Topics tagged with 'Emissions trading'
Watts tells farmers billion dollar cost of climate commitments is 'misinformation'
27 Feb 2025
Greenpeace has slammed climate change minister Simon Watts for saying that New Zealand does not have to meet climate targets under the Paris climate agreement.
Updates to ETS auction collateral methodology
27 Feb 2025
The Government has updated the NZ ETS Auctions collateral methodology effective from 19 March 2025.
Carbon capture framework coming
24 Feb 2025
The government wants to bring carbon capture and storage into the Emissions Trading Scheme, with plans to introduce legislation for a Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage framework this year.
Will March's carbon auction clear?
24 Feb 2025
With carbon prices on the secondary market trading in a tight range below the minimum auction price, it seems increasingly unlikely that March's Emissions Trading Scheme auction will clear.
Genesis stocks up on coal
18 Feb 2025
Genesis Energy is prepared to burn up to 1.2 million tonnes of coal at Huntly Power Station this winter.
Secondary market remains flat as carbon auction approaches
14 Feb 2025
With the first carbon auction of the year just over a month away, one broker is predicting trading will continue at prices below this year's $68 auction floor price.
Exporters need to step up to meet new EU carbon tax requirements
7 Feb 2025
Kiwi exporters who invest in complying with the EU's carbon tax reporting will be at a competitive advantage, according to MFAT.
Commission calls for review of free carbon credits for big polluters
5 Feb 2025
The Climate Change Commission is recommending a review of free permits to big polluters under the ETS.
Foresters drop legal action over ETS fees
4 Feb 2025
Forestry minister Todd McClay has welcomed the sector's decision to drop legal action to fight new Emissions Trading Scheme fees.
Carbon price up - but still too low to drive decarbonisation
24 Jan 2025
Carbon prices on the secondary market went above the $64 mark yesterday for the first time since December’s partial auction clearance.
Emissions trading scheme surplus over-estimated, says EY
20 Dec 2024
The emissions trading scheme has about 22% fewer surplus units than government figures suggest, according to a new report.
Waitangi Tribunal kicks off inquiry into climate change policy
20 Dec 2024
By Liz Kivi | The Crown has contributed to worsening the climate crisis as well as exacerbating impacts on Māori communities, a Waitangi Tribunal panel heard this week.
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.
What should carbon offsets really cost?
20 Dec 2024
By Jamie Heather | COMMENT: Today’s carbon prices would seem absurd in any other context.
NZ submits first Paris Agreement progress report
19 Dec 2024
New Zealand has submitted its first report to the UN on how the country is tracking towards its international climate target to 2030 under the Paris Agreement.
Govt seeks partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned-land
19 Dec 2024
Media release | The Government has released a request for information (RFI) to seeking interest in partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned land with low farming and conservation value (excluding National Parks) Forestry Minister Todd McClay announced.
Methanexit? New report reveals risk of subsidising gas price hikes
16 Dec 2024
Media release | A dry winter in 2025 or beyond could enable our largest gas user – Canadian company Methanex – to push up gas and electricity prices, according to a new report, titled “Methanexit: should NZ be subsidising our largest gas user?”
Second emissions reduction plan still off-track
11 Dec 2024
The government has released its final emissions reduction plan for 2026-30, copping criticism for relying on unproven technology such as carbon capture and storage, as well as failing to meet crucial climate targets.
Carbon price dips as dust settles after auction
10 Dec 2024
The carbon price has taken a dive since last week’s auction, down more than 6% on last week’s auction price.
Dame Patsy Reddy appointed Climate Change Commission chair
9 Dec 2024
Dame Patsy Reddy has been appointed the new chair of the Climate Change Commission, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced this morning.
Green Party releases alternative climate plan
9 Dec 2024
The Green Party wants to take forestry out of the Emissions Trading Scheme and instead create biodiversity credits for afforestation.
Why rich countries are ‘reluctant’ on coal-to-clean deals
9 Dec 2024
UK and German officials have said there will likely be no more Just Energy Transition Partnerships, as the focus shifts to “country platforms” instead.
Govt to partner with private sector planting trees on Crown land
6 Dec 2024
Cabinet has agreed to look at public-private partnerships to plant trees on low value Crown land, in a move the government says will support New Zealand’s climate change targets and create more jobs.
Changes to limit ETS forestry will have 'dire consequences' - foresters
5 Dec 2024
Foresters say that new rules limiting farm to forestry conversions under the Emissions Trading Scheme are set to have dire consequences for forest growers as well as for the country’s ability to meet climate targets.
Carbon price steady following partial auction clearance
5 Dec 2024
The carbon price stayed steady on the secondary market following yesterday’s partial auction clearance, where 7 million NZUs went unsold.
No excuse to not slash climate pollution – Carr
5 Dec 2024
Outgoing Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr says every sector faces challenges in reducing its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, and New Zealand is not unique in its barriers.
Final auction of the year partially clears
4 Dec 2024
More than 7 million pollution permits will fail to enter the register this year, with just under half of a possible 14.1 million units selling across all the Emissions Trading Scheme carbon auctions this year.
Auction preview: experts predict partial clearance tomorrow
3 Dec 2024
The secondary carbon market is trading just above the $64 auction floor, as tomorrow’s highly anticipated auction looms - the fourth and final of 2024.
Pacific Youth hope historic hearing in the Hague delivers climate justice where COP did not
3 Dec 2024
Media release | Save the Children is urging world leaders to heed the call of Pacific children and young people as a landmark action to clarify states’ obligations to tackle the climate crisis gets underway before the International Court of Justice.
United Nations carbon market rules agreed but concerns remain
25 Nov 2024
New carbon market rules agreed at the fractious UN climate summit will be a relief to New Zealand and Singapore, who were leading the negotiations, but concerns about greenwashing and disadvantaging nature-based solutions remain.
Govt passes bill to keep farming emissions out of ETS
25 Nov 2024
The government quietly passed a bill to remove agricultural emissions from New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme on Friday, making no official statement announcing the law change.
Complex Article 6 rules pave way to unruly carbon markets
25 Nov 2024
Media release | Despite the best efforts of activists and some climate negotiators, the agreement reached on Article 6 carbon markets at COP29 in Baku risks facilitating cowboy carbon markets at a time when the world needs a sheriff.
Partial clearance possible at December auction
22 Nov 2024
The carbon price is hitting up against the $64 auction floor on the secondary market, with the government’s final quarterly auction for the year now less than two weeks away.
Minister at fraught summit as NZ downgraded in global climate rankings
21 Nov 2024
Climate change minister Simon Watts reaffirmed his commitment to New Zealand’s emission reduction targets at the global climate summit at the same time as the country was downgraded in global climate rankings.
Carbon tax best for lower emissions, economy – study
21 Nov 2024
A carbon tax is the most effective way for New Zealand to cut emissions while supporting a stable economy, according to a University of Auckland study.
Delaying agricultural emissions pricing comes with a cost
20 Nov 2024
Holding back on agricultural emissions pricing could cost New Zealand hundreds of millions more in future offshore climate mitigation.
Govt opens consultation on next international climate target
20 Nov 2024
The government has opened public consultation on its international climate change target, which needs to be set by February 2025.
New carbon market rules could lock out forestry
19 Nov 2024
By Liz Kivi | New carbon market rules negotiated at the United Nations climate summit could have negative consequences for carbon forestry in New Zealand, experts are warning.
Will govt consult the public over climate target?
15 Nov 2024
The government seems to be planning to limit public consultation around its next international climate target, which must be set by early February.
Carbon price predicted to rise after upcoming auction
14 Nov 2024
OPINION: Are NZUs set for a bump after the December auction? Nigel Brunel, managing director Marex New Zealand, thinks so.
Zero chance NZ pulls out of climate agreement: Upton
13 Nov 2024
If Donald Trump pulls the United States out of the Paris Agreement, it’s not likely other countries such as New Zealand will follow, according to Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton.
Critics say approval of ‘climate credits’ rules on day one of COP29 was rushed
13 Nov 2024
Agreement on rules paving way for rich countries to pay for cheap climate action abroad breaks years-long deadlock.
NZ experts on UN climate conference
12 Nov 2024
With the United Nations’ major climate summit kicking off in oil-rich Azerbaijan, New Zealand’s climate policy experts are divided over the value of the meeting.
Govt accused of kicking can down the road on ag emissions
12 Nov 2024
The Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme Agricultural Obligations) Amendment Bill completed its second reading in Parliament with Opposition parties saying it was a step backwards.
NZ can do better on climate policy, says auditor general
8 Nov 2024
New Zealand’s legislative framework is a strength of its response to climate change, however it is not doing so well in other areas, according to a new report.
Constraints on forestry set to slash unit supply
8 Nov 2024
COMMENT: Carbon unit supply from forestry looks set to be limited by multiple factors - and by 2040 NZUs from new forestry are likely to fulfill only a fraction of demand, writes Ollie Batelier-Belton.
Media round-up
8 Nov 2024
In our weekly round-up of climate coverage in local media: Tensions flare over ETS forestry on the Chatham Islands; MPI questions the Climate Commissions native forestry targets; and extreme weather is costing vulnerable island nations billions.
Carbon price inching up as auction looms
7 Nov 2024
The carbon price is still inching up towards the auction floor, with the final auction for 2024 less than a month away. But the US election result means uncertain times for global environmental markets, according to an expert.
Carbon markets could boost climate action in least developed countries
6 Nov 2024
Media release | UNCTAD’s Least Developed Countries Report 2024 highlighted on Monday that the group of 45 least developed countries (LDCs) could use carbon market projects to enhance climate action by offsetting the buyers’ emissions at improved rates which will allow more investment.
Companies face 'significant' litigation risk over inaccurate emissions reporting
4 Nov 2024
Companies in the industrial sector are risking court action if they don't accurately report indirect emissions from their value chain, with the sector becoming an increasing target for litigation, according to new analysis.
New Zealanders losing ambition on climate change: Ipsos
Wed 20 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealanders’ belief that their government has a plan to combat climate change has taken another serious hit in the latest poll of 31 countries by global research firm Ipsos.
Six NZ climate solutions up for 2026 Earthshot prize
Today 11:30am
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.
$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.
Europe has 'maybe six weeks of jet fuel left', energy boss warns
20 Apr 2026
Stocks would reach a tipping point in June if Europe was unable to replace at least half of its imports from the Middle East, the organisation said in a report this week.
Govt unveils long-awaited voluntary carbon market guidance
Fri 15 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has released long-awaited guidance for New Zealand’s voluntary carbon and nature markets, as questions continue for the sector despite ministers signalling support for its growth.
Biomass sector asks: where did the love go?
Mon 18 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand has sufficient biomass in its plantation forests to replace natural gas for industrial process heat at lower costs than electrification, but is failing to get the attention it deserves, sector leaders say.
Carbon News updates forward curve
13 May 2026
Carbon News has updated its ten-year NZU forward curve, following a recent rise in spot market prices, with NZUs rallying from about $34 in January to nearly $54 in early May.
UN members reinforce nations' climate change obligations
Today 11:30am
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.
Drop in ETS forestry registrations
5 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | ETS forestry registrations have dropped off this year, with the new mandatory emissions return period, new land-use rules, and carbon price volatility all meaning participants aren’t rushing to register forestry in the emissions trading scheme.
Hipkins pans LNG plan as ‘massive step backwards’
Tue 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.
Tairāwhiti deserves better than weakened forestry rules
5 May 2026
OPINION: The government's proposed amendments to forestry standards, released yesterday, ignore the hard lessons learned in our region and ignore the voices that have fought hardest to protect it, writes Manu Caddie.
Green building council calls for clean energy policies
Mon 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.
New solar farm to boost West Coast energy security
Today 11:30am
Construction has begun on a new 13.5MW solar farm in Reefton, with developer Lightyears saying the project will help strengthen electricity security on the West Coast and support future regional growth.
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.
Are hailstones getting bigger due to climate change?
Today 11:30am
Scientific studies suggest that a warmer climate does not necessarily lead to more frequent hail, but rather to more severe hailstorms with larger hailstones.
EDS urges MPs to scrap the Fisheries Amendment Bill
5 May 2026
Media release | The Environmental Defence Society today lodged a substantive submission on the Fisheries Amendment Bill.
Govt presses ahead with forestry rule changes despite opposition
14 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is pushing ahead with changes to commercial forestry rules despite most submitters opposing the proposals, with critics warning the reforms will weaken councils’ ability to manage erosion and forestry slash risks in vulnerable regions such as Tairāwhiti.
Iran war pushes Portugal to halve fossil fuel use over next 10 years
Wed 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.
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.”
New funding for low methane farming uptake
29 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The government will co-fund projects under an Early Adoption Accelerator scheme announced today to accelerate the uptake of low emissions farming technologies emerging from the AgriZero public-private partnership.
NZ Govt’s move to halt climate litigation under international scrutiny
Tue 19 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Local and international NGOs have signed an open letter calling on the Government to reconsider its decision to shield major emitters from legal liability for climate-related harm.
Why ‘greenhushing’ signals deeper issues with NZ’s climate risk reporting regime
Fri 15 May 2026
By Hang Pham, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington | Most of us are familiar with the concept of greenwashing: organisations exaggerating or overstating their environmental credentials. But in New Zealand, there are signs the country’s climate disclosure regime may inadvertently be driving a very different trend: not saying much at all.
‘Formidable’ El Niño expected this winter
29 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Meteorologists are anticipating a significant El Niño influence on weather patterns across the country from winter onwards, with predicted lower rainfall for some areas and heavier rain for others likely to impact multiple sectors of the economy as well as the carbon market.
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.
Media round-up
24 Apr 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: What is the real cost of storm-hit infrastructure? Urgency is needed over climate adaptation funding; and a community conservation group has won a legal victory against multinational mining company OceanaGold.
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.
Labour condemns Govt plan to stop climate litigation
Fri 15 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Labour Party has slammed the Government’s move to block climate lawsuits against big emitters but won’t say if they would repeal the legislation if elected in November.
GIDI-style help cheaper than LNG: MBIE
11 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Officials advised ministers last July that the lowest-cost way to free up gas for use during dry winters was to assist industrial gas users to switch to electricity.
Govt missing tricks to save fuel in crisis
30 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is being urged to shift its response to the fuel crisis away from short-term relief and towards measures that reduce demand, with public health experts warning it is missing an opportunity to boost energy security and lower household costs.
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.
Move to block lawsuits could strengthen climate case against Govt
14 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s plan to block climate lawsuits – while potentially fatal for one groundbreaking climate case – could actually bolster claims in another live climate case underway against the Government.
‘Utterly elated’ – controversial Sams Creek gold mine application declined
Today 11:30am
By Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | Campaigners are elated after the controversial gold mining application for Sams Creek in Golden Bay was declined.
Conservation land open for voluntary carbon market schemes
12 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The government is to open up the Crown-owned conservation estate to private investment in voluntary carbon market projects.
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.
Pacific voice on climate at the UN
Wed 20 May 2026
A New Zealand-based researcher has told a United Nations forum that rising sea levels are already reshaping life across the Pacific and climate change is causing irreversible impacts on water supplies, food security and cultural identity.
Environmental groups sue Trump administration over approval of new ultra deep-water drilling project
23 Apr 2026
Environmental groups sued the Trump administration on Monday over its approval last month of oil company BP’s ultra deep-water drilling project in the Gulf of Mexico.
Opposition slams environment ministry merger
13 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Opposition MPs accused the Government of downgrading climate and environmental protections as legislation to abolish the Ministry for the Environment and merge it into a new mega-ministry passed its second reading in Parliament.
A real ‘intergenerational equity’ budget would address Australia’s unceasing environmental decline
Fri 15 May 2026
Labor has unveiled a budget designed to tackle intergenerational equity in Australia through bold tax reform.
ESG funds include petrochemical companies, report finds
5 May 2026
Global banks have invested US$133bn into US petrochemical expansion, even as the industry is linked to climate change.
NZTA rejects covering $145m of Wellington public transport projects
Wed 20 May 2026
By Justin Wong, Local Democracy Reporter | More than $145 million of Wellington public transport projects - including new bus spines along the harbour quays and the redevelopment of ageing Waterloo station - never made it into the Government’s $32.9 billion national land transport plan.
Thousands protest in Germany urging faster shift to renewable energy, amid Iran war
20 Apr 2026
Thousands of people demonstrated across Germany on April 18, urging a faster shift to renewable energy and accusing conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition of putting the brakes on the transition.
Green Party calls for national electrification plan
20 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party is calling for a national plan to electrify homes, transport and industry using renewable energy, to reduce fossil fuel dependence in response to the Middle East crisis.
China widens its clean energy lead
Mon 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.
‘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.
Combined climate extremes may prompt carbon budget rethink
14 May 2026
Media release: Springer Nature | Combined extreme climate events are likely to become more common in the future if carbon emissions continue to rise, a paper in Nature suggests.
Media round-up
Fri 15 May 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The government's move to change climate law removes a key protection for NZ citizens, farmers should be paid to use methane-busting tools, and it's one step forward, three steps back on environment policy.
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.
Why both trees and technology are important in the race to mitigate carbon emissions
4 May 2026
Different carbon‑removal approaches solve different problems, and pitting these technologies against each other could slow progress.
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.
UN members prepare for pivotal vote on landmark ICJ climate justice ruling
Fri 15 May 2026
If the resolution is passed, governments will recognise their legal responsibility to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
NZ First moves to revive container return scheme
4 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | NZ First is aiming to launch a national container return scheme, which could recycle over a billion wasted containers each year, reviving a policy shelved by the previous Labour-led Government in 2023.
Commission urges Govt action on climate risks
7 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Climate change currently poses major risks to our water infrastructure with “significant gaps” in readiness to manage risks and increasing hazards, according to the Climate Change Commission.
Why is Northern Ireland facing a growing threat from wildfires?
7 May 2026
Figures show that spring drought events are happening more often while there has been a sharp rise in "fire weather" - a mix of warmth, dryness, and wind that allows fires to ignite and spread rapidly. Experts warn this combination, along with climate change, is creating a longer and more volatile wildfire season.
Human health appears unaffected by living near wind turbines
Today 11:30am
Media release: PNAS | High-resolution data collected across the United States show negligible evidence of adverse health outcomes tied to wind turbine exposure, a study finds.
