Topics tagged with 'Carbon News world'
There's plenty of room for carbon storage underground
29 May 2020
There's plenty of room for more of the main greenhouse gas on this planet – as long as it’s caught and trapped in carbon storage underground.
Clean energy cracker thing in a crisis
29 May 2020
Clean-energy companies are doing better in the covid-19 crisis than their fossil-fuel counterparts, says analytics company GlobalData.
One project exposes Morrison's gas plan as folly
28 May 2020
Every few years, the idea that gas will help Australia transition to a zero-emissions economy seems to re-emerge, as if no one had thought of it before.
EU recovery fund has green strings attached
28 May 2020
It’s now official: the EU’s updated seven-year €1 trillion budget proposal and €750 billion recovery plan will both be geared towards the green and digital transitions.
We're sitting on remains of a giant volcanic plume
28 May 2020
Back in the 1970s, scientists came up with a revolutionary idea about how Earth’s deep interior works.
It’s time to let the ‘fire people’ care for the land
28 May 2020
Since last summer’s bushfire crisis, there’s been a quantum shift in public awareness of Aboriginal fire management.
COP26 likely to be delayed again
27 May 2020
Vital international climate talks due to be hosted by the United Kingdom are expected to be delayed until late next year because of the coronavirus crisis, it has emerged, dashing hopes they could be reconvened sooner.
Act now, says former fossil fuel company exec
26 May 2020
Ian Dunlop - the former head of the Australian Coal Association - worries about his grandchildren. He worries time is running out.
Why a bullet train could increase greenhouse gas emissions
26 May 2020
Bullet trains are back on Australia's political agenda. As the major parties look for ways to stimulate the economy after the COVID-19 crisis, Labor is again spruiking its vision of linking Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane with high-speed trains similar to the Eurostar, France’s TGV or Japan’s Shinkansen.
Recyclable bricks and concrete the way of the future
26 May 2020
Bricks, concrete and other construction materials could one day be made from recycled PVC, waste plant-fibre or sand, thanks to a remarkable new kind of rubber polymer.
United push for Australia to target emissions in covid recovery
25 May 2020
Australian businesses, unions, investors and environmentalists are joining forces in a call for a covid-19 pandemic economic recovery programme based on energy efficiency.
Green New Deal turns South Korea from climate villain to model
25 May 2020
The country’s youngest MP is on a mission, inspired by Greta Thunberg, as climate moves up political agenda.
German coal generator fights Dutch coal phase-out
25 May 2020
Uniper is threatening to sue the Dutch government over a plan to phase out coal power by 2030, in a case experts warn could have a chilling effect on climate ambition internationally.
Electric bikes could halve transport emissions
25 May 2020
Replacing just 20 per cent of car miles travelled with e-bike travel could cut Britain's greenhouse gas emissions from transport by up to eight million tonnes a year, new research shows.
Fires and pandemic a sign of things to come, letter warns
25 May 2020
Leading health professionals, including a Nobel laureate and a former Australian of the Year, say the Australian Government must put human health “front and centre” in a new generation of environment laws in the aftermath of the Covid-19 and bushfire crises.
It's up to us by how much sea levels will rise
22 May 2020
It’s a racing certainty that sea levels everywhere will go on climbing. Unless the world’s nations act to contain global warming, by 2100 the tides around the world will be one metre higher. And by 2300, they could be five metres higher.
Australian oil and gas producers push back
22 May 2020
Australia’s oil and gas producers have warned against the Morrison government underwriting a massive expansion of the domestic industry, saying the country does not have a gas shortage and intervention could reduce supply and raise prices.
New solar cells pass global test standards
22 May 2020
Scientists have produced a new generation of experimental solar energy cells that, for the first time, pass strict International Electrotechnical Commission testing standards for heat and humidity.
Climate change turning Antarctica's snow green
21 May 2020
Warming temperatures in Antarctica are helping the formation and spread of “green snow” that in places can be seen from space.
Denmark proposes two huge ‘energy islands’
21 May 2020
Denmark plans to build two “energy islands” totalling 4GW of offshore wind capacity, under plans to reduce emissions by 70 per cent from 1990s levels by 2030 and become a green energy exporter.
Supermarket chains threaten Brazil boycott
21 May 2020
British supermarkets have warned Brazil they might have to boycott its products if lawmakers there pass a contentious bill that could enable faster destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
Seattle permanently closes 20 miles of street
21 May 2020
Seattle has made bold moves to put pedestrians and cyclists first by permanently closing up to 20 miles of roadways to nonessential through traffic to encourage people to exercise safely.
Startups invest $4bn in UK battery factory
21 May 2020
Two British startups have announced plans to invest as much as $4 billion in building the UK’s first large-scale battery factory, in a move that could prove a major boost to the country’s struggling car industry.
Scott Morrison is still Coal-Mo to the core
20 May 2020
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has just celebrated the first anniversary of his surprise election win in May, 2019. And he’s been getting some glowing reviews from some predictable quarters.
Europe plans for three billion trees in 10 years
20 May 2020
The European Commission this week will launch a sweeping effort to tackle the global biodiversity crisis, including a call for three billion trees to be planted by 2030 and a plan to better protect the continent’s last primeval forests.
Spain sets out to cut gas emissions by 2050
20 May 2020
Spain’s Cabinet is set to approve a bill setting out a path to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050, putting it on course to join a handful of wealthy nations that have written the target into law.
Nuclear tests affected weather 60 years ago
20 May 2020
Cold War nuclear tests did change the weather in the 1960s. The Earth did not catch fire, but a hard rain did begin to fall.
Australia ... further to fall, harder to rise
20 May 2020
"Pestilence is so common," writes Albert Camus in The Plague: There have been as many plagues in the world as there have been wars, yet plagues and wars always find people equally unprepared. When war breaks out, people say: ‘It won’t last. It’s too stupid.’ And war is certainly too stupid, but that doesn’t prevent it from lasting.
Investing and tech will be megatrends of the 20s
19 May 2020
Responsible investing and technology will inevitably be the top two megatrends of the 2020s, says the head of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations.
Natural forests are best at storing carbon
19 May 2020
Two new studies have freshly confirmed an argument unchallenged for more than three decades: the best way to absorb and permanently store carbon from the atmosphere is to restore and conserve existing natural forests.
Largest Arctic science expedition finds itself on thin ice
19 May 2020
Covid-19 is just one of many setbacks for hundreds of scientists pursuing critical climate questions in the world’s most remote and inhospitable environment.
Saucy sugar joins drive to find us better food
19 May 2020
Australia’s sugar industry is joining forces with health experts to call for a complete change to the world’s food systems.
Do these bottles herald the end of plastic?
18 May 2020
Beer and soft drinks could soon be sipped from “all-plant” bottles under new plans to turn sustainably grown crops into plastic in partnership with major beverage makers.
Experts are back in fashion – so, get them talking
18 May 2020
British cabinet minister Michael Gove once sneered that “people have had enough of experts from organisations with acronyms saying that they know what is best and getting it consistently wrong.”
Alaska patiently awaits ice-melt tsunami
18 May 2020
A melting glacier in Alaska might trigger a landslide that would cause a major tsunami, scientists have warned.
At last, a fair deal for our atomic love affair
18 May 2020
However you view the argument, nuclear passions run strong. A new film gives us a breathless ride through our atomic love affair.
Could New York's youth convince the State to divest?
18 May 2020
One analyst says oil, gas and coal were the biggest pension contributors for 30 years, but now are the worst performing sector—and there are no signs of improvement.
Big Business backs a better economy
15 May 2020
Chief executives from more than 330 businesses, including Microsoft, Nike and Visa, are calling on US bipartisan federal lawmakers to build back a better economy from covid-19 by infusing resilient climate solutions.
Trump buying one million barrels of oil
15 May 2020
The Trump Administration is planning to buy one million barrels of oil from US companies after funding to make a larger purchase failed to pass Congress.
Don't forget the other curve - the climate one
15 May 2020
If any image has singularly captured the public’s attention during the coronavirus pandemic, it has been The Curve.
Biden taps Ocasio-Cortez and Kerry to fight climate
15 May 2020
Presidential hopeful Joe Biden has appointed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the avatar of the Green New Deal, and former Secretary of State John Kerry, an architect of the Paris climate agreement, to his climate team.
Bangladesh to double fossil fuel imports
15 May 2020
Bangladesh is expected to double its imports of fossil fuels in the coming decade and will miss its 2020 clean-energy target.
Wind might pass coal sooner than we thought
14 May 2020
A milestone in the clean energy transition may arrive earlier than expected, with renewables overtaking coal as a leading source of electricity by the end of this year.
How Australia can build a green economy
14 May 2020
As the Australian government prepares plans for economic recovery, investors and green groups alike say this is a once-only opportunity to move towards zero emissions.
Pandemic will permanently change car industry
14 May 2020
Plunging sales could force car factories to close and lead to takeovers and mergers, but also bolster sales of electric vehicles.
Lessons from the rush on toilet paper
14 May 2020
The speed of official reaction to covid-19 has prompted some people to ask whether modern societies can act as fast to protect themselves, not only from another pandemic, but against a possible comparable global threat such as climate change.
Plastic waste now litters Antarctic shore
13 May 2020
British and German scientists have identified "sickening" levels of plastic waste in the Southern Ocean that washes around Antarctica.
World could lose half its sandy beaches
13 May 2020
Sea level rise fueled by man-made climate change threatens to consume half the world's sandy beaches by the end of the century, according to a new study.
Fossil fuel giants set for virus bailout bonanza
13 May 2020
Fossil fuel companies and coal-powered utilities in the US are set for a potential bonanza under federal government plans for a bond bailout, part of the rescue package for the coronavirus crisis.
Bad soil fungi will welcome warmer weather
13 May 2020
Rising temperatures will increase crop losses as warmer soils encourage the growth of pathogenic soil fungi, scientists say.
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.
