Topics tagged with 'Carbon News world'
Threatened mangrove forests won’t protect coasts
19 Jun 2020
Rising tides driven by global heating could swamp global mangrove forests – bad news for the natural world, and for humans.
Hospitals new theatres of emissions warfare
19 Jun 2020
Hospital operating theatres could be a new frontier in the battle to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Globally, how much do people care?
18 Jun 2020
New survey results from 40 countries show that climate change matters to most people. In the vast majority of countries, fewer than three per cent said climate change was not serious at all.
Siberia heat wave sets alarm bells ringing
18 Jun 2020
A prolonged heatwave in Siberia is “undoubtedly alarming”, climate scientists have said. The freak temperatures have been linked to wildfires, a huge oil spill and a plague of tree-eating moths.
Markets reel as oil major opts to downgrade itself
17 Jun 2020
This week, BP said it was writing down or reducing the value of its assets by between $US13 billion and $17.5b. BP’s shares fell by 5.4 per cent after the news was announced, making it one of the biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 share index.
The awful truth of our hidden plastic superhighway
17 Jun 2020
Solving the issue of waste in our seas turned out to be more complex than scrounging for bottles off the beach.
This job will take more than a few more cycle lanes
17 Jun 2020
The coronavirus lockdown gave a glimpse of what cleaner cities can look like, but as people turn to private cars for safety from infection, pollution could soar.
Planting non-natives speeds release of carbon
16 Jun 2020
Large-scale reforestation projects such as New Zealand’s One Billion Trees programme are under way in many countries to help to sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
Big Oil all talk about revolution, says report
16 Jun 2020
Fossil-fuel companies might be talking about an energy revolution, but their financial projections show they are largely ignoring it, a new report reveals.
Sea warming spurs marine life to rapid migration
16 Jun 2020
Far from the sunlight and even at the lowest temperatures, ocean warming is making marine life uncomfortable.
Carbon-neutral coffee arrives by schooner
16 Jun 2020
The French schooner De Gallant has docked in Falmouth harbour three months after leaving Santa Marta in Colombia laden with tonnes of sustainably sourced coffee beans.
Climate worst-case scenarios may not go far enough
15 Jun 2020
Worst-case global heating scenarios may need to be revised upwards in light of a better understanding of the role of clouds, scientists have said.
Why carmakers must overhaul production plans
15 Jun 2020
The world’s 14 biggest carmakers are on course to miss globally agreed climate targets, a leading sustainable finance think-tank has said, urging investors to do more to pressure boards to change their production plans.
Fewer blizzards for North America as snow lessens
15 Jun 2020
It could soon be safe to think with nostalgia of the snows of yesteryear. Snowstorms in the future in the US could happen less often, with less intensity. And they would be of a smaller size.
Residents fght to keep compost getting trashed
15 Jun 2020
Just this past March, New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson proposed making composting mandatory for city residents to help combat climate change. Now, with the coronavirus taking an immense financial toll on New York, even food waste recycling programs that existed before that proposition have become casualties of covid-19.
Unanswered questions dog new nuclear plans
15 Jun 2020
The French company EDF, a company in a hurry, wants permission to start building two more reactors in the United Kingdom, and it hopes to save money – by arranging for British taxpayers to pay the capital costs of its new nuclear plans.
Post-lockdown carbon emissions bound back
12 Jun 2020
Carbon dioxide emissions have rebounded around the world as lockdown conditions have eased, raising fears that the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere could surge higher than ever unless governments take swift action.
LOVE IS BLIND: Germany's affair with the car
12 Jun 2020
A world leader in cutting emissions from electricity production, the German government, in thrall to the auto industry, "overlooked" pollution from cars and trucks.
SHIFTING SANDS: We don't have the full story
12 Jun 2020
Humans see sand as an infinite resource. We are astounded to discover there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on our beaches.
Sponge-tech sucks carbon from the air
12 Jun 2020
Scientists have set a record for carbon capture and storage using new sponge-like technology that can capture carbon directly from the air.
Humanity finished if it fails to adapt, says Goodall
11 Jun 2020
Humanity will be finished if we fail to drastically change our food systems in response to the coronavirus pandemic and the climate crisis, prominent naturalist Jane Goodall has warned.
‘Final blow’ as EU agrees to weaken aviation rules
11 Jun 2020
The climate plan for aviation is losing its last shred of credibility, after the European Union confirmed it will back an industry proposal to water down the rules.
Minister rejects Queensland wind farm project
11 Jun 2020
Federal environment minister Sussan Ley has rejected a $100m wind farm proposal in central Queensland on the ground it would clear old-growth forest important to vulnerable species, including the koala.
Engineers make syngas out of cement-waste
11 Jun 2020
Chemical engineers have found a new way to turn carbon dioxide emissions from cement-making and other industrial processes into useful products like fuel and plastics.
US backs changes to airline emissions scheme
10 Jun 2020
The US supports changing a landmark aviation emissions scheme now under review by a UN agency, after airlines said the current deal could leave them with higher carbon offsetting costs when air travel recovers from coronavirus.
Forest trees are growing shorter and dying younger
10 Jun 2020
Temperatures could get too high for tropical forests, and forest trees everywhere are changing in response to human action.
Two-faced solar panels follow the sun
10 Jun 2020
Using solar panels with double sides or that can twist to follow the sun can cut the cost of electricity generation.
Climate change threatens mortgage market
9 Jun 2020
US taxpayers could be on the hook for billions of dollars in climate-related property losses as the government backs a growing number of mortgages on homes in the path of floods, fires and extreme weather.
Millions of species face extinction emergency
9 Jun 2020
An extinction emergency unparalleled in the history of life on Earth could soon overtake millions of species – thanks to us.
Talks delays deepen uncertainty over carbon markets
9 Jun 2020
Projects to curb greenhouse emissions in developing countries are in limbo amid another delay for nations to design a new global carbon market.
Coronavirus waste ends up in oceans
9 Jun 2020
Conservationists have warned that the coronavirus pandemic could spark a surge in ocean pollution – adding to a glut of plastic waste that already threatens marine life.
Not even pandemic can flatten the Keeling Curve
8 Jun 2020
As graphs go, the Keeling Curve is simple, but it clearly illustrates the planet's vexing global warming challenge.
Germany unveils plans for €40bn climate splurge
8 Jun 2020
The German government has unveiled plans for a massive €130 billion stimulus package that features at least €40 billion climate-related spending.
Siberia dries out as forests burn
8 Jun 2020
A huge swathe of Arctic Russia is changing rapidly as oil leaks, the climate warms and Siberia dries out.
Car industry pushes for scrappage scheme
8 Jun 2020
The UK car industry has been in confidential talks with the government over a possible £1.5 billion scrappage scheme that it insists should encourage the purchase of diesel and petrol cars on an equal footing with cleaner vehicles.
How science shoots down hydrogen cars
5 Jun 2020
Hydrogen cars won’t overtake electric vehicles because they’re hampered by the laws of science.
Our chance to reset global economy, says Charles
5 Jun 2020
The Prince of Wales has unveiled a five-point plan to stimulate sustainable economic growth.
Virus could cause $25tn fossil fuel industry collapse
5 Jun 2020
The coronavirus outbreak could trigger a $25 trillion collapse in the fossil fuel industry by accelerating a terminal decline for the world’s most polluting companies.
Hunt for the superconductors
5 Jun 2020
Physicists are on the lookout for room-temperature superconductors that could revolutionize the world’s energy system.
Japan to launch ‘green recovery’ platform
4 Jun 2020
Japan wants to bolster global momentum for climate action by hosting an online platform and high-level political event on greening the post-coronavirus economic recovery.
European Green Deal needs strong methane rules
4 Jun 2020
Oil and gas companies throughout the supply chain need to do much more to bring down methane emissions immediately, says Shell's new-energies director Maarten Wetselaar.
Climate change the most important mission for unis
4 Jun 2020
The future of universities will involve articulating their unique role as embedded, ethical generators of crucial knowledge and skills, well-equipped to handle coming contingencies and helping others to do the same - and that means climate change.
Weeds on march put food on defensive
3 Jun 2020
Climate-change-induced weed invasions threaten food production in many countries, including Europe, the United States and Australia, scientists say.
How the super-rich conquered London
2 Jun 2020
Over cups of tea in his ramshackle London home I chatted with a novelist. Talk inevitably turned to its expanding population of wealthy residents.
Why is there so much furore over China’s Belt and Road?
2 Jun 2020
There were certainly questions asked when Victoria first signed a memorandum of understanding to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2018, but it wasn’t until the past week that the criticism reached a fever pitch.
'Zombie fires’ are erupting in Alaska
2 Jun 2020
The bitterly cold Arctic winter typically snuffs out the seasonal wildfires that erupt in this region. But every once in a while, a wildfire comes along that refuses to die.
US renewables take the 2019 top spot
2 Jun 2020
Renewable energy consumption in the US topped coal consumption in 2019, the first time this has occurred in more than 130 years.
South Asia’s twin threat: extreme heat and foul air
2 Jun 2020
Climate change means many health risks. Any one of them raises the danger. What happens when extreme heat meets bad air?
Green bailouts will let airlines off the hook
29 May 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has grounded thousands of aircraft, contributing to the largest-ever annual fall in CO2 emissions. But at some point the planes will fly again and with them, global emissions.
How a contrarian scientist helped Trump's EPA
29 May 2020
In March 2017, a scientist named James Enstrom rattled many public health experts by publishing a study concluding that there was no link between fine soot air pollution and premature death.
Scrutiny week reveals unresolved trade-offs
Wed 24 Jun 2026
Last week's select committee scrutiny hearings showed how far the Government's energy and environment agenda has moved from target-setting to implementation. They also showed how many unresolved trade-offs now sit beneath that shift.
Govt opens first ETS forestry permit ballot
Mon 22 Jun 2026
Applications have opened for the first ballot under new ETS forestry rules, with up to 7,500 hectares of exotic forestry on marginal land on offer for landowners to register in the Emissions Trading Scheme in the first of two annual rounds, totalling up to 15,000ha a year.
$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.
Airline CEOs warn EU plan to expand carbon costs will raise fares
10 Jun 2026
Europe's biggest airlines have urged the European Union not to extend its Emissions Trading System to cover international flights, warning the move would raise ticket prices, a letter seen by Reuters showed.
Waikato Council advances water security action plan
Tue 23 Jun 2026
Waikato Regional Council has endorsed a new action plan to strengthen the region’s water security.
'Stored solar': Bioenergy Association touts cost benefits of biomass boilers over gas
Wed 24 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | Businesses across New Zealand are warming to bioenergy, but advocates believe woody biomass could play a far greater role as a replacement for more expensive natural gas and electric heat options.
Looking behind the headline costs of offshore mitigation
18 Jun 2026
COMMENT: A closer look at Treasury’s analysis reveals assumptions that undervalue the case for using offshore mitigation as part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s global climate contribution, writes Catherine Leining.
Carbon auction failures show ETS working, Watts says
Tue 23 Jun 2026
Failed government carbon auctions show the emissions trading scheme is working as intended rather than broken, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.
Media round-up
Fri 19 Jun 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The Government is set to quietly scrap a looming ban on coal boilers; some South Dunedin homes may be relocated as climate risks increase; and more details emerge about the handling of documents linked to the undisclosed climate case briefing.
NZ’s sustainable finance credibility gap
5 Jun 2026
By Manbo He | COMMENT: New Zealand has built serious sustainable finance infrastructure - but risks failing to attract the global capital that infrastructure was designed for, because it lacks the practitioner capability to operate it credibly.
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.
Forestry at heart of ETS problems – commissioner
Wed 24 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Forestry is a central driver of growing problems within New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton told the Environment Select Committee during Parliamentary Scrutiny Week.
Gas transition loan scheme nears launch as savings modelled
Tue 23 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | Commercial gas users could potentially save thousands of dollars a year by using Crown-backed loans to fund fuel-switching and energy efficiency projects, new modelling indicates.
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.
UK heatwave: 40C in June must be wake-up call on climate crisis, scientists warn
Wed 24 Jun 2026
Scientists are warning that politicians are failing to appreciate the magnitude of the climate crisis after the Met Office forecast that temperatures in the UK could hit 40C for just the second time since records began.
High Court hearing highlights the 'shrinking pool' for fisheries research and science
Mon 22 Jun 2026
Media release: Environmental Law Initiative | At the close of a four-day High Court hearing challenging the government’s under-levying of the fishing industry, the Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) says more science, research and observer coverage is needed to protect marine wildlife and ecosystems from the impacts of fishing.
Burning forest ‘waste’ to make cement damages the climate
Wed 24 Jun 2026
The Australian government has agreed to invest almost $53 million in a north Tasmanian company that will upgrade its coal-fired kiln to burn wood “waste” and used tyres for cement manufacturing.
Canadian firm seeks Crown co-investment for Genesis-supported gas storage project
Fri 19 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | A proposed gas storage project supported by Genesis Energy has sought Crown co-investment through the $200 million Gas Security Fund.
Ballance secures gas for 2026 as it progresses energy transition plan
16 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | One of the largest industrial gas users in New Zealand is working on an energy transition plan to futureproof domestic fertiliser manufacturing, while continuing to secure ongoing gas supply contracts.
Cabinet green-lights $55M super-critical geothermal drilling programme
9 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Cabinet has agreed to release the $55 million unspent of the $60m secured by Resources Minister Shane Jones to drill up to 5 kilometres deep into super-critical geothermal heat under the Taupō volcanic zone.
NZ Taxonomy project scoops London Climate Week award
Wed 24 Jun 2026
The New Zealand Taxonomy project has scooped an innovation award at the International Climate Bonds awards in London this week.
Carbon capture and the need for ‘net zero oil’
16 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The answer to making carbon capture and storage work is to make fossil fuel producers responsible for making it happen rather than consumers, says Oxford University climate change policy expert, Professor Myles Allen.
Govt climate claims don't match reality, lawyers say
17 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Lawyers for Climate Action has accused the Government of presenting an overly positive picture of New Zealand's climate progress at the United Nations climate summit in Bonn, arguing key claims on emissions reductions and support for the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal are not reflected in domestic policy.
Importing LNG would raise costs and emissions: it’s a terrible decision for New Zealand
9 Jun 2026
COMMENT: Today’s announcement from the Government is political smoke and mirrors, with electricity users’ wallets still set to bear the brunt of the proposed LNG facility, writes Christina Hood.
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.
Govt removes health and life insurers from disclosure regime
Fri 19 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Health and life insurers are set to be removed from New Zealand's climate-related disclosure regime, with the Government arguing the sector is not directly exposed to climate risks, a claim disputed by a sustainability expert.
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.
UN intervention could become election focus
Mon 22 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | A United Nations recommendation that the Government should change course on a proposed climate law change could become an election issue if it eventuates, according to a legal expert.
LNG import terminal could cost NZ economy $6.2 billion: Concept Consulting
17 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The benefits of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal to provide insurance against dry year energy prices would be outweighed by the wider costs to the New Zealand economy, a new report says.
Lessons from Australia: Climate Change Authority chair cites rapid roll-out of household solar, batteries
Fri 19 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | Australia is rapidly outpacing New Zealand when it comes to new household solar and battery systems, lowering electricity costs and driving down the carbon intensity of installed generation.
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.
Climate change minister tight-lipped on ACT climate policy
16 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Climate Change Minister Simon Watts is keeping his cards close to his chest about the ACT Party’s election campaign pledge last week that it would resubmit New Zealand’s Paris Agreement target.
US defence spending on critical minerals surges in the last decade
Mon 22 Jun 2026
Members of communities affected by some of these projects said that U.S. state backing has meant projects are being fast-tracked without the necessary social and environmental checks or meaningful consultation.
Mombasa ocean summit drives progress on marine protection, but threats persist
Tue 23 Jun 2026
At the 11th Our Ocean conference in Kenya, its founder John Kerry says the ocean must become central to climate solutions and needs to be looked after.
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.
UN’s first Paris Agreement carbon credits face human rights and climate concerns
17 Jun 2026
Civil society groups allege the cookstove project in Myanmar exaggerated its climate impact while maintaining ties with military junta.
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.
Six NZ climate solutions up for 2026 Earthshot prize
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.
Too much environmental reporting, claims councillor
Wed 24 Jun 2026
By Vihan Dalal, Local Democracy Reporter | Environmental reporting is often costly and unnecessary because New Zealand already has "a pretty good environment," claims one West Coast regional councillor.
Northern Thai residents march for action on polluted rivers. ‘This is an emergency’
9 Jun 2026
More than 600 residents of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces embarked May 31 on a roughly 68-kilometer, six-day ‘peace walk’ to demand the Thai government take action on the river pollution crisis that has seen Thai rivers polluted with heavy metals.
Why China's critical minerals strategy leaves the US behind
8 Jun 2026
The United States cannot realistically recreate that dominance overnight even if the political will existed.
Sustainable finance taxonomy for energy sector – consultation
8 Jun 2026
The Centre for Sustainable Finance is consulting on the sustainable finance taxonomy’s draft energy sector criteria.
Ukraine hopes renewables can Russia-proof power grid
Fri 19 Jun 2026
Quick to build and able to power a small city, the Oriv wind farm in western Ukraine is exactly the kind of project Kyiv hopes will backstop its power grid against routine Russian strikes.
‘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.
The merchants of doubt are coming for extreme event attribution science
18 Jun 2026
Andrew Dessler: Fossil-fuel companies are acutely aware that this research could land them in court. And losing those cases would leave them legally liable for billions of dollars in climate damages.
Calder Stewart to invest $110m for solar across industrial portfolio
Tue 23 Jun 2026
Media release | NZ’s largest industrial landowner is preparing one of the country’s most significant industrial rooftop solar rollouts, with Calder Stewart set to invest more than $110 million in solar panels and battery storage across its property portfolio.
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.
Lack of finance stalling sustainable innovation – report
12 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A lack of access to suitable finance is threatening growth in New Zealand's sustainable innovation sector, despite strong confidence and ambitious expansion plans among purpose-driven businesses, according to a new report.
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.
UK electric car sales target set to be weakened
Fri 19 Jun 2026
The UK government is set to water down its target for how many new cars that are sold need to be electric vehicles.
‘Those blocking climate science are not our friends': Pacific leaders warn at Bonn talks
Tue 23 Jun 2026
Pacific nations and civil society groups have united at UN climate talks, pushing back against efforts to weaken agreed language on global temperature limits as negotiations continue behind closed doors.
New refrigerant scheme targets potent greenhouse gases
18 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand is set to introduce its second regulated product stewardship scheme under the Waste Minimisation Act, targeting synthetic refrigerants that account for around 2% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions.
Antarctic surface melt set to increase dramatically this century, new study finds
10 Jun 2026
Media release – Victoria University | New research shows surface melting across Antarctica is set to intensify and spread dramatically over the 21st century, with melt increasing by 10 times and the area affected growing by more than 10 percent by 2100 if global temperatures continue to rise.
Increase in wildfire-driven ozone linked to premature deaths across the U.S.
10 Jun 2026
Smog linked to wildfires is getting worse across much of the U.S., playing a role in more than 300 additional premature deaths every year since 2013, researchers say.
New Zealand faces $26b energy infrastructure challenge, report warns
15 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand will need an additional $26 billion of investment in energy infrastructure over the next 30 years to meet its decarbonisation goals, with a new report warning that policy certainty is critical to unlocking the renewable generation needed to power a low-carbon economy.
