Topics tagged with 'Carbon News world'
COP29 President anticipates climate finance breakthrough in Azerbaijan
27 Jun 2024
The road to COP29, this year's United Nations Climate Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, feels like the buildup to a long-awaited climax after years of polarised debate on financing climate action for the world’s most vulnerable countries.
To keep clean drinking water flowing to Paris, farmers are going organic
27 Jun 2024
Rather than relying on expensive water treatment plants, the French capital is protecting its water supply at the source.
Climate change is already making your bills more expensive
27 Jun 2024
Researchers warn the hazards will only get worse, for the planet and the economy.
Could market forces be harnessed to rescue habitat worldwide? Some scientists think so.
27 Jun 2024
"Allowing one country to pay another to protect ocean refuges on its behalf made sense once we realised just how inefficient uniform conservation mandates are."
Giant viruses discovered in arctic ice could slow sea-level rise
27 Jun 2024
Hordes of giant viruses are living on the world's second-largest body of ice — and may be slowing the impacts of climate change.
Denmark will be the first country to impose a carbon tax on farms
26 Jun 2024
Denmark, a major pork and dairy exporter, will introduce a tax on livestock carbon dioxide emissions from 2030, making it the first country to do so and hoping to inspire others to follow.
EU-regulated ‘sustainable’ funds invest £14bn in biggest polluters
26 Jun 2024
Fast fashion labels, fossil fuel companies and SUV-makers are present in EU-regulated “sustainable” funds that tout their ethical credentials in their names, with $18bn (£14bn) of their investments going to the 200 biggest polluters.
New climate coalition urges stronger targets as ‘greenlash’ fears mount
26 Jun 2024
Governments are being urged to set ambitious climate plans by a group including Ikea and Unilever as concerns rise that politicians are weakening measures to tackle global warming amid a growing “greenlash”.
Why Asia’s carbon emissions are erasing Western progress
26 Jun 2024
Global CO₂ equivalent emissions grew by 2.1% in 2023, crossing 40 billion metric tons for the first time.
Officials announce two new carbon removal sites for Southern US
26 Jun 2024
In an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Louisiana officials announced two new projects that are expected to remove hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide.
Plants release carbon faster than we expected
26 Jun 2024
A recent study has revealed that the global carbon stored by plants is shorter-lived and more susceptible to climate change than previously believed.
Hawaii reaches first settlement in youth climate case
25 Jun 2024
Hawaii and young climate activists have reached a first-of-its kind legal settlement, giving youth a role in curbing planet-warming emissions while avoiding a major trial that was set to begin next week.
At least 1301 people died in Hajj heat disaster
25 Jun 2024
At least 1,301 people died during Hajj, Saudi Arabia says, mostly unauthorised pilgrims who walked long distances in intense heat.
Former NSW treasurer appointed head of Australia's Climate Change Authority
25 Jun 2024
Former NSW treasurer and energy and environment minister Matt Kean has been appointed to lead the Climate Change Authority, less than a week after announcing his resignation from state politics.
Denmark’s radical plan for a plant-based future
25 Jun 2024
The Nordic country is working toward ambitious goals to make its food systems more sustainable — and other nations are following in its path.
Only 60% of Australians accept climate disruption is human-caused, global poll finds
25 Jun 2024
Exclusive: French survey of 26 countries finds fewer Australians than global average agree that climate change is the greatest health threat facing humanity.
Climate change puts UNESCO-listed Mali fishing tradition in danger
25 Jun 2024
Thousands of fishermen holding cone-shaped nets stood side by side, cheering and chanting as they waited for the signal.
Key oil project must count full climate impact - court
24 Jun 2024
The Supreme Court has ruled a local council should have considered the full climate impact of burning oil from new wells - a landmark decision which could put future UK oil and gas projects in question.
US official warns against dropping 2030 climate targets after Dutton refuses to commit to 43% emissions cut
24 Jun 2024
A senior US official has urged Australia and other countries not to back away from their 2030 climate commitments, insisting that “we all have a collective responsibility for the planet we live in”.
California seeks to seize big oil companies’ profits in climate greenwashing suit
24 Jun 2024
California’s Attorney General announced the state would seek to seize the “illegally obtained profits” of several big oil companies, for falsely advertising the environmental sustainability attributes of their products.
Telstra ditches carbon credits to push harder on direct emissions
24 Jun 2024
Australia's telco giant is dumping its carbon credit offset scheme and claims its plans are “carbon neutral” or “carbon offset”, instead moving to a direct-investment model.
#ShowYourStripes Day: what the ‘warming stripes’ tell us
24 Jun 2024
Climate scientist Ed Hawkins created the “warming stripes” visual representations of annual or monthly temperature anomalies for a specific location or region over the past 100+ years.
Fossil fuel use reaches global record despite clean energy growth
21 Jun 2024
Report finds developing countries are increasing reliance on coal, gas and oil as overall demand for energy rises.
Stonehenge covered in powder paint by Just Stop Oil
21 Jun 2024
Part of Stonehenge has been covered in orange powder paint by protesters, the day before celebrations begin for the Summer Solstice at the 5,000-year-old landmark.
“Ineffective, harmful": Science Based Targets initiative and carbon offsetting
21 Jun 2024
The Science Based Targets initiative's announcement that it would allow carbon offsetting to meet Scope 3 emissions reduction targets was a shock — even to people working at SBTi.
Insurer says industry failed to estimate impact of extreme weather
21 Jun 2024
Global insured losses from natural catastrophes exceeded $100bn for fourth consecutive year in 2023.
India reports over 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases over summer
21 Jun 2024
India recorded more than 40,000 suspected heatstroke cases this summer as a prolonged heatwave killed more than 100 people across the country.
Lessons from trade tensions targeting “overcapacity” in China’s cleantech industry
20 Jun 2024
Comment: Clean technology is turning into the next global climate spat. The debate over China’s dominance is highly politicised, but there are ways forward.
New building designs use pumped hydro to generate power
20 Jun 2024
Architects and engineers are collaborating with an energy storage company to design skyscrapers that leverage gravity to generate electricity.
Cars are slowing down in European cities
20 Jun 2024
Across Europe, cities are proving that lowering speed limits makes neighbourhoods safer and more livable while reducing dependence on cars.
Study reveals impact of surface coal mining on carbon sequestration
20 Jun 2024
Surface coal mining and subsequent restoration activities significantly impact regional carbon sinks, particularly vegetation.
Researchers say low-sulphur shipping rules made climate change worse
20 Jun 2024
The rule change resulted in an 80% reduction in sulphur dioxide emissions, a team of scientists said, and may help to explain why last year’s record-breaking heat was so extreme.
Scotland misses another climate change target
20 Jun 2024
The Scottish government has missed another of its key annual targets for reducing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.
EU states push past opposition to adopt landmark nature restoration law
19 Jun 2024
The law includes legally binding targets and obligations for not only preserving, but restoring natural habitats.
How climate change is hitting Europe: three graphics reveal health impacts
19 Jun 2024
A growing body of research reveals the deaths and diseases linked to rising temperatures across the continent.
Record-breaking US heat wave scorches the Midwest and Northeast, bringing safety measures
19 Jun 2024
Stifling heat blanketed tens of millions across United States on Tuesday, forcing people and even zoo animals to find ways to cool down as summer arrives in what promises to be a sweltering week.
New finance goal needed to protect climate momentum from a Trump win
19 Jun 2024
Comment: The victims of the climate crisis will need support, and the energy transition will need to be funded, whoever is elected as the next US president.
More than 800 coal plants worldwide could be profitably decommissioned
19 Jun 2024
More than 800 coal-fired power plants in emerging countries could be decommissioned and profitably replaced by cleaner solar energy starting from the end of the decade.
Australia’s foreign affairs minister warns dropping 2030 climate targets would abandon Pacific nations
18 Jun 2024
Foreign Affairs Minister labels the Coalition's decision to rule out setting a 2030 climate target as a move that will increase energy bills and risk further Chinese influence in the Pacific.
UN food chief: Poorest areas have zero harvests left
18 Jun 2024
Droughts and flooding have become so common in some of the poorest places, that the land can no longer sustain crops, said the director of the World Food Programme’s global office.
Global Environment Facility will give $736 million to environmental projects
18 Jun 2024
GEF will consider projects that protect biodiversity, counter climate change and pollution, and support land and ocean health.
Large birds can boost forest carbon storage — if deforestation doesn’t interfere
18 Jun 2024
A new study shows large fruit-eating birds in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest can contribute to a 38% increase in carbon storage by regenerating tropical forest.
Polarisation and risk perception could play important roles in climate policy outcomes
18 Jun 2024
Times of crises often call for strong and rapid action, but in polarised societies, strong top-down policies can backfire.
Deadly heat waves in Mecca and Greece underscore climate crisis
18 Jun 2024
As the U.S. faces another potentially record heat wave this week, the Middle East and Europe's Mediterranean have endured extreme temperatures that have proven deadly.
Bonn climate talks: Key outcomes from UN conference
17 Jun 2024
Climate diplomats have finished another two weeks of intense negotiations in the German city of Bonn, discussing global efforts to cut emissions and protect people from climate hazards.
‘The time is right’ for US to catch up on high-speed rail, says British Amtrak exec
17 Jun 2024
With half a dozen US rail projects in the works, Andy Byford thinks Americans will soon clamor for 200mph train lines.
What grief for a dying planet looks like: Climate scientists on the edge
17 Jun 2024
Desperate climate scientists embrace civil disobedience and specialised therapy to deal with their growing anxiety over global warming.
How congestion pricing makes cities more livable
17 Jun 2024
As New York puts its gridlock-busting plans on hold, the success of congestion pricing elsewhere proves it’s not just smart — it’s popular.
The motley (star-studded) crew that paved the way for Norway’s EV revolution
17 Jun 2024
An activist, a professor and the lead singer of A-ha drove a makeshift electric car across Norway in the 1980s, skirting road regulations, to make a point to the government that policies around EVs needed to change.
This city just made it illegal to advertise SUVs. Here’s why.
17 Jun 2024
Edinburgh became the latest European capital city to ban ads for aviation, SUVs and more.
New courses focus on climate action, activism and creating vision
Fri 12 Sep 2025
Media release | Dark Times Academy’s final lineup of courses for 2025, launching in mid-September, will focus on taking action on climate, learning about practical activism, and creating visions for the future.
Carbon price steady after failed quarterly auction
Tue 16 Sep 2025
By Liz Kivi | The carbon price has continued to trade in its familiar moribund range in the high $50s following last week’s failed quarterly auction, with ample supply still trading on the secondary market at about $10 below this year’s $68 auction floor.
NZ needs to be part of a regional SAF strategy: Z, Air NZ
9 Sep 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand needs to be part of a regional strategic approach to sourcing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with domestic production less the aim than ensuring access to the fuel from one of a number of strategically positioned bio-refineries around the world.
'Non-negotiable' – EU carbon pricing to hit Kiwi exporters, expert warns
11 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | High carbon exports will inevitably face a high carbon tax at the EU border, possibly in the next five years, and high methane agricultural products might not be exempt, an international expert told a local audience yesterday.
UK foreign aid for nature hits £800m record due to cash for carbon credits
Tue 16 Sep 2025
The UK’s climate-aid spending on “nature protection and restoration” reached record levels of nearly £800m last year, according to government figures obtained by Carbon Brief.
Air NZ declares surprisingly low SAF prices
3 Sep 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Air New Zealand is able to source sustainable aviation fuel at between 1.5 and 2.5 times the price of conventional fossil fuels used for flying, all sourced from the US.
No bidders front to carbon auction - again
10 Sep 2025
By Liz Kivi | Today’s quarterly carbon auction was a non-event yet again, making it the third consecutive auction this year with no bidders, with the secondary market price still limping along at nearly 20% below the auction floor.
'Atrocious' and 'bizarre': experts slam Act Party's climate policy
3 Sep 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Act Party is promising to challenge New Zealand’s Paris Agreement climate target, while the coalition Government’s other minor partner, NZ First, also says it wants to reevaluate the country’s commitment to the international treaty.
Industry struggles with double-digit power price hikes
Mon 15 Sep 2025
As power prices surge by double-digit amounts for the second year in a row, industrial users can’t keep absorbing cost increases, the Major Electricity Users’ Group says.
The merchants of doubt are back
3 Sep 2025
OPINION: If you don’t follow climate policy closely, you might not know that the Trump administration is launching an effort to overturn one of the most fundamental pillars of American climate policy.
Milestone for NZ Steel electrification
10 Sep 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | NZ Steel has passed an installation milestone for its new electric arc furnace, which will reduce emissions from the Glenbrook steel mill site by as much as one megatonne (1Mt) a year.
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.”
Watts not considering removing electricity from ETS
Tue 16 Sep 2025
Energy and Climate Change Minister, Simon Watts, says he is “not currently considering” removing electricity generation from the Emissions Trading Scheme, as proposed by NZ First Minister Shane Jones.
Gentailers told to behave as ministers weigh Frontier review
Wed 17 Sep 2025
The chief executives of Contact, Meridian, Mercury and Genesis met Energy and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts on Thursday for their regular monthly session.
Declining sea-ice is altering Antarctic food webs
11 Sep 2025
A new study shows a significant change in Antarctic phytoplankton over time that could cascade through the marine food web and affect the ocean’s capacity as a carbon sink.
Science cuts will hold back climate research
Wed 17 Sep 2025
By Liz Kivi | A crisis in government-backed science funding is worsening, with dire implications for climate research in New Zealand, according to experts from the scientific community.
Marginal drop in last year's regional emissions
27 Aug 2025
Regional greenhouse gas emissions were down slightly last year, with a fall in gas supply leading to a big drop in Taranaki, but more coal burnt leading to higher emissions in Waikato, according to new figures from Stats NZ
Indigenous forest 'islands' could help transition exotic plantations to native bush
11 Sep 2025
Native forest 'islands' within exotic plantations might be the key to transitioning plantations from exotic to Indigenous, according to new research.
Decline in global oil and gas field output accelerating, IEA says
Wed 17 Sep 2025
The decline in output from mature global oil and gas fields is accelerating amid greater reliance on shale and deep offshore resources.
A modest geothermal strategy
31 Jul 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | The Government has unveiled a far more modest geothermal energy strategy than its primary backer, Resources Minister Shane Jones, had sought.
Why mega-polluters have little to fear from the European Central Bank and its new climate policy
Fri 12 Sep 2025
The European Central Bank plans to raise borrowing costs for climate offenders – but a new FTM analysis shows that big polluters such as Shell will barely feel it.
Media round-up
5 Sep 2025
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The great methane debate; law change scuppers legal challenge to irrigation scheme consent; and what are the energy and climate implications of the $7.5 billion Amazon Web Services data centre deal?
Coal imports up 650%
Fri 12 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams and Liz Kivi | Coal imports are up 650% as generators stockpile the most polluting fossil fuel ahead of next winter.
Hiringa eyes green methanol plant near Whanganui
29 Jul 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Green hydrogen pioneer Hiringa Energy is deep in planning to develop an “eight-to-nine figure” methanol plant near Whanganui, using a combination of biomass and hydrogen produced using renewable energy.
Media round-up
29 Aug 2025
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: Changes to road user charges will increase New Zealand's emissions; Climate Change Minister Simon Watts promises better access to hazard data for homeowners; and Kiwis borrow over $1 billion in ‘green loans’ for heat pumps and electric cars.
Will NZ walk away from the Paris Agreement?
20 Dec 2024
By Geoff Bertram | COMMENT: Unless the government can find very cheap offshore mitigation, the temptation to walk away from its Paris Agreement obligations may well be too strong to resist for a coalition government focused on fiscal austerity.
Apple Watch not a 'CO2-neutral product,' German court finds
28 Aug 2025
Apple can no longer advertise its Apple Watch as a "CO2-neutral product" in Germany, following a court ruling on Tuesday that upheld a complaint from environmentalists, finding that the U.S. tech company had misled consumers.
Forest carbon stores massive blind spot - study
4 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Aotearoa New Zealand’s planted forests hold significant deep soil organic carbon — with over half of it stored below 30 cm, and much of it over 1,000 years old.
Govt tweaks offshore energy bill with 'declared areas' model
Wed 17 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is making changes to the Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to address offshore wind developers' concerns about competing for space with other industries.
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.
A steady ocean pattern just failed for the first time ever observed
Wed 17 Sep 2025
The failure of the Gulf of Panama’s seasonal upwelling system has left scientists wondering what happens next.
Watts full-throated in National’s support for Paris
10 Sep 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Climate Change Minister Simon Watts came to this week’s Climate Change and Business Conference with nothing to announce.
Govt resilience plan 'dangerous fantasy' - thinktank
29 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | An independent thinktank, whose members include former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer and multiple academics, is warning that the government’s long-term resilience strategy ignores physical and energy realities and exposes Kiwi households and businesses to systemic failure.
‘Plastic Cup’ competitions are cleaning up rivers in Hungary
1 Sep 2025
Afloat on DIY boats, teams of volunteers have removed over 450 tons of plastic waste from the Danube and its tributaries.
Invites-only fast-track for seabed mine slammed as 'rushed, awful'
Fri 12 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | With the wider public shut out of submissions, critics including Te Pāti Māori, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining and Greenpeace say the process strips away robust scrutiny and risks setting a dangerous precedent.
Ashburton councillor opposes climate strategy he voted for
Wed 17 Sep 2025
Jonathan Leask, Local Democracy Reporter | Incumbent Ashburton councillor Phill Hooper says he doesn’t want to waste money on a climate change strategy, despite voting for the policy a few weeks ago.
Underestimating support for climate action limits political decision making, study says
8 Sep 2025
Research reveals huge disparity between perceived and actual willingness of public to contribute to fixing climate.
Straterra has a new name: the New Zealand Minerals Council
16 Apr 2025
Media release | Straterra has been renamed as New Zealand Minerals Council, says chief executive Josie Vidal.
Solar and battery systems to boost resilience at Tasman community facilities
Tue 16 Sep 2025
Media release: Tasman District Council | Ten community facilities across Tasman District will soon be equipped with solar panels and battery storage, following confirmation of co-funding from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
The ozone hole continues to recover thanks to international action
Wed 17 Sep 2025
Media release: World Meteorological Organization (WMO) | The Earth’s protective ozone layer is healing and the ozone hole in 2024 was smaller than in recent years, according to a new report.
Climate groups want UK wealth tax to make super-rich fund sustainable economy
17 Jul 2025
Growing number of campaigners urge government to ensure green investment is not done ‘on backs of the poor’.
Ara Ake backs 13 projects to unlock NZ’s energy flexibility
11 Sep 2025
Media release | Ara Ake has approved over $600,000 in funding from the National Flex Discovery Fund for 13 flexibility service providers (FSPs).
Last minute change to oil and gas legislation over cleanup costs
31 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government is expected to repeal the oil and gas ban today, with a last-minute amendment handing discretionary power to two ministers over the controversial issue of decommissioning.
Most EU carmakers on track to meet emission targets: study
10 Sep 2025
Almost all European carmakers are on track to meet EU emission targets after winning a reprieve this year as electric vehicles (EV) sales pick up, a study showed.
Hotter, longer, more frequent: NZ’s escalating heat risk
26 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Heat extremes in New Zealand will intensify faster than previously thought, according to a new study.
Echo Tech secures growth investment to tackle NZ's e-waste crisis
Mon 15 Sep 2025
Media release | Echo Tech Limited, New Zealand’s leading provider of e-waste recycling and IT asset recovery services, is proud to announce a strategic investment from growth equity firm Altered Capital.
La Niña set to prolong NZ hydro shortfall
9 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | With La Niña favouring a drier-than-normal spring across much of the South Island, hydro lakes are unlikely to recover without substantial rain and late snowmelt – keeping national storage levels below average.
Record UK wildfires have burned an area twice the size of Glasgow in 2025
12 Aug 2025
Wildfires have scorched more than 40,000 hectares of land so far this year across the UK – an area more than twice the size of the Scottish city of Glasgow.
Which countries are scaling solar and wind the fastest?
Fri 12 Sep 2025
The leaderboard is quite different depending on what metric you look at.
