Topics tagged with 'Greenhouse Effect'
Climate adaptation planning: “Strengthen community engagement,” says Helen Clark Foundation and WSP
21 Nov 2023
Media release | A new report from the Helen Clark Foundation and engineering consultants WSP is calling for significant change to the way communities are engaged in climate adaptation planning.
We’re burning too much fossil fuel to fix by planting trees – making ‘net zero’ emissions impossible with offsets
20 Nov 2023
By Mike Joy | The idea that we can mitigate current carbon emissions by “offsetting” them with carbon reduction initiatives elsewhere has become central to government and business responses to climate change. But it’s an idea we need to seriously question.
Climate change a threat to human rights, Court of Appeal told
13 Nov 2023
The Human Rights Commission has argued that climate change impacts raise serious issues of human rights law and te Tiriti o Waitangi, in a case before the Court of Appeal.
Aotearoa could make a real impact on cutting greenhouse gas emissions internationally: Thomas Pogge
7 Nov 2023
By Jeremy Rose | The director of Yale University’s Global Justice Program, Thomas Pogge, says for a relatively small investment of, say, US$100 million, New Zealand could make a significant impact on cutting the greenhouse gas emissions of the developing world.
RB governor warns of climate change induced supply side shocks
3 Nov 2023
Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr has warned that climate change is likely to cause supply side shocks similar to those of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the COVID pandemic.
Marsden Fund grants for climate research
2 Nov 2023
Research into climate and the energy transition are among 123 projects taking $83.59 million from this year’s Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden, the Marsden Fund, announced today.
What is a 'carbon bomb' project? Examples and climate impact
2 Nov 2023
Recent reports have revealed that banks pumped more than $150 billion into companies with “carbon bomb” projects that could destroy humanity’s last chance to stop the climate crisis in the past year.
NZ climate-related disasters hit record high in 2023
19 Oct 2023
New Zealand authorities have declared a record 17 weather-related states of emergency so far this year, with insurance payments for climate-related disasters already topping $3.5 billion.
NZ needs urgent immigration reform for Pacific climate migrants - researcher
18 Oct 2023
Immigration reforms are urgently needed to allow climate migrants from Tuvalu and Kiribati into New Zealand, according to a researcher.
Climate change increases risk of earthquake damage
17 Oct 2023
Climate change not only worsens storms, but also increases the risk of landslides and flooding after earthquakes, according to researchers.
“Aotearoa IS warming: It’s us. It’s bad” - new report
11 Oct 2023
It is clear that Aotearoa is warming, according to a new report on the state of our atmosphere and climate. But experts say we can still do something about it.
World breaches key 1.5C warming mark for record number of days
10 Oct 2023
The world is breaching a key warming threshold at a rate that has scientists concerned.
Christchurch to host UN climate adaptation conference
9 Oct 2023
Ōtautahi Christchurch will host the world’s top scientists, Indigenous scholars, and policymakers at a UN climate adaptation conference planned for 2025.
New marine reserves good first step: environmentalists
6 Oct 2023
The government’s announcement yesterday of six new marine reserves in the south-east of the South Island has been universally welcomed. But environmentalists say more needs to be done and to meet the country’s obligations around marine protection, and Māori are calling for a law change.
Workers say employers aren't doing enough for the planet - survey
6 Oct 2023
More than two-thirds of Kiwi workers say their employers aren’t doing enough for the environment, with 54% saying none of their expectations are being met when it comes to their employer’s sustainability practices.
Foresters say new rules will lead to less planting
4 Oct 2023
A group that petitioned for a Ministerial inquiry into land use in Tairāwhiti has welcomed new rules for exotic tree planting, however foresters say that the regulations will lead to less forest planting and could compromise climate change targets.
Scientists call for urgent emissions reductions as Antarctic sea ice hits record low
4 Oct 2023
New Zealand scientists are calling for an immediate and dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, in response to record low sea ice levels in Antarctica this year.
New Zealand’s warmest September on record
4 Oct 2023
The nationwide average temperature in September 2023 was 11.9°C. This was 1.3°C above the 1991-2020 September average, making it Aotearoa New Zealand’s warmest September since NIWA’s seven station temperature series began in 1909.
Sweden’s ‘off the rails’ climate policy
3 Oct 2023
A government beholden to the radical right is a warning that the green transition can go into reverse.
Swiss glaciers lose 10% of volume in worst two years on record
3 Oct 2023
Switzerland's glaciers suffered their second worst melt rate this year after record 2022 losses, shrinking their overall volume by 10% in the last two years.
Kaipara District Council cancels climate policy
2 Oct 2023
Kaipara District Council has canned key climate work, with the decision to stop development of a climate change policy and cancel its emissions accounting contract.
South America swelters in unseasonal spring heatwave
2 Oct 2023
As the Northern Hemisphere emerges from the hottest summer on record, South America has taken up the planet’s extreme-heat mantle.
Wildfire conditions could be worst for 25 years
29 Sep 2023
By Liz Kivi | A wildfire expert says that New Zealand could be heading for the worst wildfire conditions for 25 years this summer, with El Niño and climate change combining to bring dry spells, high temperatures and high winds.
Shell CEO under pressure from within on renewables shift
29 Sep 2023
Shell's CEO Wael Sawan has come under pressure over his strategy from within the energy company after two employees issued a rare open letter urging him not to scale back investments in renewable energy, sparking an internal debate.
Climate change: Six young people take 32 countries to court
29 Sep 2023
"What I felt was fear," says Claudia Duarte Agostinho as she remembers the extreme heatwave and fires that ripped through Portugal in 2017 and killed more than 100 people. "The wildfires made me really anxious about what sort of future I would have."
We must change human behaviour to save ourselves - scientists
28 Sep 2023
A group of researchers, led by a Kiwi conservationist, want global recognition of a “Human Behavioural Crisis” as a step towards tackling ecological overshoot and its symptoms - such as climate change.
Eight of 10 warmest years in New Zealand recorded in last decade
28 Sep 2023
Media release - Eight out of the 10 warmest years ever recorded in Aotearoa New Zealand up to 2022 have been within the last decade, according to data released by Stats NZ.
Can ‘carbon offsets’ help to tackle climate change?
27 Sep 2023
Every day, people are invited to buy products and services with supposed climate benefits – whether this be “carbon-neutral flights”, “net-zero beef” or “carbon-negative coffee”.
Labour announces “climate manifesto”
26 Sep 2023
The Labour Party has released a “climate manifesto” promising to set separate targets for gross emissions and carbon removals, develop a voluntary carbon market framework, and limit exotic afforestation, if it wins the election next month.
Draft national hazard planning NPS released
26 Sep 2023
The Government is seeking feedback on a proposed National Policy Statement for Natural Hazard Decision-making.
Kāpiti Council sets up climate change and resilience community ‘think tank’
26 Sep 2023
Media release - Kāpiti Coast District Council is setting up a think tank to help develop a climate change and resilience strategy, and is looking for applicants from the community.
The era of climate migration is here, leaders of vulnerable nations say
25 Sep 2023
Heads of climate-vulnerable nations gathered on the sidelines of a United Nations climate summit to call for new policies and agreements to manage the millions of people who are being forced from their homes by extreme weather.
NZ’s climate emissions at historic low
20 Sep 2023
New Zealand is set to announce its lowest emissions this century, Climate Change minister James Shaw told the Climate Change and Business Conference in Auckland yesterday.
Another day, another roadblock: how should NZ law deal with disruptive climate protests?
18 Sep 2023
By Alexander Gillespie | The most recent protest by the Restore Passenger Rail climate protest group, in which a Wellington car dealership was defaced with red paint, is not just the latest in a local movement – it’s part of a global trend.
Upcoming conferences focus on climate change and degrowth
15 Sep 2023
New Zealand's first degrowth conference is coming up this weekend in Wellington, with international and local speakers looking at the transition to a less energy-intensive future.
Trees could become a source of carbon emissions
13 Sep 2023
In the face of climate change, we’ve been told forests are our salvation. But scientists believe this summer’s wildfires are a sign of a tipping point — with trees a major source of carbon emissions.
Warmer oceans are driving more frequent seabird die-offs
12 Sep 2023
A new study used long-term volunteer data to show that marine heatwaves are linked to mass avian mortality at sea.
NZ needs new approach in the face of global inaction on climate
11 Sep 2023
New Zealand needs to work harder at building resilience and adaptation in the face of global failure to meet climate goals, according to an expert.
How will Treasury treat missing ETS revenue ahead of election?
7 Sep 2023
Experts are questioning how Treasury will treat the potential $1 billion of missing revenue from this year’s Emissions Trading Scheme auctions, with reporting due next week ahead of the election.
Govt cuts more than $200 million from climate funds to “tighten belts”
29 Aug 2023
The government is slashing funding to climate emissions reduction programmes as part of “belt tightening” measures, with more than $235 million in cuts to projects planned to reduce emissions.
Managed retreat—a can of political worms
25 Aug 2023
The report by the Expert Working Group on Managed Retreat highlights funding and financing strategies for planned relocation in the face of climate change and raises some of the issues that will test finances and just who should pay for what.
Kenya’s ‘green growth’ pitch for Africa Climate Summit sparks justice concerns
25 Aug 2023
Outcry over a fossil fuel consultancy taking a lead role, and unease over the Kenyan president’s focus on finance, raises questions as to whether the summit will truly be “by Africans for Africans”.
Emperor penguin colonies experiencing 'complete breeding failure' due to climate change
25 Aug 2023
Media release - Emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica are experiencing complete breeding failure, according to international researchers who say this is a direct consequence of the unprecedented loss of sea ice recorded in the region in recent years due to climate change.
Canterbury regional council chair slams govt inaction on climate adaptation
15 Aug 2023
Ecan chair Peter Scott says central government needs to do more to protect Canterbury from “real and ongoing risks” exacerbated by the climate crisis.
NZ-style 'sponge cities' needed to tackle climate-fuelled urban flood risk
14 Aug 2023
Urban areas need to urgently look at ‘sponge city’ approaches to stormwater management to help the country prepare for climate impacts and reduce flood risk, according to recent research.
Forest & Bird accused of promoting “greenwashing” at centennial conference
28 Jul 2023
A talk planned for Forest & Bird’s centennial conference tomorrow has ruffled feathers among environmentalists, with some supporters threatening to cancel longstanding memberships, and even debating whether to protest with placards at the event.
Govt funding to reduce climate emissions from commercial buildings
11 Jul 2023
The government is fronting up $40 million to help commercial building tenants and owners improve the climate and energy efficiency of their buildings.
Could El Niño cause Earth’s warmest year ever?
30 Jun 2023
Media release - NIWA - Over the past three years, you may have heard about the rare ‘triple-dip’ La Niña that had its hands on the steering wheel of Mother Nature’s car.
Drastic emission reductions from coal, gas, and electricity
15 Jun 2023
Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation are at multi-decade lows, while emissions from oil, gas, and coal are all down from 2019 highs.
Battle lines harden over how to slash CO2
7 Jun 2023
Banish fossil fuels, capture their emissions, pull CO2 from thin air -- diplomats in Bonn for UN-led climate talks agree there's too much planet-warming carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but remain at loggerheads on the best way to reduce it.
Urban rewilding combats global biodiversity decline
Wed 28 May 2025
Media release | A new study led by the University of Sydney reveals how cities around the world are restoring wildlife to their former habitats in the face of ongoing urban sprawl.
US dairy farmers consider return on climate-smart milk
22 May 2025
The approach is just one of many dairy practices now considered “climate-smart” because they could cut production of climate-warming gases.
Greenwashing is rife in Australia, but could its days be numbered?
Wed 28 May 2025
COMMENT: Have you ever ticked the box to “fly carbon neutral”, had something delivered via “carbon-neutral shipping” or chosen to pay a bit extra to buy “carbon-neutral gas” from your energy retailer?
Help sustainable aviation fuels take off or delay targets, airlines warn EU
20 May 2025
Earmarked funding, risk-reduction tools, and simplified imports top Airlines for Europe’s wish list for the EU’s upcoming Sustainable Transport Investment Plan.
Govt's RMA overhaul sparks fears for nature and climate
Fri 30 May 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has opened public consultation on the biggest overhaul of environmental planning rules in New Zealand’s history, with critics warning it puts nature and climate at risk in favour of fast-tracked development and industry expansion.
Sustainability claims questioned as renewable diesel surges
14 May 2025
Critics are sceptical about industry claims of renewable diesel life-cycle greenhouse gas emission cuts and warn renewable diesel carbon releases will surge if sourcing is scaled up, triggering tropical deforestation as producers convert forests to energy crops, such as oil palm and soy.
Govt mulls status quo for ETS auction settings
Thu 29 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has released its consultation on the Climate Change Commission’s latest advice on Emissions Trading Scheme auction settings and volumes, putting forward the option to ignore the commission’s advice to boost auction volumes from 2028-2030.
Pacific Island nations support China's Taiwan claims at high-profile foreign ministers' meeting
Fri 30 May 2025
Pacific nations have backed China's claim over Taiwan during a high-profile meeting, but have shied away from directly endorsing Beijing's push to "reunify" the democratically ruled island with the mainland.
Carbon price too low to fund carbon capture
20 May 2025
The government’s climate target to 2030 is at risk, after revelations that a carbon capture project which the government was relying on to deliver one third of its carbon reductions, might not go ahead.
Fight over coal mine heats up
Fri 30 May 2025
Forest & Bird is calling on the government to create a new scientific reserve covering the Denniston Plateau on the West Coast, which would stop a fast-tracked coal mine.
Trump’s actions are already having consequences for climate, especially for the IPCC - expert
11 Apr 2025
Leading climate scientist, Dr Kevin Trenberth, left the US and came home to New Zealand because of the rise of Donald Trump. In this comment piece, he writes that he is appalled in multiple ways by the so-called “war on science” unfolding through staff cuts and the president’s policy edicts.
Owning a green home could cut mortgage payback time by two years
9 May 2025
A green certified home plus a green mortgage and associated energy bill savings could save Kiwi families up to $98,800 over the course of their mortgage - the equivalent of being mortgage-free several years early, according to new research.
Cuts to climate finance put exports in jeopardy: Lawyers
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has halved international climate finance, a move aid organisations describe as “devastating,” and which lawyers say could put our Paris Agreement commitments and export market access at risk.
Watts talks big on energy reform, but barriers persist
Thu 29 May 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Energy and Climate Change minister Simon Watts says the government is doubling down on efforts to boost renewable energy generation, streamline regulation, and drive private sector investment as New Zealand faces mounting energy security and affordability challenges.
Could ‘orange’ hydrogen be NZ’s key to net-zero?
Fri 30 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand could be sitting on resources for a thriving multi-billion-dollar, low-carbon hydrogen economy, which might even be capable of creating a net reduction of carbon dioxide, according to scientists.
Govt budgets $200m for would-be gas investors
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | Energy Resources Aotearoa has welcomed the government's plan to co-invest $200 million in fossil gas expansion, while environmental and climate groups have reacted with horror.
Glacier collapse buries most of Swiss village
Fri 30 May 2025
The Swiss village of Blatten has been partially destroyed after a huge chunk of glacier crashed down into the valley.
Oceans Commission must have teeth – minister
14 May 2025
If an Oceans Commission were to be established under the government it would need genuine powers to make change, says Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones.
Water crisis on the horizon?
26 May 2025
Media release | Sewage contaminating Auckland oyster farms highlights the “dire state” of water infrastructure in Aotearoa, says University of Auckland Associate Professor Daniel Hikuroa.
Why expensive gas – not net-zero – is keeping UK electricity prices so high
Wed 28 May 2025
The UK’s high electricity prices have become intensely political, with competing claims over the cause of rocketing bills and how best to get them down.
Hotter and deeper: how NZ’s plan to drill for ‘supercritical’ geothermal energy holds promise and risk
2 Apr 2025
By David Dempsey, University of Canterbury | New Zealand’s North Island features a number of geothermal systems, several of which are used to generate some 1,000 MegaWatts of electricity. But deeper down there may be even more potential.
Electrification challenge for politicians, regulators
Tue 27 May 2025
Rewiring Aotearoa is calling for stronger political leadership to bring its vision of a cheaper, cleaner and stronger energy system to life, with the launch of its policy manifesto today.
Energy Australia is in court accused of greenwashing. What is the case about and why is it significant?
16 May 2025
Climate group alleges energy giant misled 400,000 customers about ‘Go Neutral’ product, arguing that carbon credits don’t actually remove emissions.
Methanex closure comes early this year
14 May 2025
The almost-now-annual closure of Methanex has come earlier this year, giving more confidence that the electricity system will get through the winter without a fuel shortfall.
While govt ‘refreshes’ fund for low carbon trucks, are transport emissions set to accelerate?
Wed 28 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has announced it is updating the Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund, however cuts to funds to decarbonise transport in last week’s budget, and potential changes to road user charges, could stall transport emissions reductions.
Climate change could drive surge in foreclosures and lender losses, new study finds
22 May 2025
Extreme weather linked to climate change could spell financial ruin for many American homeowners and lead to billions in losses for lenders, a new study finds.
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.
Energy Australia apologises to 400,000 customers and settles greenwashing legal action
22 May 2025
Energy retailer says carbon offsetting ‘not the most effective way’ to reduce emissions.
Kiwi cleantech companies on the world stage
Tue 27 May 2025
Six New Zealand 'cleantech' companies were in Singapore earlier this month, along with a venture capital firm and the MacDiarmid Institute, to meet investors and multinational partners.
Carbon News launches price index
24 Jun 2024
Today’s issue is the first to feature Carbon News’ own carbon price index for secondary market spot prices for NZUs on New Zealand’s compliance market.
New research reveals NZ’s natural resource footprint
Thu 29 May 2025
Media release | New research from the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment reveals that about 107 million tonnes of natural resources were required to produce the goods and services consumed by New Zealanders in 2019 – approximately 21 tonnes per person on average.
World’s nations to gather in France to tackle what UN says is a global emergency in the oceans
Fri 30 May 2025
The world’s nations are gathering in France next month to tackle what the United Nations calls a global emergency facing the world’s oceans as they confront rising temperatures, plastic pollution choking marine life, and relentless overexploitation of fish and other resources.
Europe’s next climate target may already have been agreed in Berlin
Wed 28 May 2025
Germany’s new coalition has adopted a climate stance shaped by talks with the EU’s top climate official, signalling where the bloc may land on a likely upcoming 2040 emissions target.
Warm water affecting Antarctica’s largest ice shelf - new research
22 Apr 2025
While Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf is currently stable, new research shows warm water is reaching up to 170 kilometres under the front of the ice shelf.
NZ's first chance in 20 years to catch up on waste
Fri 30 May 2025
Media release | The government has announced proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Kiwis have a chance to catch up with other countries to reduce our waste and litter.
Dismissals 'massive win' for climate movement
13 May 2025
The outstanding charges against 25 climate activists who disrupted traffic in Wellington have been dropped, a move the group calls a win for the climate movement.
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.
For the first time, China invests more in wind and solar than coal overseas
Thu 29 May 2025
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, long derided for its heavy carbon footprint, was dominated by wind and solar power projects for the first time from 2022 to 2023, according to a new analysis. But coal plants financed in earlier years are still coming online.
A fungus that can ‘eat you from the inside out’ could spread as the world heats up
Tue 27 May 2025
Infection-causing fungi responsible for millions of deaths a year will spread significantly to new regions as the planet heats up, new research predicts — and the world is not prepared.
Green budget 'ludicrous la-la land' – govt
15 May 2025
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the budget was "clown show economics" and an "absolute circus".
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.
More than 1 in 4 cars sold globally in 2025 expected to be EV: IEA report
26 May 2025
According to the Global EV Outlook 2025 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), 2025 is set to be big for EV sales. The report predicts that about one in four cars sold worldwide this year will be electric, despite overall market uncertainties.
Brazil seeks early deals on two stalled issues at Bonn climate talks
26 May 2025
Moving forward work on just transition and implementing recommendations from the Global Stocktake of climate progress are key priorities for upcoming UN negotiations.
Global sea levels rise spelling catastrophe for coastal towns and cities
14 May 2025
For around 2,000 years, global sea levels varied little. That changed in the 20th century. They started rising and have not stopped since — and the pace is accelerating.
Tropical forest loss hit new heights in 2024; fire a major driver in Latin America
23 May 2025
Tropical forest loss skyrocketed in 2024, with vast swaths of primary forest consumed by fire, according to new satellite data.
NZ moving too slowly to decarbonise – former commission chair
22 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand's energy transition is too slow and too controlled by vested interests, according to former Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr.
