Topics tagged with 'NZ ETS'
10 YEARS AGO...
1 Jul 2021
Ten years ago, emitters covered by the Emissions Trading Scheme surrendered 8.3 million tonnes of carbon credits for the previous year's emissions. Those who didn’t surrender credits for their emissions paid a total of $930,000 to the Government instead.
10 YEARS AGO...
29 Jun 2021
Ten years ago, the then Labour leader of the opposition, Phil Goff, told Federated Farmers that under a Labour government agricultural emission would be included in the ETS.
10 YEARS AGO...
28 Jun 2021
Ten years ago, The Environmental Protection Authority opened for business. It took over responsibility for running the ETS the following year.
NZU price keeps climbing
25 Jun 2021
NZUs are trading at all-time highs of more than $43 on both CommTrade and Carbon Match today
Carbon dividend would be “socially progressive”: Shaw
24 Jun 2021
Climate Change Minister James Shaw told this morning’s Environment Select Committee that using revenues from ETS auctions to pay a carbon dividend would be “socially progressive.”
ETS auction clears at $41.70
23 Jun 2021
The second NZ ETS auction cleared at a price of $41.70 today.
NZU prices plateau before 2nd ETS auction
22 Jun 2021
Prices for NZUs have plateaued around the $41 mark in the lead up to tomorrow’s ETS auction.
10 YEARS AGO...
22 Jun 2021
Ten years ago, New Zealand carbon prices were expected to drop following falls in Europe.
10 YEARS AGO...
21 Jun 2021
Ten years ago, a panel reviewing the ETS said it was considering measures that would reward farmers with carbon credits for cutting greenhouse gas emissions
New forward carbon product launched
18 Jun 2021
Media Release - emsTradepoint Ltd (a subsidiary of Transpower) has today launched a new quarterly forward product for carbon.
10 YEARS AGO...
16 Jun 2021
Ten years ago, an executive from Shell Australia was saying the ETS was a more effective way to fight climate change than government subsidies to renewable energy.
EU to compensate vulnerable household for carbon related price hikes
16 Jun 2021
The European Commission is setting up a fund to support vulnerable households whose fuel bills increase as a result of its plan to expand carbon pricing to transport and buildings’ heating systems.
NZ carbon price hits all time highs
15 Jun 2021
NZUs fixed at $40.50 on both CommTrade and Carbon Match yesterday, an all time high but still only about half of what's being paid for carbon credits Europe and the UK.
Getting people out of their cars a top priority
14 Jun 2021
The lead author of a 2016 Royal Society report that recommended a feebate scheme says yesterday’s announcement is welcome news but getting people out of their cars remains a top priority.
ETS needs strengthening: ClimCom
11 Jun 2021
The Climate Change Commission has recommended that the ETS be amended to further tilt incentives towards emission reduction and away from the planting of exotic forests.
Responses to ClimCom final advice divides along usual lines
10 Jun 2021
An avalanche of press releases in response to yesterday’s release of the Climate Change Commission’s final advice to the government sees interest groups dividing along familiar lines.
10 YEARS AGO...
10 Jun 2021
Ten years ago, the operators of a Waikato aboretum won the right to sell carbon credits from their trees.
Inaia tonu nei – the time is now
9 Jun 2021
Inaia tonu nei – the time is now: a low emissions future for Aotearoa – the Climate Commission’s final advice to the Government, released to the public today, says a revision of the New Zealand’s baseline emissions has made the task ahead “slightly more difficult.”
10 YEARS AGO...
9 Jun 2021
Ten years ago, NZUs were trading for between $19.65 to $19.85, on light volume.
Offsetting beer's environmental hangover
8 Jun 2021
Next time you take a swig of Steinlager you can rest easy knowing that Lion has paid one cent to offset the carbon emitted during its brewing.
NZU price on the up
8 Jun 2021
After dropping from a high of $39.60 in February to $36.25 last month, the price of NZUs is on the way up, crossing the $38 mark today.
10 YEARS AGO...
2 Jun 2021
Ten years ago, the Australian Government was advised that putting a price on carbon would spur innovation and have no disruptive effect on the economy.
ClimCom and National Party at odds over ETS
28 May 2021
An opinion piece by Climate Change Commission Chair Rod Carr reiterating the commission’s position that the ETS alone won’t deliver a desirable low emissions future has riled up the National Party.
Cutthroat competition preventing decarbonisation: Westpac
28 May 2021
The cutthroat nature of the road freight industry is preventing it from making meaningful moves towards decarbonisation, according to new research by Westpac NZ’s economic team.
How should that $3 billion in ETS revenues be spent?
27 May 2021
Paying farmers to reduce their stocks, electrifying the main trunk line, and subsidies to zero-carbon housing, are some of the ideas suggested by experts for how the Government should spend the estimated $3 billion dollars raised over the next five years from the ETS auctions.
10 YEARS AGO...
25 May 2021
Ten years ago, Labour floated the idea of sweetening the carbon deal for farmers by letting them become the point of obligation under the ETS.
95 per cent of electricity renewable within five years
24 May 2021
In an open letter to the Government, the country’s major electricity companies say they are confident 95 per cent of the nation’s electricity will come from renewables within in the next five years.
Gas to flicker on?
24 May 2021
Without extra investment New Zealand could find itself without enough gas supply to ensure security of electricity by 2026, a regulator has warned.
10 YEARS AGO...
24 May 2021
Ten years ago, it was reported that farmers would have to pay about 2.8 cents a litre of milk solids if biogenic-methane were included in the ETS.
Singapore to launch global carbon exchange
24 May 2021
A new Singapore-based global exchange for high-quality carbon credits will be launched by the end of the year.
Is that lithium or methane on the Govt’s breath?
21 May 2021
In 1985, then prime minister, David Lange, memorably quipped that he could smell the uranium on the pro-nuclear televangelist Jerry Falwell’s breath during an Oxford Union debate.
10 YEARS AGO...
20 May 2021
Ten years ago, new rules for measuring the carbon stored in forests were gazetted.
World's largest carbon market booming
20 May 2021
The cost of polluting in Europe is experiencing a meteoric rise unlike any period since its inception in 2005, driven higher by the region’s ambitious climate policy and increased financial investment in the market.
10 YEARS AGO...
19 May 2021
Ten years ago, the Government allocated $1.6m a year for the following four years for reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme
The winding road to decarbonising transport
17 May 2021
With yesterday’s pre-budget announcement of $41.8 million for the state sector to lease low emissions vehicles, and last week’s release of a Ministry of Transport green paper on transitioning to net zero by 2050 a map of how New Zealand could decarbonise its transport sector is emerging.
10 YEARS AGO...
17 May 2021
Ten years ago, the Government set aside $1.6m a year for reviewing the Emissions Trading Scheme.
10 YEARS AGO...
14 May 2021
Ten years ago, a review of the ETS was looking at an Australian proposal to give farmers tradeable credits for storing carbon in soil.
High carbon price hits coal
13 May 2021
Europe's record-high carbon prices are driving down coal use,
NZU price tipped to cross $40 mark before the end of the year
11 May 2021
Seven out of nine respondents to an international carbon market survey believe the price of NZUs will cross the $40 mark before the end of the year.
Investor Group on Climate Change outgoing CEO optimistic about the future
10 May 2021
The outgoing CEO of the Investor Group on Climate Change, Emma Herd, says she’s never felt more optimistic about the likelihood of the world successfully dealing with climate change.
10 YEARS AGO...
10 May 2021
Ten years ago, nearly nine million NZUs had been issued for carbon stored in post-1989 forests.
Rail plan lacks climate ambition
6 May 2021
The Government has highlighted the 2.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases New Zealand Rail prevents from entering the atmosphere each year, in its just released NZ Rail Plan, but a climate change expert says the plan is disappointing in its lack of ambition.
Simon Upton’s spirited defence of a departure tax
6 May 2021
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, gave a spirited defence of his proposal for a departure tax at today’s Environment Select Committee, despite the Government having ruled it out in the near term.
10 YEARS AGO...
5 May 2021
Ten years ago, forestry planting was at an historic low due to uncertainty around the ETS.
10 YEARS AGO...
30 Apr 2021
Ten years ago, officials were rejecting calls to allow the owners of small forestry blocks to use a new system for measuring carbon
OPINION: NZ needs financial strategies to deal with climate crises
29 Apr 2021
By DAVID HALL | When it comes to climate change, money talks. Climate finance is critical for enabling a low-emissions transition. This involves investment and expenditure — public, private, domestic and transnational — that demonstrably contributes to climate mitigation, adaptation or both.
Best by the rest...
29 Apr 2021
Our weekly roundup of notable climate change stories featured in the local media, includes: a survey that shows most Kiwis back the ClimCom recommendations; an call for indigenous people to lead the way in climate talks, and a deep dive into Fonterra's emissions.
10 YEARS AGO...
29 Apr 2021
TEN YEARS AGO, a panel reviewing the ETS was considering whether to ban gas credits generated from the destruction of HFC23 and nitrous oxide from industrial plants.
Media round-up
Fri 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.
Extreme heat threatens global food systems, UN agencies warn
Thu 23 Apr 2026
Extreme heat is pushing global agrifood systems to the brink, threatening the livelihoods and health of more than a billion people, according to a new report by the U.N.'s food and weather agencies.
$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.
Biodiversity plan heavy on talk, light on action, expert warns
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A newly released government biodiversity implementation plan has been criticised for lacking practical action, with one expert saying it focuses too heavily on discussion and data gathering rather than delivering results on the ground.
Burning wood for power worse for climate than gas equivalent, report finds
21 Apr 2026
Research casts doubt on plans by the UK government to offer subsidies for carbon capture attached to the power source.
Commission advises no change to ETS settings but warns Govt of looming risks
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Climate Change Commission is warning the Government of a possible shortfall of Emissions Trading Scheme units by the late 2020s and says the scheme will struggle to provide an investment signal by the mid-2030s.
Here’s what to expect from the first conference on transitioning away from fossil fuels
Fri 24 Apr 2026
Delegates from more than 50 countries are gathering in Santa Marta, Colombia, from April 24 to 29 at the first-ever Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels.
Carbon ‘stockpile’ up 9 million in March quarter
10 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | The ‘stockpile’ of pollution permits (NZUs) in private accounts has increased by just over 9 million to almost 145 million since the end of 2025, according to the latest figures from the Environmental Protection Authority.
Victorian Hydrogen announces Southland urea fertiliser project using coal
Wed 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.
Supply-side pressures and political uncertainty ahead for carbon market
7 Apr 2026
By Kristen Green | ANALYSIS: With failed auctions, a surge of new forestry registrations, and an election a few months away, the NZ ETS in 2026 will be subject to a mix of supply-side pressures and political uncertainty.
Latest emissions inventory: ‘Something has gone very wrong’
16 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 decreased by just 0.1% compared to 2023, in what an expert says is a “terrible result”, compared to faster progress in previous years.
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.
Carbon price rises as lack of forestry credits hint at tightening supply
21 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Prices on the secondary carbon market have rallied to their highest point in 2026, recovering to levels last seen in November last year, just before the Government announced it was unlinking the Emissions Trading Scheme from international climate goals.
Announcements expected soon on $200M gas fund
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Fossil fuel companies appear likely to take up a $200 million government fund to encourage additional oil and gas exploration, dashing lobbyist Business New Zealand’s hopes that it might be repurposed to underwrite industrial electrification.
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.
Northland community climate resilience fund faces massive demand
Fri 24 Apr 2026
By Susan Botting, Local Democracy Reporter | A three‑year‑old ratepayer-funded Northland Regional Council community climate resilience fund is experiencing strong demand, with to date around five times more money sought than is available.
Transport dominates NZ’s rising consumer emissions
10 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Transport pollution was the biggest contributor to an increase in New Zealand’s consumption-based emissions in 2023, with emissions from household travel up 12%, and consumption-based emissions totalling 58.3 million tonnes – up 1.6% from the previous year.
NZ cleantech could match forests in emissions cuts – but funding gap looms
Wed 22 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A handful of New Zealand cleantech startups could cut global emissions by 19.2 million tonnes a year by 2030, but a lack of capital is threatening to slow their scale-up, a new report shows.
Going concern status flags depth of Methanex NZ's gas crisis
21 Apr 2026
Methanex's New Zealand operation is relying on financial support from its Canadian parent to remain a going concern after a second consecutive year of asset impairments left the business with negative equity.
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.”
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.
Self-interest should drive investment in overseas climate action, says former climate commissioner
13 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Wealthy countries – including New Zealand – aren’t doing nearly enough to fund climate mitigation in the developing world, with new research saying we need to "change the conversation" to spark action in this vital area.
Fonterra admits ‘100% grass-fed’ claim breached law in greenwashing row
2 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Fonterra has admitted its “100% New Zealand grass-fed” claims on Anchor butter were misleading and breached the law, settling a case brought by Greenpeace Aotearoa over packaging used between December 2023 and April 2025.
Mercury signs major hydro upgrade programme with ANDRITZ
Thu 23 Apr 2026
Media release | Mercury has signed a contract with international technology group ANDRITZ as part of a $590 million upgrade of three of the nine hydro stations on the Waikato River.
NZ prepares to join ‘gold rush’ for white hydrogen
25 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand may be close to commercialising the capture and use of naturally occurring ‘white’ hydrogen, with investment plans for developments in the Wairarapa region picking up pace in response to spiralling oil prices.
Storms hitting New Zealand every eight days
Thu 23 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Storms are now striking New Zealand nearly every week, with new data showing a sharp rise in frequency and intensity as the country reels from repeated flooding and extreme 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.
Environmental groups sue Trump administration over approval of new ultra deep-water drilling project
Thu 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.
Tehran will never cede control of Strait of Hormuz, senior Iranian politician tells BBC
21 Apr 2026
"Never." That's when a senior Iranian lawmaker says they'll be ready to give up their control of the Strait of Hormuz.
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.
Climate pollution static but NZ still on track for first emissions budget, says MfE
17 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand is still on track to meet its first emissions budget, according to the Ministry for the Environment, despite the pace of emissions reductions slowing to a standstill.
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 Islands call for fossil fuel phase-out, NZ hangs back
Thu 23 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Pacific Islands nations have launched a landmark declaration for a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific, calling for a Fossil Fuel Treaty and urgent phase-out of fossil fuels, however New Zealand isn’t rushing to join the call.
Kiwis overly optimistic about state of environment
27 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New research suggests many New Zealanders believe the environment is in better shape than it really is, with public perceptions often out of step with scientific evidence.
‘They pushed so many lies about recycling’: the fight to stop big oil pumping billions more into plastics
24 Feb 2026
Plastic production has doubled over the last 20 years – and will likely double again. For author Beth Gardiner, metal water bottles and canvas tote bags are not the solution. So what is?
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.
China has a new competitor? Kazakhstan reveals huge rare Earth deposit that could power the next tech boom
25 Feb 2026
China’s grip on rare earths might finally see some competition, and the world is already taking notice.
Environment ministry straining under pressure of reforms and potential disestablishment
15 Apr 2026
The ministry responsible for New Zealand’s most significant resource management reform in a generation is doing so under institutional strain, compressed timeframes, and an uncertain future – including its own potential disestablishment.
Timaru’s buses go fully electric
Thu 23 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Timaru’s bus service is set to go fully electric with the rollout of 10 new vehicles, marking a major step in cutting emissions and advancing Canterbury’s low-carbon public transport network.
UC researcher shortlisted for $1m global planet prize
Thu 23 Apr 2026
Media release | Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha University of Canterbury PhD candidate and research associate Daniel Hernández-Carrasco is one of 25 scientists worldwide recognised in the 2026 Frontiers Planet Prize for research helping humanity stay within Earth’s environmental limits.
Media round-up
17 Apr 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The fuel crisis is a chance for government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, what would it take to tap into New Zealand's oceans energy, and which political parties would subsidise your rooftop solar panels?
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.
AI surge gives carbon capture a new push
15 Apr 2026
Technology that captures carbon emissions from power plants may finally get a breakthrough as deep-pocketed tech companies try to meet climate goals while powering the AI race.
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.
Electric car sales soar 51% in mainland Europe as Iran war drives up fuel prices
Wed 22 Apr 2026
Buyers’ interest in electric cars has risen across Europe since the start of the war in Iran in late February, as the rising cost of petrol highlights the cheaper power available from a plug.
India walked away from its bid to host COP33 – here's why
16 Apr 2026
India has quietly abandoned its bid to host the UN's top-tier climate conference COP33, marking a shift from PM Narendra Modi's pledge in 2023. Experts and analysts explore what's behind the decision.
Infrastructure plan calls for ‘predictable approach’ to electrifying economy
18 Feb 2026
Aotearoa’s first National Infrastructure Plan, introduced to Parliament yesterday, calls for "a predictable approach to electrifying the economy" as one of ten priorities for the next decade.
Extreme weather in Wellington ‘a different beast’
21 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Climate scientist Luke Harrington says the small-scale but intense floods which have slammed the capital in recent days are the kind that intensify most rapidly in a warming climate – and are the hardest to predict.
Scientists forecast wildfire risk for species survival under climate change
Fri 24 Apr 2026
A new study warns climate change could increase the global area susceptible to wildfires in the future, putting many more species at risk than today.
Record 165 GW of wind power capacity added in 2025, led by China, report says
Wed 22 Apr 2026
The global wind industry installed a record 165 gigawatts of new capacity last year, up 40% from 2024 and mostly driven by China, a report by the Global Wind Energy Council said, adding this still lagged the pace needed to hit a key climate goal.
