Topics tagged with 'Carbon News world'
Climate change is a human rights issue
23 May 2024
A landmark decision by the highest human rights court in Europe last month confirms not only that climate change is intimately linked to human rights, but effectively holds all European governments accountable to adopt more rigorous measures to combat climate change.
Trade and climate priorities are converging: Does this help or hurt a fair global green transition?
23 May 2024
If climate considerations are to permeate trade agreements and vice versa, upholding principles of common but differentiated responsibilities, special and differential treatment is crucial.
Over 60% bounty increase for refrigerant recovery
22 May 2024
Media release | Cool-Safe is increasing Bounty Buy-Back payments from $25.00/kg to $40.00/kg for recovered synthetic refrigerants to help meet their target of 90% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from F-gas discharge, by 2035.
International ocean tribunal delivers ‘historic legal victory’ for small island nations
22 May 2024
The International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea found that carbon emissions can be considered a marine pollutant.
Study: Antarctic sea ice melting boosted by warming climate
22 May 2024
Human-caused global warming made the record low sea ice extent surrounding the Antarctic continent in 2023 far more likely to occur, according to a new study.
More than third of Amazon rainforest struggling to recover from drought, study finds
22 May 2024
More than a third of the Amazon rainforest is struggling to recover from drought, according to a new study that warns of a “critical slowing down” of this globally important ecosystem.
American AI data centres may use as much energy as new US solar farms produce
22 May 2024
Generative AI uses a lot of energy, though figuring out how much is hard. There’s no point in asking ChatGPT. It won’t say.
Oil companies use paid news media partnerships to protect ‘social licence to operate,’ documents show
22 May 2024
BP sees sponsored content as a crucial tool to reach “Washington, DC, elites,” according to subpoenaed memos.
Tackling climate change in one of Colombia’s largest wetlands
22 May 2024
La Mojana, a complex network of more than 500,000 hectares of different types of wetlands, has drastically deteriorated in recent decades.
Wind turbines pay back life cycle carbon emissions in less than two years, NZ study finds
21 May 2024
Wind turbines in New Zealand pay back their lifecycle carbon emissions after just 1.5 years of operation, researchers from Victoria University in Wellington have found.
Biden ending new leases in America's top coal region
21 May 2024
The Biden administration is moving to end all new coal leasing in the country's largest producing coal region, the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana.
How China’s energy system can reach carbon neutrality before 2055
21 May 2024
China’s thinking around the energy transition shifted drastically in 2020 after president Xi Jinping pledged to reach carbon neutrality before 2060.
IEA trims 2024 oil demand growth forecast, widens gap with OPEC
21 May 2024
The International Energy Agency (IEA) trimmed its forecast for 2024 oil demand growth, widening the gap with producer group OPEC in terms of expectations for this year's global demand outlook.
Not too wet to burn
21 May 2024
Amid an uptick in wildfires, scientists search for lessons on how to save old-growth rainforests from a fiery future.
Beavers are back in London — and they’re thriving
21 May 2024
Usually known for their work in more rural places, nature’s best engineers have brought their ecosystem management skills to the big city.
What a new global pledge means for climate, nature and gender goals
20 May 2024
World leaders gathered in Paris this week to pledge to make 2024 the “pivotal year” for improving access to clean cooking.
‘Magical thinking’: hopes for sustainable jet fuel not realistic, report finds
20 May 2024
A new report says replacement fuels are well off track to replace kerosene within the timeframe needed to avert climate disaster.
The dangers of secret solar geoengineering
20 May 2024
A lack of transparency in solar geoengineering projects may tank public perception for an already maligned climate change strategy.
The five most common questions from carbon buyers
20 May 2024
Here are the top questions on the minds of corporate carbon credit purchasers — and some answers.
Climate change made the deadly heatwaves across Asia more frequent and extreme
20 May 2024
Throughout April and continuing into May 2024, extreme record-breaking heat led to severe impacts across the Asian continent, hitting millions of highly vulnerable people.
Inside a California oil town’s divisive plan to survive the energy transition
20 May 2024
Kern County is betting on carbon capture to replace oil jobs and tax revenue. But will the county’s new economy repeat the sins of the old one?
‘Unprecedented’: CO2 in the atmosphere is rising 10 times faster than at any point over 50,000 years
17 May 2024
Ice built up in the Antarctic over hundreds of thousands of years is helping scientists to understand today's climate.
Days after climate talks, US slaps tariffs on Chinese EVs and solar panels
17 May 2024
The measures are designed to increase the cost of Chinese goods needed for the energy transition – and could therefore slow the US shift away from fossil fuels.
Rocks beneath our feet could be the key to carbon-neutral cement
17 May 2024
Engineers show how simple processing turns olivine, the most abundant mineral in the Earth’s mantle, into a greener formula for cement and other building materials.
India projects biggest power shortfall in 14 years in June
17 May 2024
India is projecting its biggest power shortfall in 14 years in June after a slump in hydropower generation, and is racing to avoid outages.
Herd of bison could help store CO2 equivalent of 43,000 cars, researchers say
17 May 2024
Free-roaming animals reintroduced in Romania’s Țarcu mountains are stimulating plant growth and securing carbon stored in the soil while grazing.
This Utah county is buying lawns to save water
17 May 2024
Would you ditch your grass for less-thirsty plants? In a place where every drop of water counts, a little cash compels residents to say yes.
Why we need rapid deployment of carbon capture technologies
16 May 2024
Amid the accelerating climate crisis, the urgency to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 has become a global imperative, with some required technologies still in need of rapid development.
Scientists achieve over 1000 degrees Celsius with solar power alone rather than fossil fuels
16 May 2024
When you hear about solar energy, you immediately think of blue panels and clean electricity.
EU countries approve law to slash CO2 emissions from trucks
16 May 2024
EU countries gave their final approval to a law to cut carbon dioxide emissions from trucks, which will require most new heavy-duty vehicles sold from 2040 to be emissions-free.
‘Climate change is here and it kills’: Heat-related deaths rise by 30% in Europe
16 May 2024
Researchers tracking the link between climate change and health say the adverse impacts are far-reaching.
How much is a planet worth?
16 May 2024
OPINION: Donald Trump recently told fossil fuel execs that a clean billion would get them literally anything they want in his next administration. That they would use that power to once-and-for-all overheat the earth is a given.
Children pulled from mud as hundreds die in severe flooding in Afghanistan
16 May 2024
Three bewildered children sit on the roof of a mosque in Baghlan province, northern Afghanistan, their eyes blinking away mud that covers their entire bodies.
Banks have given almost $7tn to fossil fuel firms since Paris deal
15 May 2024
Among world’s top 60 banks those in US are biggest fossil fuel financiers, while Barclays leads way in Europe.
Attacks on environmental journalists growing worldwide, UN report finds
15 May 2024
“Without reliable scientific information about the ongoing environmental crisis, we can never hope to overcome it,” said Audrey Azoulay, head of UNESCO.
Moment of truth for gas
15 May 2024
On LNG there are two paths before us and decisions made in the next 6 months will determine what the world looks like in 50 years.
South Asia pre-monsoon heatwave breaking records due to climate change
15 May 2024
South and Southeast Asia are experiencing another record heatwave, with forecasts anticipating that the heatwave will continue in certain parts of the region before rain or cool winds bring a respite.
How carbon markets can deliver to the front lines of the climate crisis
15 May 2024
Nations across the Global South are facing a searing dilemma, and the choices they make will impact us all.
More desalination is coming to Australia’s driest states – but super-salty outflows could trash ecosystems and fisheries
15 May 2024
From around 1996 to 2010, Australia was gripped by the millennium drought and as water shortages bit hard, most capital cities built large seawater desalination plants.
Australia’s PM faces internal revolt from inner-city Labor MPs over gas strategy
14 May 2024
Resources minister Madeleine King released party’s future gas strategy, which says new sources will be needed ‘to 2050 and beyond’.
Thousands evacuate as wildfire grows ‘dramatically’ in western Canada
14 May 2024
Thousands of people in Canada’s westernmost province of British Columbia (BC) have been evacuated from their homes as authorities warn that a enormous wildfire continues to grow.
Biden to set 100% tariff on electric cars made in China
14 May 2024
It’s not official yet, but the Wall Street Journal says the Biden administration is expected to increase the import tariffs on electric cars made in China from 25% to 100%, a move that may embolden regulators in the European Union to do likewise.
Von der Leyen slammed for ‘huge’ climate mistakes
14 May 2024
Teresa Ribera, a front-runner to become the EU’s next Green Deal commissioner, lashed out at her potential future boss in an interview.
Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Observatory just captured ominous signals about the planet’s health
14 May 2024
Atmospheric levels of planet-warming carbon dioxide aren’t just on their way to yet another record high this year — they’re rising faster than ever, according to the latest in a 66-year-long series of observations.
'Getting smashed': World's avocado growing regions could shrink by 40 per cent by 2050
14 May 2024
A new report claims avocados are being "smashed" by the climate crisis, with areas deemed suitable for growing the superfood expected to contract by between 14 and 41 per cent by 2050.
I understand climate scientists’ despair – but stubborn optimism may be our only hope
13 May 2024
Opinion: Fighting spirit helped us achieve the Paris accords in 2015 – and we need it now the world is on course to overshoot 1.5C.
Wind and solar are ‘fastest-growing electricity sources in history’
13 May 2024
Wind and solar are growing faster than any other sources of electricity in history, according to new analysis from thinktank Ember.
Vermont could become first US state to make biggest emitters pay for climate-related damages
13 May 2024
Vermont’s House of Representatives has passed S.259, a state bill aimed at collecting recovery costs for climate-related damages from the biggest emitters, such as fossil fuel companies.
Despite drought, Amazon deforestation alerts hit five-year low
13 May 2024
The Brazilian Amazon experienced a 47% decrease in deforestation in April compared to last year, marking the lowest level in five years, and a 51% decrease over the past 12 months.
BP and Shell ‘shaped’ UK carbon tax proposals, private emails show
13 May 2024
Internal documents expose how oil and gas majors were given the chance to influence a report by the Policy Exchange think tank.
Is climate law change a first nail in the coffin for Climate Commission?
Thu 6 Nov 2025
The Government’s sweeping overhaul of New Zealand’s climate laws has drawn sharp condemnation, with one expert predicting it's another step towards 'the beginning of the end' for the Climate Change Commission.
Big ag processors coy about govt changing climate policy
Today 10:30am
By Liz Kivi | While some economists are predicting that government backsliding on agricultural methane goals could hurt exporters’ access to premium markets, New Zealand’s major processors are remaining tight-lipped over the potential implications.
NZ’s government wants tourism to drive economic growth – but how will it deal with aviation emissions?
22 Oct 2025
By Robert McLachlan, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University | Following a brief dip during the COVID pandemic, aviation is back in a growth phase.
Air NZ inks deal for its first internationally verified carbon credits
9 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | Air New Zealand has committed to buying 8000 tonnes of carbon removals by 2030, in partnership with local native forest investment platform My Native Forest.
DOC trims costs and winds down jobs for nature
Today 10:30am
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is entering a new phase of tighter budgets and structural change as it winds down the pandemic-era Jobs for Nature programme and reshapes its operations to absorb long-term cost pressures.
Govt launches strategy backing wood-based heat sector
23 Oct 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Forestry biomass could replace as much as 40% of fossil fuel-generated process heat by 2050, but access to supply, regulatory settings and business cases for converting to wood-based heat sources are required, the Government says in a series of documents released yesterday.
Does NZ's 2035 NDC meet Paris Agreement obligations?
Fri 7 Nov 2025
By Christina Hood | COMMENT: New Zealand’s 2035 Paris Agreement Target needs strengthening, with multiple reasons the 51 to 55% emissions reduction target does not meet our obligations under the accord.
Carbon market tanks off the back of Govt’s proposed climate law changes
Thu 6 Nov 2025
By Liz Kivi | Secondary market prices dropped 20% in early morning compliance carbon trading yesterday, as the market woke up to Tuesday’s late-breaking government announcement of proposed law changes to climate policy.
Scrutiny on energy security
3 Nov 2025
A special debate in Parliament put the Government’s energy security agenda under scrutiny, with parties splitting sharply over the role of gas, the place of an LNG import terminal, and how far to push market reform to ease pressure on power bills.
'Little to be hopeful about' – NZ scientists caution ahead of COP30
31 Oct 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Record heat, worsening climate impacts and global backsliding on emission reduction commitments have left some New Zealand climate experts with little optimism as COP30 approaches.
$235 billion worth of NZ buildings exposed to flooding
30 Oct 2025
More than 750,000 New Zealanders live in locations exposed to one-in-100-year floods, according to a nationwide study which shows escalating flood risk.
Leaders of world’s biggest polluters are no-shows as heads of state gather for UN climate summit
Today 10:30am
World leaders descending on the United Nations annual climate summit in Brazil on Thursday will not need to see much more than the view from their airplane window to sense the unfathomable stakes.
Why I’m not outraged at the Govt’s latest climate backsliding
Fri 7 Nov 2025
COMMENT: The Government’s latest climate rollbacks underline New Zealand’s long history of a lack of genuine desire to cut emissions, writes Geoff Bertram.
Nation-building projects and the energy transition
Today 10:30am
By Ian Mason | COMMENT: Last month, the Labour Party announced its first key election policy: to create a ‘New Zealand Future Fund’ to deliver “lasting national value, stronger communities, lower costs, more resilient industries, and opportunities that keep talent and ideas in New Zealand”.
From nuisance to crisis: New report on pest wasps In Aotearoa
24 Sep 2025
Media release: Moths and Butterflies NZ Trust | Just published is the Final Report of the Pest Wasps Survey carried out by the Moths and Butterflies of NZ Trust (MBNZT) offering a comprehensive look at New Zealanders’ awareness, experiences, and attitudes toward wasps and the growing ecological, health, and social issues associated with them.
Solar geoengineering in wrong hands could wreak climate havoc, scientists warn
Thu 6 Nov 2025
Blocking the sun may reduce global heating – but ‘rogue actor’ could cause drought or more hurricanes, report finds.
NZ marine heatwaves could double in intensity under high-emissions pathway
16 Oct 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New projections show marine heatwaves will grow more intense around the North Island and more frequent around the South Island as the climate warms – raising risks for fisheries, aquaculture, coastal ecosystems and tourism.
Govt delays will damage carbon market confidence, experts warn
Tue 4 Nov 2025
By Liz Kivi | Emissions Trading Scheme experts have warned the Government that its move to delay decisions on the country’s emissions budgets will further undermine confidence in an already weak carbon market.
Govt gas expansion 'climate vandalism' – Greens
Fri 7 Nov 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Green Party has labelled the Government’s move to broaden the scope of its $200 million fossil gas investment fund as vandalism, accusing Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of breaking trust with New Zealanders.
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.”
Bank of England must better address climate risk to tackle inflation
Tue 4 Nov 2025
The central bank is being urged to take a series of actions to better respond to environmental risks.
No major banks have yet committed to stop funding new oil, gas and coal, research finds
24 Oct 2025
‘The objectives of the Paris agreement are slipping further out of reach,’ say researchers.
TotalEnergies loses in Paris court, marking a turning point for fossil fuel truth-in-advertising
Wed 5 Nov 2025
TotalEnergies was found to have misled consumers about its role in the energy transition.
Lake Onslow battery project set for revival?
29 Oct 2025
A newly formed private consortium has emerged with plans to finance and build the massive Lake Onslow pumped-hydro project, despite the coalition government’s decision to abandon the scheme.
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
31 Oct 2025
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: A controversial seabed mining project could lead to sediment flows knocking over rigs and damaging wind turbines; weather-related insurance claims climb; and is the government playing Russian Roulette with our future over methane targets?
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.
Z Energy settles greenwashing case over ‘quitting petrol’ claims
Tue 4 Nov 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Z Energy has settled a landmark greenwashing case over claims it misled the public about moving away from petrol – a result Lawyers for Climate Action NZ says delivers long-overdue accountability.
Nelson commuters urged to ditch car once a week
22 Oct 2025
By Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | Nelson has a bold carbon emission reduction target and residents are being encouraged to leave the car at home one day a week to help meet it.
Supermarket fast-track a ‘cynical ploy’, risks climate and environmental protections
Wed 5 Nov 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government’s “express lane for supermarkets” announcement has been met with fierce backlash, with critics calling the Fast-track Approvals Amendment Bill a Trojan horse that strips environmental protections, sidelines communities, and hands sweeping powers to ministers at the expense of democracy.
Undermining the ETS is poor policy – Mindful Money
Fri 7 Nov 2025
Politicising settings for the Emissions Trading Scheme creates uncertainty for investors at a time when we need clear and stable policy, says Mindful Money's Barry Coates.
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.
Climate impacts hit NZ with increasing wild weather
23 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand is facing a triple whammy of climate impacts today, with severe winds and rainfall predicted for much of the country while some areas are still dealing with wildfires ignited earlier in the week.
EU’s new climate target lines up multibillion dollar boost for carbon markets
Today 10:30am
Analysts estimate the EU will buy at least 50 billion euros worth of carbon credits in the 2030s to help meet its emissions-cutting goals.
Carbon Finance Program upscales efforts to close climate investment gap in climate vulnerable nations
22 Oct 2025
Media release | The Climate Vulnerable Forum and its V20 Finance Ministers (CVF-V20) will work with the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI) to upscale the Carbon Finance Program in reach and impact, supporting more climate-vulnerable countries to host high-integrity carbon projects that yield tangible climate, nature, and sustainable development benefits.
Lobby group launches ‘blueprint’ for ocean management reform
18 Sep 2025
The Environmental Defence Society yesterday released its plan to tackle widespread ecological decline in our oceans.
Cost gaps in Fast-Track law could silence environmental voices – EDS
Today 10:30am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Environmental Defence Society is warning that flaws in the Fast-Track Approvals Act 2024 could shut out critical conservation input, after legal advice found key statutory bodies can’t recover costs for participating in the process and councils face uncertainty over which costs are covered.
Judge says Greenpeace must pay $345 million in pipeline lawsuit, cutting jury amount nearly in half
31 Oct 2025
A North Dakota judge has ordered Greenpeace to pay damages of $345 million, reducing an earlier jury award after it found the environmental group and related entities liable for defamation and other claims in connection with protests of an oil pipeline nearly a decade ago.
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.
Here comes the sun: solar surge gathers pace
Tue 4 Nov 2025
More than $700 million of new solar investment advanced last week, underscoring the pace of the renewable buildout.
AgriZero backs first nitrous oxide solution with $1.2m investment
Thu 6 Nov 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A Kiwi ag-tech start-up developing a device for cows to wear to drastically cut nitrous oxide emissions has secured $1.2 million in government-industry funding.
Solar households to get little-noticed tax break
23 Sep 2025
A provision in the government’s latest tax bill would exempt households from paying tax on income they earn by selling excess electricity back to the grid.
Climate scientists and republican lawyers are taking aim at Big Tech’s emissions
17 Oct 2025
Technology companies have long been one of the biggest investors in clean energy, but new accounting rules could upend that.
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.
How ‘vehicle-to-grid’ technology could boost China’s electricity system
31 Oct 2025
China’s surging electric vehicles ownership – now exceeding 25.5m – is opening the door to a new technology that can help to enhance the flexibility of electricity supply.
Fix it, don't ditch it: University of Auckland hosts first Repair Cafe
9 Oct 2025
Media release - Auckland University | The University's first-ever Repair Cafe is bringing students and staff together to give broken items a new lease on life, while promoting a culture of repair and reuse.
Council buys dairy farm to help clean up Lake Rotorua
21 Oct 2025
Bay of Plenty Regional Council has bought a 266-hectare dairy farm in the Lake Rotorua catchment and plans to retire it from production to reduce nitrogen entering the lake.
Adaptation plan at odds with public sentiment: survey
21 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s position on climate adaptation buyouts shows a disconnect with public opinion, according to survey findings from insurer Suncorp NZ.
‘Damp squib’ – Govt energy plan slammed for locking in fossil fuels
2 Oct 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Critics across business, climate groups and the opposition say the Government’s electricity reforms duck structural change, double down on LNG and gas, and offer little relief for soaring power prices – warning of an “expensive white elephant", deeper energy poverty and a missed chance to scale renewables.
