29 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Meteorologists are anticipating a significant El Niño influence on weather patterns across the country from winter onwards, with predicted lower rainfall for some areas and heavier rain for others likely to impact multiple sectors of the economy as well as the carbon market.
Victorian Hydrogen announces Southland urea fertiliser project using coal
22 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Australian-based Victorian Hydrogen has announced it is developing a new 1.5 million-tonne-a-year urea fertiliser operation in Southland, which it will apply for under fast-track legislation.
Media round-up
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.
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.
Climate resolution conundrum for NZ
Today 11:30am
By Vernon Rive | COMMENT: While the United Nations resolution endorsing a landmark climate ruling is significant – politically, diplomatically and legally – its impact on international climate negotiations and domestic action is likely to be indirect and incremental.
GIDI-style help cheaper than LNG: MBIE
11 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Officials advised ministers last July that the lowest-cost way to free up gas for use during dry winters was to assist industrial gas users to switch to electricity.
Govt missing tricks to save fuel in crisis
30 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is being urged to shift its response to the fuel crisis away from short-term relief and towards measures that reduce demand, with public health experts warning it is missing an opportunity to boost energy security and lower household costs.
Climate risks could reshape business finances, new guidance warns
15 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New guidance warns climate change is set to fundamentally reshape financial outcomes for businesses, including difficult-to-model climate “tipping points” – irreversible changes such as ice sheet collapse or ocean circulation shifts – which threaten severe and sudden financial impacts.
Move to block lawsuits could strengthen climate case against Govt
14 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s plan to block climate lawsuits – while potentially fatal for one groundbreaking climate case – could actually bolster claims in another live climate case underway against the Government.
Colombia’s climate crossroads: Trumpism casts shadow over presidential battle
Today 11:30am
Colombia is a global leader in climate activism. Could US influence drag country to a future of mining and fracking?
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.
Six NZ climate solutions up for 2026 Earthshot prize
Thu 21 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Six New Zealand climate and sustainability initiatives have been nominated for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, with the shortlist showcasing Kiwi-led solutions tackling emissions, plastic waste and ocean restoration.
Environmental groups sue Trump administration over approval of new ultra deep-water drilling project
23 Apr 2026
Environmental groups sued the Trump administration on Monday over its approval last month of oil company BP’s ultra deep-water drilling project in the Gulf of Mexico.
Govt had ‘little choice’ in signing key UN climate resolution – expert
Fri 22 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Climate policy expert Bronwyn Hayward said it was “shameful’ New Zealand didn’t throw more active support behind a pivotal climate resolution ratified by the United Nations this week.
A real ‘intergenerational equity’ budget would address Australia’s unceasing environmental decline
15 May 2026
Labor has unveiled a budget designed to tackle intergenerational equity in Australia through bold tax reform.
ESG funds include petrochemical companies, report finds
5 May 2026
Global banks have invested US$133bn into US petrochemical expansion, even as the industry is linked to climate change.
Greens bill to ban mining on conservation land drawn from ballot
Today 11:30am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A Greens member’s bill seeking to ban new mining, prospecting and exploration on conservation land has been drawn from Parliament’s ballot, with the party saying the proposed law would close a loophole allowing mining on land set aside for environmental protection.
Media round-up
Fri 22 May 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: Shane Jone is urging mining bosses to apply for fast-track before the election, climate risk is changing where investors put their money, and Hiringa gets more hydrogen-fuelled trucks on the road.
Green Party calls for national electrification plan
20 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party is calling for a national plan to electrify homes, transport and industry using renewable energy, to reduce fossil fuel dependence in response to the Middle East crisis.
NZ at risk of falling behind on EV transition
Fri 22 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | An EV lobby group is warning that New Zealand is at a crossroads on transport electrification, with inconsistent policy settings and lagging charging infrastructure slowing uptake, while global adoption accelerates and fuel price shocks renew interest in electric vehicles.
‘Landmark’ conservation reform bill – boost or bust for nature?
8 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government has announced an overhaul of the country’s conservation system, which environmental organisation Forest & Bird says will undo the work of many generations of Kiwis to protect public conservation land.
Climate scientists accuse livestock industry of fuzzy math to downplay climate warming emissions
Fri 22 May 2026
A group of the world’s leading climate scientists are warning governments and the livestock industry against adopting an “accounting trick” that will imperil the all-out global effort required to control heat-trapping emissions.
Global wind and solar power outpace gas for first time in April, report shows
Fri 22 May 2026
Wind and solar combined generated more electricity than gas globally in April for the first month ever, data analysed by UK-based think tank Ember showed on Thursday.
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.
Why both trees and technology are important in the race to mitigate carbon emissions
4 May 2026
Different carbon‑removal approaches solve different problems, and pitting these technologies against each other could slow progress.
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.
Rotorua extends diesel bus contract after NZTA declines extra funding
Mon 25 May 2026
By Mathew Nash, Local Democracy Reporter | Rotorua is stuck with its diesel-powered public buses after a funding snag played a part in setting back plans for zero-emission buses by years.
NZ votes in favour of key UN climate resolution
Thu 21 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | A pivotal United Nations resolution to recognise a landmark International Court of Justice climate ruling has passed with nations voting overwhelmingly in its favour, with New Zealand voting on the same side as Pacific allies who spearheaded the vote.
NZ First moves to revive container return scheme
4 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | NZ First is aiming to launch a national container return scheme, which could recycle over a billion wasted containers each year, reviving a policy shelved by the previous Labour-led Government in 2023.
Commission urges Govt action on climate risks
7 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Climate change currently poses major risks to our water infrastructure with “significant gaps” in readiness to manage risks and increasing hazards, according to the Climate Change Commission.
Why is Northern Ireland facing a growing threat from wildfires?
7 May 2026
Figures show that spring drought events are happening more often while there has been a sharp rise in "fire weather" - a mix of warmth, dryness, and wind that allows fires to ignite and spread rapidly. Experts warn this combination, along with climate change, is creating a longer and more volatile wildfire season.
Human health appears unaffected by living near wind turbines
Thu 21 May 2026
Media release: PNAS | High-resolution data collected across the United States show negligible evidence of adverse health outcomes tied to wind turbine exposure, a study finds.
