Topics tagged with 'Policy development'
Carbon capture and the need for ‘net zero oil’
Today 12:15pm
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.
Climate change minister tight-lipped on ACT climate policy
Today 12:15pm
By Liz Kivi | Climate Change Minister Simon Watts is keeping his cards close to his chest about the ACT Party’s election campaign pledge last week that it would resubmit New Zealand’s Paris Agreement target.
NZ biodiversity credits top global rankings
Today 12:15pm
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A New Zealand biodiversity credit project has topped global sales rankings, with Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari accounting for 43% of worldwide biodiversity credit transactions in May and adding momentum to the country's emerging voluntary nature market.
New Zealand faces $26b energy infrastructure challenge, report warns
Mon 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.
Bid to review Kāpiti Coast climate emergency declaration fails
Mon 15 Jun 2026
By Justin Wong, Local Democracy Reporter | Kāpiti Coast councillors have rejected a motion to review the local district council’s climate emergency declaration.
Govt looks to tighten ETS auction supply
Fri 12 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government is consulting on auctioning fewer ‘pollution permits’ for 2027-2031, a move it says would help meet the country’s domestic emissions targets while also maintaining short-term confidence in the ETS.
Lack of finance stalling sustainable innovation – report
Fri 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.
Media round-up
Fri 12 Jun 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: A legal expert labels the government's climate law change "constitutionally abhorrent", the first critical minerals project has applied for fast-track, and warming winters are changing New Zealand’s landscapes.
Treasury says 2030 climate target could cost $5 billion
Thu 11 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Treasury is predicting it could cost between $4.4 and $5 billion to buy the offshore mitigation needed to meet New Zealand’s 84-96 million tonne emissions reduction shortfall for its 2030 target under the Paris Agreement.
LNG imports might not be needed for 'dry year' security: redacted report
Thu 11 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The need for imported liquefied natural gas to provide security of supply in a dry year is low, according to newly released modelling, with some scenarios featuring higher levels of renewable generation requiring no gas imports at all.
Govt backs faster uptake of on-farm emissions tools with $51m fund
Thu 11 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is investing up to $51 million over three years to help accelerate the uptake of on-farm emissions reduction technologies, with a new AgriZeroNZ initiative aimed at getting proven tools into the hands of farmers sooner.
'Ad hoc, piecemeal, incomplete': NZ's approach to hazards not fit for purpose, says insurer
Wed 10 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand's ability to manage natural hazard risks is failing to keep pace with the growing threat posed by floods, storms, earthquakes and climate change, according to a new report from IAG.
Labour on overturning LNG: ‘we’d need to see the contract’
9 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | An incoming Labour government later this year would need “to look at the contract” before deciding whether it would be bound by the current government’s commitment to a user-pays funded liquefied natural gas terminal.
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.
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.
Farmers welcome Nats’ pledge to double QEII funding
9 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Federated Farmers has welcomed the National Party’s promise to double funding to the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust to $8.5 million if re-elected.
Meridian nears Pūkaki approval despite energy security warning
9 Jun 2026
Meridian Energy is close to winning fast-track approval to draw Lake Pūkaki deeper than normally allowed, despite the Energy Minister warning the move could weaken New Zealand’s dry-year electricity security and saying he does not support the application in its current form.
Oxfam calls on Govt to renew climate finance commitments
8 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government's failure to renew international climate finance commitments has left Pacific nations short at least $100 million a year, with Oxfam Aotearoa linking the funding gap to New Zealand's weakened Emissions Trading Scheme.
Diesel vs LNG – both high cost options for dry year cover
8 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | ANALYSIS: While last week’s Sapere report – looking at the Government’s proposed LNG terminal for electricity ‘dry year’ cover – says diesel would be better in the short-term, opting for diesel would lead to higher more volatile electricity spot prices in the next few years.
Waikato launches vision for energy transition bringing $4.5 billion investment to the region
8 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Waikato Regional Council has released a strategy aiming to position the region at the centre of New Zealand's energy transition, with plans to boost energy security, cut emissions and unlock billions of dollars in economic opportunities by 2050.
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.
Climate Commission consulting on update to emissions budget advice
5 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Climate Change Commission is consulting on updating its 2024 emissions budgets advice, with the update needed after the Government changed the biogenic methane target last year.
Media round-up
5 Jun 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The government must stop delaying decisions on funding climate adaptation, says Gisborne mayor; insurance conference exposes poor preparation for climate change; and Labour questions whether a disappearing climate briefing note was part of a deliberate cover-up.
LNG isn’t the best 'dry year' solution – new report
4 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s proposed LNG import terminal isn’t the best solution for ‘dry year’ electricity security, according to a new report.
Seven ‘new approaches’ to avoid our Paris commitments: Carr
4 Jun 2026
Praying for “new approaches” to materialise to meet our international climate obligations isn’t a strategy, writes Rod Carr.
Renewables alone won’t fix ‘broken’ electricity prices
4 Jun 2026
COMMENT: While many people agree the electricity market is broken, simply adding more renewables to a broken system isn’t the fix we need, writes Geoff Bertram.
Carbon removal plans falling billions of tonnes short, experts warn
3 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand needs to look beyond forestry and rapidly expand other forms of carbon removal to help meet global climate goals, according to a major international report.
Govt redirects energy innovation funding to solar on schools
3 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Schools will save money, have greater energy security, and reduce carbon emissions through a $30 million Government initiative to put solar panels on up to 500 schools across New Zealand, say Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Education Minister Erica Stanford.
Farmer's plea to council: Let us help unblock roads after severe weather
3 Jun 2026
A Central Hawke’s Bay farmer says it’s time for a conversation about allowing skilled and properly equipped locals to help councils clear debris and reopen roads after severe weather events.
Willis touting mysterious ‘new approaches’ to meet Paris Agreement
2 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Finance Minister Nicola Willis has again said that New Zealand is unlikely to buy significant offshore mitigation to meet the country’s international climate targets.
Lack of demand leads to Bathurst pausing coal mine expansion
2 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Bathurst Resources has confirmed it is struggling to find a market for coal from its planned extension of the Rotowaro coal mine in North Waikato, and is putting the project on ‘pause’.
NZ’s ‘light‑touch’ approach to voluntary carbon and nature markets may unlock finance but risks credibility
2 Jun 2026
By Jennifer Campion, University of Waikato | The government’s recent announcement of support for voluntary carbon and nature markets effectively offers a “warrant of fitness” to signal which markets can be trusted, without directly regulating them.
Govt legislates for more gas market transparency
2 Jun 2026
The Government has passed its Gas Market Transparency Bill through all stages under urgency, giving itself stronger powers to see into a gas market where tightening supply is creating significant uncertainty for businesses.
US to ‘kill’ climate disclosure rule
2 Jun 2026
In the latest action to undo Biden-era regulations on climate change, the Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed repealing a rule that requires some public companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and the risks they face from global warming.
Climate takes back seat in Budget 2026
29 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Climate change featured only lightly in Budget 2026, with most climate-related spending focused on resilience and disaster recovery rather than emissions reduction, while the Government again left out any updated estimate of the cost of meeting New Zealand’s Paris Agreement obligations.
Westport climate case study highlights need for national adaptation support
29 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A new Climate Change Commission case study on climate adaptation in Westport has highlighted growing concerns about flooding, climate resilience, and the psychological toll of repeated extreme weather events, with residents and councils calling for clearer national direction and greater funding support.
‘Shameful’ move to scrap Ministry for the Environment passes
28 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The curtain has fallen on the Ministry for the Environment after legislation paving the way for its merger into a new mega ministry passed its third reading in Parliament yesterday, with the opposition condemning the move as a major weakening of environmental protection and nature’s voice within government.
Climate health response falling short – report
28 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand’s latest National Climate Change Risk Assessment has exposed major gaps in the country’s response to climate-related health risks, with researchers warning current policies are underfunded, poorly coordinated, and failing to adequately protect vulnerable communities.
Huntly biomass option no cheap fix, Genesis tells MPs
28 May 2026
Genesis Energy says biomass can be burned in Huntly's Rankine units, but current costs put it in roughly the same price range as imported LNG and extra Rankine capacity would be expensive and could take years.
Wetland protections failing to stop losses
28 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New mapping commissioned by the Environmental Law Initiative shows wetlands across New Zealand are still being converted to pasture, forestry and mining despite stronger national protections introduced in 2020, with researchers warning enforcement gaps may be undermining the rules.
Officials told Govt not to stop climate court case
27 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Government officials advised ministers not to intervene in a groundbreaking climate court case, according to newly released documents.
ETS auction failures created $1.4b fiscal hole – Greens
27 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hit back at the Green Party's claim that the repeated failure of New Zealand’s carbon auctions has added a $1.4 billion 'fiscal hole', with Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick blaming the Government for undermining the ETS.
Geo-heat search explores exhausted oil and gas fields
27 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Underground heat from exhausted oil and gas fields are a new target for government-backed efforts to tap geothermal resources for electricity production and industrial use.
Govt’s LNG plan puts trade deals at risk, lawyers warn
26 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Lawyers for Climate Action are warning that the government’s plans for an LNG import terminal and to subsidise gas fields are in breach of New Zealand’s free trade agreements with the UK and the EU.
Thumbs up for Govt help for businesses transitioning from gas
26 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Businesses and climate advocates alike have welcomed the Government’s pre-budget announcement that it will help secure cheap lending for businesses transitioning from gas, as New Zealand’s domestic supply dwindles.
FMA urges sharper focus on climate risk disclosures
26 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand companies are making steady progress in climate-related financial disclosures, but the Financial Markets Authority says many organisations still need to provide clearer and more robust reporting on physical climate risks and their potential business impacts.
Greens bill to ban mining on conservation land drawn from ballot
26 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A Greens member’s bill seeking to ban new mining, prospecting and exploration on conservation land has been drawn from Parliament’s ballot, with the party saying the proposed law would close a loophole allowing mining on land set aside for environmental protection.
Climate Leaders Coalition on PM meetings: 'it wasn’t us'
25 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The 81-member Climate Leaders Coalition is distancing itself from the actions of members who lobbied the Prime Minister’s Office to intervene and stop a landmark climate change court case.
Corporate coddling is killing our climate
25 May 2026
By Matt Halliday | COMMENT: The New Zealand Government’s recent move, undercutting citizens’ rights and the rule of law to cancel the country’s most important climate case, Smith v Fonterra, is a massive victory for corporate lobbying.
Mike Smith’s asymmetric victory
25 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | COMMENT: The New Zealand Government’s recent move, undercutting citizens’ rights and the rule of law to cancel the country’s most important climate case is a massive win for Mike Smith, the climate change activist who brought it.
Bid to review Kāpiti Coast climate emergency declaration fails
Mon 15 Jun 2026
By Justin Wong, Local Democracy Reporter | Kāpiti Coast councillors have rejected a motion to review the local district council’s climate emergency declaration.
Climate change minister tight-lipped on ACT climate policy
Today 12:15pm
By Liz Kivi | Climate Change Minister Simon Watts is keeping his cards close to his chest about the ACT Party’s election campaign pledge last week that it would resubmit New Zealand’s Paris Agreement target.
$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
Wed 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.
NZ biodiversity credits top global rankings
Today 12:15pm
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A New Zealand biodiversity credit project has topped global sales rankings, with Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari accounting for 43% of worldwide biodiversity credit transactions in May and adding momentum to the country's emerging voluntary nature market.
Huntly biomass option no cheap fix, Genesis tells MPs
28 May 2026
Genesis Energy says biomass can be burned in Huntly's Rankine units, but current costs put it in roughly the same price range as imported LNG and extra Rankine capacity would be expensive and could take years.
Govt looks to tighten ETS auction supply
Fri 12 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government is consulting on auctioning fewer ‘pollution permits’ for 2027-2031, a move it says would help meet the country’s domestic emissions targets while also maintaining short-term confidence in the ETS.
Climate change has already made Australians in one state much poorer, and more’s to come
Today 12:15pm
The world’s hottest years over the past decade have coincided with stagnant economic productivity, rising prices and geopolitical instability.
Treasury says 2030 climate target could cost $5 billion
Thu 11 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Treasury is predicting it could cost between $4.4 and $5 billion to buy the offshore mitigation needed to meet New Zealand’s 84-96 million tonne emissions reduction shortfall for its 2030 target under the Paris Agreement.
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.
NZ’s sustainable finance credibility gap
5 Jun 2026
By Manbo He | COMMENT: New Zealand has built serious sustainable finance infrastructure - but risks failing to attract the global capital that infrastructure was designed for, because it lacks the practitioner capability to operate it credibly.
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.
‘A shame’: experts on decision to send Govt carbon auctions offshore
Wed 10 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Carbon market experts are questioning whether the Government has made the right decision in sending its auctions of carbon 'pollution permits' worth billions of dollars offshore.
Carbon capture and the need for ‘net zero oil’
Today 12:15pm
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.
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.
El Niño under way and threatens weather extremes, scientists say
Mon 15 Jun 2026
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has declared that El Niño conditions are now under way in the tropical Pacific, with sea surface temperatures having risen sharply in recent months.
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.
GHG Protocol under fire as standards board member resigns
Thu 11 Jun 2026
At the heart of former GHG Protocol standards board member Danny Cullenward’s complaint is the protocol’s approach to forest carbon accounting.
World’s largest banks pledged $906bn to fossil fuel companies in 2025
Fri 12 Jun 2026
The world’s largest banks committed $906bn in financing to the fossil fuel industry last year, an “unfathomable” increase in investment locking in years more of coal, oil and gas production as the world continues to overheat, a new report has found.
Ballance secures gas for 2026 as it progresses energy transition plan
Today 12:15pm
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.
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.
Lack of finance stalling sustainable innovation – report
Fri 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.
Antarctic surface melt set to increase dramatically this century, new study finds
Wed 10 Jun 2026
Media release – Victoria University | New research shows surface melting across Antarctica is set to intensify and spread dramatically over the 21st century, with melt increasing by 10 times and the area affected growing by more than 10 percent by 2100 if global temperatures continue to rise.
Why ‘greenhushing’ signals deeper issues with NZ’s climate risk reporting regime
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.
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.
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.
'Ad hoc, piecemeal, incomplete': NZ's approach to hazards not fit for purpose, says insurer
Wed 10 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand's ability to manage natural hazard risks is failing to keep pace with the growing threat posed by floods, storms, earthquakes and climate change, according to a new report from IAG.
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.
Media round-up
Fri 12 Jun 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: A legal expert labels the government's climate law change "constitutionally abhorrent", the first critical minerals project has applied for fast-track, and warming winters are changing New Zealand’s landscapes.
LNG imports might not be needed for 'dry year' security: redacted report
Thu 11 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The need for imported liquefied natural gas to provide security of supply in a dry year is low, according to newly released modelling, with some scenarios featuring higher levels of renewable generation requiring no gas imports at all.
Changes to emissions factors prompt caution over climate claims
4 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Organisations may need to revisit how they calculate and communicate their greenhouse gas emissions after the Ministry for the Environment released an updated version of its Measuring Emissions Guide, incorporating new emissions factors based on New Zealand's latest greenhouse gas inventory.
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.
ACT climate policy ‘disingenuous,’ says former top climate diplomat
Mon 15 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | ACT’s election campaign pledge to submit a new international climate target to the United Nations is “totally disingenuous", according to New Zealand’s former climate ambassador Kay Harrison.
'Terrible result': Emissions barely budged in 2024
5 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions were virtually unchanged in 2024, falling by 0.03%, despite the economy shrinking by ten times that amount during the same period, according to new data.
Fed Farmers' election wish-list includes stopping whole-farm conversions to carbon forestry
9 Jun 2026
Federated Farmers has launched a five-point plan for the next government, setting out what it says should be a major focus for political parties heading into the November election.
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.
Once-in-a-century floods routine as sea levels rise due to climate change
Thu 11 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A coastal flood expected to occur just once every 100 years is now hitting Wellington about twice a year, according to new international research that scientists say offers clear evidence of how climate change is already reshaping New Zealand's coastline.
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.
Seven ‘new approaches’ to avoid our Paris commitments: Carr
4 Jun 2026
Praying for “new approaches” to materialise to meet our international climate obligations isn’t a strategy, writes Rod Carr.
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.
New Zealand faces $26b energy infrastructure challenge, report warns
Mon 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.
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.
Solar overtakes gas power in Asia for first time ever
Mon 15 Jun 2026
Solar has overtaken gas power in Asia to become the continent’s third-largest source of electricity, according to new analysis by Carbon Brief.
‘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.
EU climate policy ‘won’t survive’ its clash with EU farmer politics
Fri 12 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | European Union climate change policy is on a collision course with European farmer politics, exacerbated by the rise of populist right-wing parties in the UK and the Continent, says Oxford University professor of geosystem science, Myles Allen.
NZ’s largest rooftop solar switched on at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
Thu 11 Jun 2026
Media release | Sunergise, New Zealand’s leading commercial solar company, has switched on the country’s largest-ever rooftop solar installation at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare’s East Tāmaki campus in Auckland.
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.
Govt backs faster uptake of on-farm emissions tools with $51m fund
Thu 11 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is investing up to $51 million over three years to help accelerate the uptake of on-farm emissions reduction technologies, with a new AgriZeroNZ initiative aimed at getting proven tools into the hands of farmers sooner.
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.
Labour pledges unlimited public transport for $20 a week
Wed 10 Jun 2026
The Labour Party is promising to cap weekly public transport fares at $20 in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, if elected in November.
Bonn Bulletin: Tackling climate crisis is “hardest” challenge ever, Stiell says
9 Jun 2026
The June Climate Meetings open with a reminder to delegates of the tough but ever-clearer imperative of shifting away from fossil fuels to clean energy.
Project linking food waste to cutting methane emissions gets underway
27 May 2026
Media release | Kai Commitment is leading a New Zealand-first project to help understand the connection between food waste and methane emissions and identify effective interventions.
Record-breaking heat and dry spring leave parts of England without water
2 Jun 2026
Thousands of households in southeast England were left without water or facing low pressure during a record-breaking heatwave this week, as high demand followed a dry spring to expose the failings in Britain's ageing infrastructure.
Increase in wildfire-driven ozone linked to premature deaths across the U.S.
Wed 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.
Waikato launches vision for energy transition bringing $4.5 billion investment to the region
8 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Waikato Regional Council has released a strategy aiming to position the region at the centre of New Zealand's energy transition, with plans to boost energy security, cut emissions and unlock billions of dollars in economic opportunities by 2050.
