Topics tagged with 'NZ ETS'
Stakeholders next up in ETS review
2 Feb 2016
The Emissions Trading Scheme review moves into stakeholder meetings this week.
Our leaders suddenly silent on climate change
2 Feb 2016
The world’s leaders might have been talking big on climate change in Paris in December, but our local versions have been remarkably quiet on the subject in their state-of-the-nation speeches.
Could a levy on air and shipping fuel sink emissions?
2 Feb 2016
Global agreements to aim for “well below” 2deg warming are nice enough, but now it’s time to develop some detailed policies to help us to get there.
Eight submitters lead in the charge on ETS
18 Jan 2016
Just eight people and organisations have so far made submissions on the latest review of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Carbon closing in on $10 mark
18 Jan 2016
Carbon has started the year with a bang, trading good volume at prices pushing toward $10.
ETS hits the highway
18 Jan 2016
The Government is going on the road to hear what people think about the Emissions Trading Scheme.
COMMENT: Great, now all we need is a plan
15 Dec 2015
By editor ADELIA HALLETT.- Two months ago, Northern Employers and Manufacturers' Association chief Kim Campbell let fly on climate change.
Carbon prices lift 50% since beginning of year
15 Dec 2015
Carbon prices are closing the year 50 per cent up on where they started the 12 months.
Facts come first, says our new climate chief
15 Dec 2015
The first big job facing new Climate Change Minister is the review of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Govt didn't ask officials about agriculture and the ETS review
15 Dec 2015
The Government got no advice from officials on excluding agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme – despite officials earlier saying it should be included.
Foresters likely have cover for fire losses
15 Dec 2015
Most of the forests involved in a fire burning in Marlborough are likely to have been insured against carbon loss.
Hansen: Why global ‘carbon fee’ system will work
7 Dec 2015
Former NASA climate scientist James Hansen has called for a global “carbon fee” in which fossil fuels are taxed when they are produced or imported, rather than when they are consumed.
Little strengthens climate change muscle
30 Nov 2015
Labour leader Andrew Little has used today’s shadow cabinet reshuffle to send a strong signal on climate change and environmental issues, by boosting the issue up the rankings, appointing a spokesperson specifically for Pacific Islands climate change issues, and introducing a water portfolio.
$400m cost attached to keeping 1:2 subsidy
30 Nov 2015
Retaining the one-for-two subsidy for emitters will cost taxpayers $400 million – and that’s just at today’s carbon prices, says climate law expert Simon Watt.
Treat agriculture like anyone else, says Caygill
30 Nov 2015
Agriculture should not be treated any differently from any other trade-exposed industry, says the man who led the previous Emissions Trading Scheme Review.
Plant to beat emissions, expert tells farmers
30 Nov 2015
Cutting production is not the only way for New Zealand to offset agricultural emissions, says a forestry expert.
Agriculture fails to make the cut
24 Nov 2015
Agriculture - responsible for nearly half New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions - is not part of the Government’s just-announced review of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Groser hints at boost for carbon prices
23 Nov 2015
The Government has given the clearest signal yet that it intends to push carbon prices up as part of a package to meet the expected $30 billion cost of New Zealand’s 2030 emissions reduction target.
Groser: I've given no advice on stranded assets
16 Nov 2015
Climate Change Minister Tim Groser says he has given no advice to Finance Minister Bill English on protecting people’s pensions against the risk of stranded assets in fossil fuel companies.
Get the waka back on course, says Maori expert
9 Nov 2015
Environmental protection, hard-hitting policies on climate change, and a carbon price floor should all be part of a drive to rebuild the economy, a Maori economic development consultant says.
Time running out on ETS review promises
9 Nov 2015
Parliament might have just a month of work left on its schedule for the year, but there’s still no sign of the promised Emissions Trading Scheme review.
Higher carbon prices the key, says new book
2 Nov 2015
New Zealand needs higher carbon prices, says the author of a handbook on the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Best not to mess with agriculture yet, says NZ First
2 Nov 2015
Agriculture should be left out of the Emissions Trading Scheme until other countries act on biological emissions, says New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.
EDITORIAL: The times they are a-changin' ... quickly
27 Oct 2015
By editor ADELIA HALLETT.- There’s been a sea change in climate change. While some far-sighted New Zealand businesses have been planning for a carbon-constrained economy for some time, the rest of the business world is catching up.
Groser confirms ETS review this year
21 Oct 2015
The Emissions Trading Scheme review will start this year, Climate Change Minister Tim Groser has confirmed.
Business needs to take a stand
21 Oct 2015
Business needs to take a clear stand on carbon pricing, says former Climate Change Ambassador Dr Adrian Macey.
Papers suggest what's on the table at ETS review
19 Oct 2015
Agricultural emissions, the one-for-two surrender subsidy, and the $25 price cap are likely to be on the table in the Emissions Trading Scheme review this year, according to confidential Government papers.
Australian states threaten to go back to the future
5 Oct 2015
China has added itself to the list of countries prepared to price carbon. Of course, Australia knows more about putting a national price on carbon than almost any other country. And it also knows about dismantling such a price.
Our farming economics are flawed, says economist
28 Sep 2015
Agricultural emissions can be cut without affecting profitability, according to a former Treasury and Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry economist.
UN offers Kyoto credits direct to public
28 Sep 2015
The United Nations is offering Kyoto-compliant carbon credits directly to the public.
Anyway, says Key, the ETS was brought in by National
28 Sep 2015
Prime Minister John Key is claiming credit for bringing in the Emissions Trading Scheme – despite the fact his party actually voted against it.
How Groser battled for a 15% emissions cut
21 Sep 2015
Climate Change Minister Tim Groser wanted New Zealand to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 15 per cent below 1990 levels by 2030, a Treasury email shows.
No action on agriculture could cost us $13b
21 Sep 2015
Keeping agriculture out of the Emissions Trading Scheme could cost taxpayers $13 billion between 2020 and 2030, Treasury says.
Business, officials want cross-party climate deal
14 Sep 2015
High government officials and business leaders have recommended cross-party consensus on climate change - something the Government has since ruled out.
Advisers scrap over emissions cuts target
7 Sep 2015
Government departments are divided over how New Zealand should approach its post-2020 emissions reduction target – a target which the Government was going to set at just 6 per cent, Cabinet papers reveal.
Greens bend to seek political climate consensus
7 Sep 2015
A strong carbon price, a green investment bank and a climate commission are emerging as the basis of a political consensus on climate change policy – at least on one side of the House.
Australia’s new cap a trading scheme in all but name
7 Sep 2015
The Australian Government has released its final draft for a cap on greenhouse gas emissions. The “safeguard mechanism” will form part of the government’s central climate policy, and will fine large businesses for exceeding emissions baselines.
What really happened with Kyoto ERUs
7 Sep 2015
Emissions trading needs to be backed by ambitious targets, transparent reporting and international accountability if it is to be effective in tackling climate change.
Stranded-assets threat making mark on business
31 Aug 2015
The risk of being left with stranded assets is focusing business attention on climate change, says the organiser of an up-coming business conference in Auckland.
New figures show foresters deserting tree-planting
24 Aug 2015
More of New Zealand’s post-1989 plantation forests are outside the Emissions Trading Scheme than are in it.
Australia's 'weak' emissions targets don't add up
17 Aug 2015
Australia has a huge gap between its projected and target 2030 emissions, an analyst is warning.
'Myopic focus' costing us climate change progress
17 Aug 2015
New Zealand might have reached the limits of its ability to exploit natural resources, the Labour Party says.
Review ETS after Paris, says climate lawyer
17 Aug 2015
The Emissions Trading Scheme review should be pushed off into next year, a climate change lawyer says.
Caygill sets out on new energy mission
3 Aug 2015
Former Finance Minister David Caygill is to chair the BusinessNZ Energy Council – a group of energy companies whose mission is to secure a sustainable energy future for New Zealand.
Treasury maps out our path to a low-carbon enconomy
27 Jul 2015
A strong carbon price, better urban planning, a climate commission and systematic assessment of how government policies affect climate change would help New Zealand’s transition to a low-carbon economy, Treasury says.
One year on from the carbon price experiment, the rebound in emissions is clear
27 Jul 2015
Just over a year ago, Australia concluded a unique public policy experiment. For the preceding two years and two weeks, it had put a price on a range of greenhouse gas emitting activities, most significantly power generation.
'Failed' NZ could be walking into trap at Paris climate summit
13 Jul 2015
New Zealand could be in trouble with its post-2020 emissions reduction target if the world doesn’t allow us to continue to use creative accounting to meet our obligations, international scientists are warning.
Businesses put brakes on climate action, says study
13 Jul 2015
Fewer businesses are taking action on greenhouse gases than two years ago, Waikato University’s latest sustainability report shows.
Foresters see need for big ETS changes
13 Jul 2015
Major changes will need to be made to the Emissions Trading Scheme if New Zealand wants to meet its just-announced post-2020 emissions reduction target.
Media round-up
Fri 26 Jun 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: the UK Government is questioning whether New Zealand's oil and gas investment breaches its free trade deal; the Infrastructure Commission warns the government to slow down its LNG plans; and Shane Jones has a grim visitor outside the Environmental Defence Society's conference.
French farmers suffer arid crops, heat-stricken animals
Fri 26 Jun 2026
France's current heatwave is taking a toll on farmers, who are seeing livestock die and are racing against time to harvest cereals without sparking fires in the tinder-dry crops.
$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.
Airline CEOs warn EU plan to expand carbon costs will raise fares
10 Jun 2026
Europe's biggest airlines have urged the European Union not to extend its Emissions Trading System to cover international flights, warning the move would raise ticket prices, a letter seen by Reuters showed.
'Not enough': Pressure mounts to scrap conservation bill despite Potaka retreat
Fri 26 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Conservation Minister Tama Potaka's walkback of a proposal to allow the sale of public conservation land has failed to quell opposition, with environmental groups and the Green Party saying the Conservation Amendment Bill should be scrapped entirely.
'Stored solar': Bioenergy Association touts cost benefits of biomass boilers over gas
Wed 24 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | Businesses across New Zealand are warming to bioenergy, but advocates believe woody biomass could play a far greater role as a replacement for more expensive natural gas and electric heat options.
Scrutiny week reveals unresolved trade-offs
Wed 24 Jun 2026
Last week's select committee scrutiny hearings showed how far the Government's energy and environment agenda has moved from target-setting to implementation. They also showed how many unresolved trade-offs now sit beneath that shift.
It’s too hot in Europe – again
Fri 26 Jun 2026
Europeans are experiencing their second heat wave this summer. One climate scientist called the weather event a “sad inevitability.”
Carbon auction failures show ETS working, Watts says
Tue 23 Jun 2026
Failed government carbon auctions show the emissions trading scheme is working as intended rather than broken, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.
China's coal power on the rise again in 2026, reversing first-in-a-decade decline
Thu 25 Jun 2026
China's coal-fired power generation is set to rebound this year from its first fall in a decade, analysts said, due to the impact of El Nino and the Iran war and as renewable sources of energy have failed to keep pace with demand.
Looking behind the headline costs of offshore mitigation
18 Jun 2026
COMMENT: A closer look at Treasury’s analysis reveals assumptions that undervalue the case for using offshore mitigation as part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s global climate contribution, writes Catherine Leining.
Green building council calls for clean energy policies
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.
Forestry at heart of ETS problems – commissioner
Wed 24 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Forestry is a central driver of growing problems within New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton told the Environment Select Committee during Parliamentary Scrutiny Week.
Lake Onslow pumped hydro consortium secures funding for consent push
Fri 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.
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.
High Court hearing highlights the 'shrinking pool' for fisheries research and science
Mon 22 Jun 2026
Media release: Environmental Law Initiative | At the close of a four-day High Court hearing challenging the government’s under-levying of the fishing industry, the Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) says more science, research and observer coverage is needed to protect marine wildlife and ecosystems from the impacts of fishing.
Burning forest ‘waste’ to make cement damages the climate
Wed 24 Jun 2026
The Australian government has agreed to invest almost $53 million in a north Tasmanian company that will upgrade its coal-fired kiln to burn wood “waste” and used tyres for cement manufacturing.
Commissioner ‘unconvinced’ LNG is the best dry-year solution
Fri 26 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has told the Energy Minister he is “unconvinced” the government’s proposed LNG import terminal is the best ‘dry year’ solution for the country, and criticised the Government’s “extremely limited” options analysis.
Gas transition loan scheme nears launch as savings modelled
Tue 23 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | Commercial gas users could potentially save thousands of dollars a year by using Crown-backed loans to fund fuel-switching and energy efficiency projects, new modelling indicates.
Cabinet green-lights $55M super-critical geothermal drilling programme
9 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Cabinet has agreed to release the $55 million unspent of the $60m secured by Resources Minister Shane Jones to drill up to 5 kilometres deep into super-critical geothermal heat under the Taupō volcanic zone.
NZ Taxonomy project scoops London Climate Week award
Wed 24 Jun 2026
The New Zealand Taxonomy project has scooped an innovation award at the International Climate Bonds awards in London this week.
Carbon capture and the need for ‘net zero oil’
16 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The answer to making carbon capture and storage work is to make fossil fuel producers responsible for making it happen rather than consumers, says Oxford University climate change policy expert, Professor Myles Allen.
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.
Importing LNG would raise costs and emissions: it’s a terrible decision for New Zealand
9 Jun 2026
COMMENT: Today’s announcement from the Government is political smoke and mirrors, with electricity users’ wallets still set to bear the brunt of the proposed LNG facility, writes Christina Hood.
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.
$75k up for grabs for climate resilience and inclusion projects
Thu 25 Jun 2026
Community organisations and charities working to strengthen climate resilience and social inclusion can apply for a share of $75,000 through the QBE Foundation's 2026 Local Grants.
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.
Verra reinstates Kenya carbon project despite ongoing court case
Thu 25 Jun 2026
The Northern Kenya Grassland Carbon project is “the world’s largest soil carbon removal project” according the organisation running the project. It is also one of the most controversial carbon projects anywhere in the world.
Canadian firm seeks Crown co-investment for Genesis-supported gas storage project
19 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | A proposed gas storage project supported by Genesis Energy has sought Crown co-investment through the $200 million Gas Security Fund.
National promises low-cost solar loans for households
Thu 25 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The National Party is promising a Home Energy Fund to accelerate the roll-out of household solar, batteries, insulation and other energy resilience measures if it is re-elected this year.
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”
Thu 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.
US defence spending on critical minerals surges in the last decade
Mon 22 Jun 2026
Members of communities affected by some of these projects said that U.S. state backing has meant projects are being fast-tracked without the necessary social and environmental checks or meaningful consultation.
Mombasa ocean summit drives progress on marine protection, but threats persist
Tue 23 Jun 2026
At the 11th Our Ocean conference in Kenya, its founder John Kerry says the ocean must become central to climate solutions and needs to be looked after.
Hipkins pans LNG plan as ‘massive step backwards’
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.
UN’s first Paris Agreement carbon credits face human rights and climate concerns
17 Jun 2026
Civil society groups allege the cookstove project in Myanmar exaggerated its climate impact while maintaining ties with military junta.
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.
Six NZ climate solutions up for 2026 Earthshot prize
21 May 2026
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.
Labour won't scrap RMA replacement laws: Hipkins
Fri 26 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins says New Zealand needs to move beyond the "repeal and replace" approach to resource management, confirming the party would amend rather than scrap the Government's RMA reforms, if elected.
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.
Why China's critical minerals strategy leaves the US behind
8 Jun 2026
The United States cannot realistically recreate that dominance overnight even if the political will existed.
Sustainable finance taxonomy for energy sector – consultation
8 Jun 2026
The Centre for Sustainable Finance is consulting on the sustainable finance taxonomy’s draft energy sector criteria.
Lessons from Australia: Climate Change Authority chair cites rapid roll-out of household solar, batteries
19 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | Australia is rapidly outpacing New Zealand when it comes to new household solar and battery systems, lowering electricity costs and driving down the carbon intensity of installed generation.
The merchants of doubt are coming for extreme event attribution science
18 Jun 2026
Andrew Dessler: Fossil-fuel companies are acutely aware that this research could land them in court. And losing those cases would leave them legally liable for billions of dollars in climate damages.
Calder Stewart to invest $110m for solar across industrial portfolio
Tue 23 Jun 2026
Media release | NZ’s largest industrial landowner is preparing one of the country’s most significant industrial rooftop solar rollouts, with Calder Stewart set to invest more than $110 million in solar panels and battery storage across its property portfolio.
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.
Lack of finance stalling sustainable innovation – report
12 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A lack of access to suitable finance is threatening growth in New Zealand's sustainable innovation sector, despite strong confidence and ambitious expansion plans among purpose-driven businesses, according to a new report.
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.
Media round-up
19 Jun 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The Government is set to quietly scrap a looming ban on coal boilers; some South Dunedin homes may be relocated as climate risks increase; and more details emerge about the handling of documents linked to the undisclosed climate case briefing.
‘Those blocking climate science are not our friends': Pacific leaders warn at Bonn talks
Tue 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.
New refrigerant scheme targets potent greenhouse gases
18 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand is set to introduce its second regulated product stewardship scheme under the Waste Minimisation Act, targeting synthetic refrigerants that account for around 2% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions.
Waikato Council advances water security action plan
Tue 23 Jun 2026
Waikato Regional Council has endorsed a new action plan to strengthen the region’s water security.
Increase in wildfire-driven ozone linked to premature deaths across the U.S.
10 Jun 2026
Smog linked to wildfires is getting worse across much of the U.S., playing a role in more than 300 additional premature deaths every year since 2013, researchers say.
New Zealand faces $26b energy infrastructure challenge, report warns
15 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand will need an additional $26 billion of investment in energy infrastructure over the next 30 years to meet its decarbonisation goals, with a new report warning that policy certainty is critical to unlocking the renewable generation needed to power a low-carbon economy.
