Topics tagged with 'Carbon News world'
Rice feeds billions of people – but its role in fuelling climate change is growing
27 May 2026
Rice feeds more than half the world. From terraced paddies in Southeast Asia to irrigated fields in China and India, it underpins daily meals for billions of people. But the same flooded soils that help rice thrive also create ideal conditions for microbes that release climate-warming gases.
Why temperature records are being not only broken but smashed
27 May 2026
Scientists have little doubt that human-caused climate change – largely the result of the burning of coal, oil and gas – has supercharged the heat.
Trump officials, billionaires and the quiet reshaping of America’s public lands
26 May 2026
A controversial land swap orchestrated by the megarich could be “a harbinger of what’s to come” for public lands under Trump.
Colombia’s climate crossroads: Trumpism casts shadow over presidential battle
26 May 2026
Colombia is a global leader in climate activism. Could US influence drag country to a future of mining and fracking?
Wealthy countries' climate finance hit record high in 2024, OECD says
26 May 2026
Developed countries provided a record $136.7 billion to help poorer countries cope with climate change in 2024, the OECD said on Thursday.
Climate standard setter SBTi pivots to advisory role as it targets growth
26 May 2026
The leading standard setter for corporate climate targets is adding an advisory role to its roster of services, in an effort to diversify its core function of validating companies’ sustainability goals.
Global carbon pricing revenue hits record $107 billion as coverage nears one-third of emissions
26 May 2026
Governments raised a record $107 billion in 2025 by charging companies for carbon dioxide emissions, according to the World Bank’s 2026 State and Trends of Carbon Pricing report.
Indian city records 48.2C temperature as sizzling heatwave empties roads
26 May 2026
The India Meteorological Department forecast maximum temperatures Thursday of around 45 degrees Celsius in the capital, Delhi, where authorities have opened temporary “cooling zones” to help people cope.
Once a climate leader, Canada is now doubling down on oil
25 May 2026
Mark Carney is counting on Alberta’s oil sands to help him survive Trump’s trade agenda.
Sorry, climate change is still dangerous, no matter what nonsense Trump emits
25 May 2026
As the climate-change landscape evolves, new forms of scientific disinformation emerge.
Carbon markets and the collapse of institutional memory
25 May 2026
Much of the current “novel climate innovation” discourse increasingly feels like the same structural dynamics returning in new packaging and this is where the institutional-memory problem becomes genuinely dangerous.
Could nature itself hold the solution to climate change?
25 May 2026
Technological interventions face huge financial or practical challenges, but there is another way.
Climate change threatens global plant species as habitats shrink
25 May 2026
Some of the plants that make familiar landscapes recognisable may not survive by century's end as climate change becomes an increasingly important driver of species loss, according to scientists, reshaping and often shrinking suitable habitats that the plants need to survive.
How do hurricanes and typhoons form and is climate change making them stronger?
25 May 2026
Rising temperatures mean that hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones have the potential to bring stronger winds and heavier rain – and scientists warn it only takes one strong storm to bring major impacts.
UN backs historic climate crisis ruling, despite US attempts to stop resolution
22 May 2026
The UN has voted 141-8 to adopt a resolution backing a world court opinion that countries have a legal obligation to address climate change, with the US – which is the world’s biggest historical emitter – among the small group opposing it.
Climate scientists accuse livestock industry of fuzzy math to downplay climate warming emissions
22 May 2026
A group of the world’s leading climate scientists are warning governments and the livestock industry against adopting an “accounting trick” that will imperil the all-out global effort required to control heat-trapping emissions.
Global wind and solar power outpace gas for first time in April, report shows
22 May 2026
Wind and solar combined generated more electricity than gas globally in April for the first month ever, data analysed by UK-based think tank Ember showed on Thursday.
Electrification emerges as COP31 priority
22 May 2026
The Turkish and Australian COP31 host governments and the International Renewable Energy Agency have called for a stronger global push to run vehicles, industry and buildings on electricity rather than fossil fuels, ahead of this year's COP31 climate talks.
The nation holding back the sea
22 May 2026
A Pacific island nation on the front line of the climate change threat is building land to try to hold back rising sea levels. But as the majority of Tuvalu’s population applies to relocate to Australia, a haunting question is being confronted: what happens to a country if the people have to leave?
New coal plants hit ‘10-year’ global high in 2025 – but power output still fell
22 May 2026
The number of new coal-fired power plants built around the world hit a “10-year high” in 2025, even as the global coal fleet generated less electricity, amid a “widening disconnect” in the sector.
UN members reinforce nations' climate change obligations
21 May 2026
The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution reinforcing states' obligations to combat climate change, a long-awaited move toned down under pressure from major greenhouse gas emitters.
‘Foolish’ CSIRO job cuts will mean Australia unable to provide climate projections to global reports, scientists warn
21 May 2026
Job cuts at the national science agency mean Australia will no longer be able to submit climate projections to form part of global reports and will have significantly reduced ability to forecast future damage to the country, leading researchers have warned.
Are hailstones getting bigger due to climate change?
21 May 2026
Scientific studies suggest that a warmer climate does not necessarily lead to more frequent hail, but rather to more severe hailstorms with larger hailstones.
Trump distorts recent revisions of scientific projections of global warming
21 May 2026
President Donald Trump recently blasted the accuracy of global warming projections in a Truth Social post that itself painted a distorted view of the science, projections and how the international community discusses climate policy.
At least 21 killed as heavy rains drench southern, central China
21 May 2026
Torrential rain continued across southern and central China on Tuesday with at least 21 people killed in widespread flooding that also closed schools and businesses, and disrupted transport and power supplies, authorities said.
EU keeps carbon border tax unchanged despite fertiliser price crisis
21 May 2026
Fertiliser producers argue that the EU's carbon pricing rules at the border protect the European industry from cheaper imports produced under weaker environmental rules. But farmers fear they are indirectly paying the bill through higher fertiliser costs.
Māori climate risk worsened by colonisation, report finds
20 May 2026
A sweeping national climate assessment argues that exclusion from decision-making has amplified Indigenous vulnerability to floods, storms, and erosion.
The worst climate future is less likely, but the best one is slipping away, scientists say
20 May 2026
Scientists are jettisoning their worst and best case scenarios for a warming world as no longer plausible. That shows how modest gains in the fight to curb climate change have dialled back the most catastrophic of future heating but also confirmed that there’s no chance to limit warming to the international goal set in 2015.
US and Iran are the world’s only major emitters without net-zero targets
20 May 2026
Many right-leaning figures have tried to push the idea that the UK is an outlier on net-zero.
Germany set to miss 2030 climate goals, independent body warns
20 May 2026
Germany is expected to miss its 2030 climate goals and likely emit more carbon dioxide than previously thought, an independent advisory body said on Monday, contradicting the findings of the government's main climate authority.
Amazon deforestation at eight-year low, report shows
20 May 2026
Despite a drop in the size of deforested areas, the number of wildfires in the region increased by more than 30 percent.
Iran war pushes Portugal to halve fossil fuel use over next 10 years
20 May 2026
Lisbon fast-tracks plans after the Iran war caused oil and gas costs to soar, Energy Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho tells POLITICO.
Declare climate crisis a global public health emergency, experts tell WHO
19 May 2026
The climate crisis should be declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization, or millions more people will die unnecessarily, leading international experts have said.
A closely guarded plan to cool Earth is revealed
19 May 2026
A company that aims to make billions of dollars by cooling the Earth has lifted the veil of secrecy that until now has hidden its plans for preventing sunlight from overheating the planet.
How the environmental movement lost its power – and how to get back
19 May 2026
COMMENT: How did the movement lose its vibrancy? More screen time, less wild habitat available to visit, and a shift to urban living have made Americans less viscerally connected to the splendor of planet Earth.
Scientists find climate change is reducing oxygen in rivers worldwide
19 May 2026
Global warming is causing rivers to slowly lose oxygen, threatening fish and other lives in the waterways, a new study shows.
The UK faces growing climate threats – where is the response to match?
19 May 2026
COMMENT: UK voters’ dissatisfaction with business as usual must be harnessed to address public concerns and build a country that is resilient to climate change impacts.
Aus Climate Minister urged to justify spending $200m on climate summit
19 May 2026
Australian Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen has been urged to justify the government's massive expenditure related to the COP31 summit after he set up an “office of the presidency” in his department.
Vanuatu’s legal battle against climate superpowers heads to the UN
18 May 2026
COMMENT: The United Nations General Assembly upcoming vote responding to the International Court of Justice’s landmark 2025 advisory opinion on climate change could help move climate responsibility from political promise to legal accountability.
China widens its clean energy lead
18 May 2026
Chinese companies account for more than half of global investments in clean energy manufacturing since 2019, while new U.S. investments declined last year.
Trump has hindered offshore wind while China and other countries invest heavily
18 May 2026
President Donald Trump is stopping offshore wind projects in the United States, just as the industry was poised to grow significantly.
Coal pollution is cutting solar power output worldwide, study finds
18 May 2026
New research led by the University of Oxford and University College London has revealed pollution from coal-fired power plants is significantly reducing the energy output of solar photovoltaic installations, particularly where these are expanding side by side.
Natural gas to play key role in strategy to double Canada’s electricity grid by 2050
18 May 2026
A new national strategy will double the capacity of the country’s electricity grid by 2050, Prime Minister Mark Carney said as he announced the plan last week.
UN members prepare for pivotal vote on landmark ICJ climate justice ruling
15 May 2026
If the resolution is passed, governments will recognise their legal responsibility to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
UK halves Green Climate Fund contribution, as it spends more on security
15 May 2026
After promising £1.6 billion to the UN’s flagship climate fund in 2023, the UK government has now said it will only hand over half as much.
Africa secures major clean energy deals as France deepens investment push
15 May 2026
French and African leaders have announced more than $11 billion in renewable energy investments across Africa, underscoring the continent’s growing importance in the global push for cleaner energy and industrial development.
Global shocks, fertiliser use and the importance of data: Insights on the environmental performance of agriculture
14 May 2026
When shocks push producers to use less fertiliser, the environmental performance of agriculture tends to improve. But do improvements reflect the short-term effects of shocks or signal the beginning of a longer-term trend?
Some inconvenient truths in bringing climate science to the judiciary
14 May 2026
OPINION: Climate science had been knocking on the courthouse doors for quite some time when the Supreme Court of the United States finally invited it into the realm of legal action in 2007.
Risk of drought in UK grows after unusually dry start to spring
14 May 2026
The risk of drought is rising after an unusually dry start to spring has pushed river flow, groundwater and reservoir stores below normal levels across much of the country, especially in central and southern England.
While the world hesitates, India must continue leading on climate
14 May 2026
India’s updated climate targets must translate into systems that secure growth, resilience, and autonomy.
Climate adaptation plans welcomed, but funding remains the missing piece
Fri 17 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | Experts are welcoming a proposal to make climate adaptation planning mandatory, but warn the plans may be ineffective without clarity around who will pay to implement them.
New legislation to bar climate torts proves polarising for submitters
Fri 17 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | Opponents of legislation to block climate lawsuits say it could seriously damage investor confidence, while supporters of the same legislation argue that not passing it could be “devastating” for the New Zealand economy.
$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.
Media round-up
9 Jul 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The Government re-wrote fast-track law after mining companies pushed for change; costs from inland flooding are expected to rise by up to 53% by 2075; and is there such a thing as a sustainable tourist?
University launches worldwide search for nature-focused researchers
Wed 15 Jul 2026
Media release | As governments and businesses around the world grapple with climate change and biodiversity loss, Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland is launching an international search for ten PhD researchers to help shape a more nature positive economy.
Inaction on shipping decarbonisation could cost NZ up to $94b by 2050, report says
30 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | Failing to support and enable the decarbonisation of the shipping industry could result in losses of $17.5 billion to $94.4b to the New Zealand economy by 2050, according to a report from the Aotearoa Circle.
Emissions Trading Scheme ‘stockpile’ shrinking
9 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The “stockpile” of NZUs in private accounts continues to shrink, with the latest Environmental Protection Authority figures showing the number has dropped by 9.5 million since this time last year.
Climate law introduced requiring adaptation plans and reducing Commission's role
Wed 15 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | The Government has introduced legislation to amend the Climate Change Response Act (CCRA), which includes stripping the Climate Change Commission of one of its core roles, adds a new requirement for councils to produce adaptation plans for higher-risk areas, and updates ETS settings.
Coal is back in Australian Super’s portfolio. What happened to that net zero pledge?
Mon 13 Jul 2026
In 2020 Australia’s biggest super fund dumped its Whitehaven shares. Fast forward to 2026 and it is now the coalminer’s single biggest investor.
Politicians need to lead on climate: Carr
30 Jun 2026
As the election campaign heats up, former Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr has a list of actions he's hoping to see from our aspiring leaders, which includes confronting climate denial as well as refusing funds or policy advice from vested interests.
EMA pushes for steady hand on energy and regulation
Mon 13 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Employers and Manufacturers Association wants the next government to commit to a long-term energy plan and allow faster investment in renewable generation, at the same time as slowing the pace of policy change and providing businesses with greater certainty.
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.
Experts call on Govt to withdraw ‘repugnant’ legislation to block climate lawsuits
Mon 13 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | Lawyers and climate policy experts are calling on the Government to withdraw legislation intended to block climate lawsuits, with an adaptation expert arguing that the legislation could worsen the insurance protection gap.
Government running out of time to lock in LNG import terminal deal before election
Thu 16 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | Procurement for a floating LNG import terminal in Taranaki is well advanced, the Government says, but the clock is ticking to sign contracts before the election.
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.
The heat waves are Andy Burnham’s problem now
Fri 17 Jul 2026
Recent record-breaking hot weather in the U.K. has made a chunk of voters more worried about climate change and impatient for help from the government.
Tarakihi on verge of extinction: Stock collapse exposes major fisheries management failings
3 Jul 2026
Media release: Environmental Defence Society | Fisheries NZ is consulting on new sustainability measures for the country’s two tarakihi stocks.
Seymour ‘imploring’ council to go easy on foresters is abuse of authority: EDS
7 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Environmental Defence Society says that Regulation Minister David Seymour’s attempt to influence Gisborne District Council to ‘go easy’ on forestry companies in enforcing environmental laws is a clear abuse of ministerial authority.
“It’s by stealth, isn’t it?” The multi-million dollar effort by Australian fossil fuel companies to get into schools
Thu 16 Jul 2026
Australian oil, gas and coal companies want to get into school to shape what kids learn about their industry and climate change. One group has been trying to map the scale of the problem.
Clock ticks on Gas Security Fund as Tariki developer reports ongoing losses
Wed 15 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | A Canadian company advancing a major gas storage project in New Zealand continues to report ongoing losses.
$3m Govt boost for Tauranga geothermal energy
Tue 14 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | Resources Minister Shane Jones has announced a $3 million grant for the Gas to Geoheat Tauranga Geothermal System Project as part of the Government's plan to double geothermal energy by 2040.
The arms race to climate calamity
Fri 17 Jul 2026
COMMENT: Both Australia and New Zealand are justifying spending millions of dollars on high-end killing machines by hyping the so-called China threat, while downplaying the very real threat of climate change to the Pacific region, writes Jeremy Rose.
Conservation bill risks climate goals, lawyers say
1 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Lawyers for Climate Action NZ says the Government's plan to change the law to encourage economic development on conservation land could undermine New Zealand's climate goals by weakening the land's ability to store carbon, as well as allowing new sources of emissions such as mining.
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.
Lake Onslow pumped hydro consortium secures funding for consent push
26 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The consortium behind Lake Onslow pumped hydro has secured funding to finalise its resource consent application, aiming to lodge it under the fast-track process before 2027.
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.
Climate change is here and we’re all paying for it
Wed 15 Jul 2026
By Raewyn Peart | COMMENT: Another week, another storm. Just days ago, Kaikōura saw two months of rain fall within 48 hours, the most recent in a long line of adverse weather events.
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.
Sustainable Business Council listed on submission supporting climate torts bar
Fri 17 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | Business New Zealand’s submission supporting legislation to block climate lawsuits raised eyebrows this week for listing the Sustainable Business Council as seemingly in support of the controversial law change.
Planetary Facts dashboard aims to make environmental costs visible
Wed 15 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Consumers can now compare the environmental impacts of everyday products with a new online dashboard designed to do for sustainability what nutrition labels have long done for food.
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.
UN chief says fossil fuel industry must cut methane for warming “relief”
25 Jun 2026
UN chief António Guterres called for stronger action to cut emissions of planet-heating methane, taking aim at the fossil fuel industry’s practices and profits, and pointing to coal, oil and gas as the root of today’s climate and energy crises.
What’s next for Sams Creek after failed mining bid?
Wed 15 Jul 2026
Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | A controversial gold mining application at Sams Creek has been declined, leaving question marks hanging over the future of the land.
Pacific coral reefs face mounting climate threat – experts
Thu 16 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Coral reef scientists are warning that climate change is accelerating the decline of reef ecosystems across the Pacific, with rising ocean temperatures, marine heatwaves and sea-level rise threatening both biodiversity and the communities that depend on them.
Ugandan farmers launch UK court case against East African oil pipeline
9 Jul 2026
Four Ugandan farmers filed a case with London’s High Court aiming to stop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline from starting to operate by asking the court to apply Uganda’s laws against the project’s UK-registered company.
Carbon markets and biochar: a golden opportunity for NZ?
1 Jul 2026
By John O’Brien | COMMENT: New Zealand’s abundant and increasing forestry waste could become a multi-billion dollar opportunity for biochar carbon sequestration – as long as the right policies, programmes, and incentives are in place.
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.
UN plastics pact talks restart amid fears production curbs will be left out
2 Jul 2026
Diplomats reconvene a year after negotiations collapsed, but campaigners fear the agenda risks burying tricky discussions on key elements.
Conservation bill could put development ahead of protection, commissioner warns
Fri 17 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton says the proposed law changes could give economic development greater weight than conservation, undermining the purpose of the Conservation Act.
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.
Swarbrick slams $50m critical minerals funding as 'Trump's war machine' subsidy
7 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Green Party has criticised the Government's investment into two West Coast critical minerals projects, claiming the funding could ultimately support the United States defence industry rather than New Zealand's clean energy transition, while Shane Jones dismissed opponents as "flat earth idiots".
NZ lagging in energy storage investment – report
Tue 14 Jul 2026
Investment in energy storage is maturing globally, with the need for resilient and flexible power driving demand for storage, but New Zealand has some catching up to do, according to a new report.
Fast-track panel backs proposed Haldon Solar Farm
6 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The proposed Haldon Solar Farm in the Mackenzie Basin has moved to the final stages of the Fast-track Approvals Act process after the Fast-track Panel proposed granting approval for the project.
Shining a light on Trans-Tasman solar reforms
Tue 14 Jul 2026
OPINION: The real test of solar reforms is how fast retailers can turn new rules into working tariffs, writes Mark Humphreys.
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.
Microsoft emissions surge 27% as AI buildout crimps climate goals
Mon 13 Jul 2026
Microsoft's greenhouse gas emissions jumped 27 percent in its latest fiscal year, the tech giant disclosed Thursday, adding to a wave of worsening environmental reports from an industry racing to build AI infrastructure.
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.
Govt backs hydrogen with national industry summit
9 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | The Government is convening a major hydrogen conference to promote awareness and uptake of the alternative fuel.
‘Those blocking climate science are not our friends': Pacific leaders warn at Bonn talks
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.
Next Govt must restart action on plastic pollution
1 Jul 2026
Media release - Zero Waste Aotearoa | Plastic Free July begins with an urgent call to put plastic pollution back on the political agenda. Plastic Free July is a worldwide campaign to reduce plastic waste and eliminate single use plastics.
Greens announce water policy, including nitrogen fertiliser phase-out
7 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party announced its water policy yesterday, promising to phase out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, as well as destructive fishing methods, if the party is elected in November.
Canadian wildfire smoke chokes Toronto, threatens US cities
Fri 17 Jul 2026
Toronto's air quality ranked the worst among major cities globally on Wednesday as wildfire smoke from northwestern Ontario blackened skies and spread into the northeastern United States, prompting health warnings and calls for residents to limit outdoor activities.
Faster consenting, harder trade-offs
7 Jul 2026
Faster consenting is starting to produce results, but this week's decisions show speed has not removed the harder trade-offs around electricity security, conservation, ecology and climate liability.
