Topics tagged with 'Low carbon'
The hard truth about carbon emissions
26 Oct 2022
Scientists and researchers admit despair at the failure of politicians to deliver meaningful climate emission reductions.
Pernod Ricard unveils €250m plan for carbon-neutral distillery in Ireland
19 Oct 2022
Whiskey company Irish Distillers, owned by Pernod Ricard, has announced a €250m investment to create a new distillery in East Cork that is carbon-neutral in its operations.
Climate change: Can an enormous seaweed farm help curb it?
17 Oct 2022
Imagine a huge seaweed farm the size of Croatia floating in the South Atlantic between Africa and South America. It could pull a billion tonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere every year and sink it to the ocean floor out of harm's way. Far-fetched? Maybe. But a British businessman plans to have this up and running by 2026.
Successes and struggles: Brazil’s 20-year Amazon reforestation carbon sink project
14 Oct 2022
The Peugeot-ONF Forest Carbon Sink project, implemented more than 20 years ago in northwestern Mato Grosso state, within the “arc of deforestation” of the Brazilian Amazon, has achieved significant ecological restoration and carbon sequestration results.
Marine institute eyes share of carbon trading billions
13 Oct 2022
The Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute (Kmfri) is planning to launch a carbon credit offset project in Lamu County. The project will emulate Kwale’s Mikoko Pamoja, the first carbon credit project where communities conserve mangroves and earn from offsets.
Farm soil carbon: Is the focus on sequestration right?
13 Oct 2022
Arable farmers must be realistic about the amount of carbon that can be locked up in soils and should be wary of exaggerated claims about sequestration, warns a leading soil scientist.
Beef in the time of net zero: Reducing livestock emissions in Latin America
13 Oct 2022
Beef production accounts for almost 60% of emissions from agriculture and land use change in Latin America, according to a recent study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). However, its researchers suggest it is possible to reduce these emissions through new production models and changes in diets.
Permafrost slumps spew carbon into streams, study shows
10 Oct 2022
Streams affected by permafrost slumps carry substantially more carbon than typically found in other streams flowing through permafrost landscapes, according to a new study.
Funding win for biotech startup aiming to reduce emissions with dairy alternatives
6 Oct 2022
Precision fermentation startup Daisy Lab is the first recipient of funding from a new initiative set up to reduce the failure rate of local social enterprises.
EVs add to electricity demand, but not as much as you might think
6 Oct 2022
California recently asked homeowners to reduce electricity consumption to help avoid blackouts as temperatures soared and the power system struggled to keep up. This specific brush with near-disaster had a new element that caught a lot of attention: a call to electric vehicle owners to avoid charging during peak demand hours.
China’s climate push could spawn new global players, even if Beijing falls short on its pledge
5 Oct 2022
Two years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping formally announced the world’s second largest economy would strive for peak carbon emissions in 2030, and carbon neutrality in 2060. These ambitions are spawning companies that could one day become global leaders in their fields.
Melbourne considering zero-carbon building rules
3 Oct 2022
A recent proposal suggests around 77 of the Melbourne CBD’s buildings would need to be “retrofitted” each year if the city is to meet its net-zero carbon emissions goals for 2040. The paper is being considered by the City of Melbourne’s Future Melbourne Committee this week.
Best by the rest...
30 Sep 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in the local media: A former petrolhead in Dunedin is converting gas guzzling vehicles to electric; children in Vanuatu are taking to the streets to protest climate change; and Keith Woodford dives deep into the how voluntary schemes surrounding carbon sequestration are regulated in the ETS.
Grasslands: the unsung carbon hero
29 Sep 2022
What's in a grassland? There are all sorts of wildflowers, many insects, animals like prairie dogs, bison and antelope — and beneath the surface, there's a lot of carbon.
Best by the rest...
23 Sep 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in the local media: A biofuel mandate prompts economic and environmental criticism; new research in Australia reveals conservative voters care just as much about the environment as climate change activists; and slow lawmaking is making it difficult to act on environmental regulation in time.
Vultures prevent tens of millions of metric tons of carbon emissions each year
22 Sep 2022
New research shows vultures are 'nature’s flying sanitation crew' and play an important part in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
Micromobility users want ICE vehicles phased out
21 Sep 2022
Nearly 90% of Kiwi micromobility users want petrol and diesel cars phased out, according to e-scooter and e-bike hire company Beam.
Squaring off between carbon taxes and renewable energy incentives
21 Sep 2022
Some European renewable energy producers are concerned that the EU may lose green energy investments to the United States in the wake of recently enacted U.S. legislation.
Mangroves keep carbon in the soil for 5,000 years
21 Sep 2022
On top of all the other dazzling biology, mangrove forests are massive carbon sinks. According to new research on a Mexican mangrove forest, they can keep carbon out of the atmosphere for millennia.
New tech aims to track carbon in every tree, boost carbon market integrity
20 Sep 2022
Climate scientists and data engineers have developed a new digital platform billed as the first-ever global tool for accurately calculating the carbon stored in every tree on the planet.
World’s biggest carbon capture plant set for Wyoming
20 Sep 2022
The US state of Wyoming is set to welcome the world’s largest direct air capture plant for the removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
SUVs and utes are overpowering electric cars in Australia’s vehicle emissions results
20 Sep 2022
Australia's surging appetite for large SUVs and diesel utes is countering any improvement in emissions from the growing number of electric cars on roads.
Aotearoa's biggest EV expo set to electrify the garden city
16 Sep 2022
Christchurch residents will have new inspiration to ditch fossil fuels, with the country’s biggest public display of new battery electric vehicles set to hit the city this weekend.
Best by the rest...
16 Sep 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in the local media: Keith Woodford investigates the carbon offset process in New Zealand; data shows that as petrol prices soared this year, sales dipped; and parent-organised 'bike chains' are helping Kiwi kids jump on their wheels to get to school.
Super Fund shifts $25 billion to low carbon indices
15 Sep 2022
The New Zealand Super Fund (NZSF) has shifted about 40% of its overall investment portfolio, worth about $25 billion, to market indices aligned with the Paris Agreement, the global treaty which aims to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
How to make kelp aquaculture a better - and more economical - carbon sink
15 Sep 2022
Researchers claim to have developed a kelp aquaculture model for the Gulf of Maine that maximises carbon sequestration and cost-effectiveness of this natural carbon sink.
Milestones for carbon capture projects at sea and in Scotland’s gas sector
15 Sep 2022
A major new partnership has been struck in Asia to develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) onboard ships, shortly after plans were unveiled for a major CCS trial at a gas-fired power plant in Scotland.
Low carbon homes could boost economy by $150 billion, slash emissions by 30 million tonnes
13 Sep 2022
Changes to the construction sector could give the economy a $150 billion boost, as well as slashing 30 million tonnes of CO2-e by 2050, a new study has found.
Floating solar farms are a game changer
13 Sep 2022
The sun’s power is virtually infinite — opportunities to collect and make use of it are not. As demand for renewable energy increases, so does the need for places to generate it.
World’s largest wind farm begins full operation off the coast of Yorkshire
5 Sep 2022
The world’s largest completed wind farm, the 1.3GW Hornsea 2 project off the coast of Yorkshire, is now in full operation, according to its developer, the Danish energy giant Ørsted.
Municipalities can overcome Europe’s fossil-fuel addiction
5 Sep 2022
Europe’s fossil-fuel addiction is painfully clear amid the global energy crisis and the unfolding horrors in Ukraine.
Can carbon capture and storage help Australia achieve net zero by 2050?
5 Sep 2022
Across Australia, 10 new offshore areas were last week approved for oil and gas exploration, as were permits for two new offshore greenhouse gas storage facilities.
Central Otago grower world’s first to go fossil fuel free
2 Sep 2022
By Liz Kivi | A Central Otago cherry grower believes they are the first in the world to operate a commercial food orchard without burning any fossil fuels.
Wooden cities ‘could save more than 100bn tonnes of CO2 by 2100’
2 Sep 2022
Housing a growing population in homes made out of wood instead of conventional steel and concrete could avoid more than 100 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions until 2100.
Living in timber cities could cut emissions, without using farmland for wood production
31 Aug 2022
Housing a growing population in homes made out of wood instead of conventional steel and concrete could avoid more than 100 billion tons of emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2 until 2100, a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research shows.
Commercial build projects to count the ‘cost’ of carbon
25 Aug 2022
Media Release - Construction projects will soon come with both a financial budget and a projected carbon estimate as quantity surveyors increasingly include carbon emissions in their advice to clients.
New sewage sludge facility to reduce capital’s emissions
24 Aug 2022
The Wellington City Council is seeking feedback on its plans to build a new Sludge Minimising Facility at Moa Point which is says will help reduce the city’s total emissions.
The 57,000 most-commonly consumed foods, ranked by environmental impact
18 Aug 2022
A team of UK researchers has developed an algorithm that ranks the environmental impact of 57,000 food products, creating one of the most comprehensive footprint libraries that currently exists.
"Sparky" the tug set to electrify Auckland ship moves
13 Jul 2022
The world's first full-sized ship-handling electric tug could be plying Auckland’s waters by the end of the month, with “Sparky” on track for handover and commissioning by July 25.
NZ agrees to help finance Samoa's climate goals
16 Jun 2022
New Zealand has agreed to help Samoa finance its climate goals, including its Nationally Determined Contribution, national climate adaptation plan, and a goal of 100% renewable energy generation by 2025.
South Taranaki offshore wind a step closer
15 Jun 2022
Offshore wind power is a step closer for South Taranaki, with the NZ Super Fund and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) preparing to take wind measurements.
Prometheus Materials uses algae-based cement to make masonry blocks
10 Jun 2022
Colorado-based Prometheus Materials has developed masonry blocks from a low-carbon cement-like material grown from micro-algae.
Waiheke Island leading the charge with EV uptake
7 Jun 2022
By Liz Kivi | Tiny Waiheke Island, with its resident population of 9500 people, is speeding ahead with the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).
Sustainability expo to showcase Wellington’s climate-conscious initiatives
3 Jun 2022
The Sustainability Trust is hosting a sustainability expo at Parliament on Wednesday, showcasing eco- and climate-friendly Wellington organisations.
Ministry consults on delay to improve insulation
31 May 2022
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is consulting on a proposal to push out requirements to better insulate new houses by six months.
Green Building Council slams insulation delay
27 May 2022
The Green Building Council has slammed government plans to delay improving new home insulation, just days after the measures were unveiled in the emissions reduction plan last week.
Kiwi carbon tracking company growing to meet international demand
27 May 2022
By Liz Kivi | A Kiwi fintec company, which tracks users’ individual carbon footprints, is predicting international demand will see them nearly double their staff in the next year.
Best by the rest...
27 May 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in the local media: How will the country meet emissions budgets? Different approaches to mode shift; and the disastrous effects of rising sea temperatures are already being felt.
Wellington’s flying fish soars above expectations
13 May 2022
Wellington’s first fast EV ferry is still making waves after two months in service, proving lighter, faster, and more energy efficient than its creators anticipated.
Biggest 'floating solar park' in Europe will open this year in Portugal
12 May 2022
Europe's largest floating solar park will take shape in July this year, in Portugal's Alqueva reservoir.