Topics tagged with 'Politics'
Climate law introduced requiring adaptation plans and reducing Commission's role
Today 12:30pm
By Oli Lewis | The Government has introduced legislation to amend the Climate Change Response Act (CCRA), which includes stripping the Climate Change Commission of one of its core roles, adds a new requirement for councils to produce adaptation plans for higher-risk areas, and updates ETS settings.
Climate change is here and we’re all paying for it
Today 12:30pm
By Raewyn Peart | COMMENT: Another week, another storm. Just days ago, Kaikōura saw two months of rain fall within 48 hours, the most recent in a long line of adverse weather events.
Climate remains top priority for Pacific leaders
Tue 14 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Major regional events in Vanuatu and Fiji this month have underscored the Pacific's continued focus on climate action, with locally led innovation and sustainable farming highlighted as critical tools for tackling the region's environmental challenges.
$3m Govt boost for Tauranga geothermal energy
Tue 14 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | Resources Minister Shane Jones has announced a $3 million grant for the Gas to Geoheat Tauranga Geothermal System Project as part of the Government's plan to double geothermal energy by 2040.
Shining a light on Trans-Tasman solar reforms
Tue 14 Jul 2026
OPINION: The real test of solar reforms is how fast retailers can turn new rules into working tariffs, writes Mark Humphreys.
EMA pushes for steady hand on energy and regulation
Mon 13 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Employers and Manufacturers Association wants the next government to commit to a long-term energy plan and allow faster investment in renewable generation, at the same time as slowing the pace of policy change and providing businesses with greater certainty.
Experts call on Govt to withdraw ‘repugnant’ legislation to block climate lawsuits
Mon 13 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | Lawyers and climate policy experts are calling on the Government to withdraw legislation intended to block climate lawsuits, with an adaptation expert arguing that the legislation could worsen the insurance protection gap.
Who should pay for adaptation? Local Govt NZ calls for clarity
Mon 13 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | Local Government New Zealand wants more clarity from central government on the vexed issue of ‘who pays’ for climate adaptation, with the organisation hitting back at comments from the Climate Change Minister that local councils are spending too much on climate resilience.
'Get on with it': Greens push for pre-election solar law
Thu 9 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Green Party is calling on Parliament to pass legislation enabling low-cost household solar finance before the election, arguing there is now cross-party support following Labour's SolarSaver announcement and National's earlier Home Energy Fund pledge.
Media round-up
Thu 9 Jul 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The Government re-wrote fast-track law after mining companies pushed for change; costs from inland flooding are expected to rise by up to 53% by 2075; and is there such a thing as a sustainable tourist?
Energy Minister completes overhaul of EECA board
8 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | The board of the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA) has been completely overhauled since the last election, with Energy Minister Simeon Brown responsible for all six appointments.
Biodiversity credit markets need stronger safeguards – report
8 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Emerging biodiversity credit markets need stronger government safeguards and public investment if they are to deliver lasting conservation benefits, according to a new report.
Seymour ‘imploring’ council to go easy on foresters is abuse of authority: EDS
7 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Environmental Defence Society says that Regulation Minister David Seymour’s attempt to influence Gisborne District Council to ‘go easy’ on forestry companies in enforcing environmental laws is a clear abuse of ministerial authority.
Greens announce water policy, including nitrogen fertiliser phase-out
7 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party announced its water policy yesterday, promising to phase out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, as well as destructive fishing methods, if the party is elected in November.
Swarbrick slams $50m critical minerals funding as 'Trump's war machine' subsidy
7 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Green Party has criticised the Government's investment into two West Coast critical minerals projects, claiming the funding could ultimately support the United States defence industry rather than New Zealand's clean energy transition, while Shane Jones dismissed opponents as "flat earth idiots".
Faster consenting, harder trade-offs
7 Jul 2026
Faster consenting is starting to produce results, but this week's decisions show speed has not removed the harder trade-offs around electricity security, conservation, ecology and climate liability.
Weakening Clean Car Standard would hurt EV uptake, industry warns
7 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Electric vehicle advocates say weakening the Clean Car Standard would reduce access to new EV models, undermining New Zealand's place in global supply chains and slowing the country's transition to lower-emissions transport.
Contact: Protected geothermal fields must be opened to meet 2040 goal
6 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | A goal to double geothermal energy generation by 2040 using existing technologies is unachievable unless some protected fields are reclassified for development, Contact Energy says.
Minister warns councils against 'extreme' climate forecasting
6 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | Minister Simon Watts has written to councils warning them off using extreme climate forecasting scenarios that can “drive unnecessary costs” for ratepayers.
Fast-track panel backs proposed Haldon Solar Farm
6 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The proposed Haldon Solar Farm in the Mackenzie Basin has moved to the final stages of the Fast-track Approvals Act process after the Fast-track Panel proposed granting approval for the project.
Government supporting Wairarapa farmers after heavy rain
6 Jul 2026
Media release | The Government is working closely with farmers and rural communities in the Wairarapa to assess the impacts of recent heavy rain, which has damaged local roads and bridges and caused significant erosion on hillside farms.
Labour promises to repeal bill to block climate lawsuits
3 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government bill aiming to block climate lawsuits passed its first reading under urgency after a heated debate in Parliament last night, with the Labour Party promising it will repeal the bill if elected in November.
Confidence in tackling climate risks remains low
3 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealanders have little faith in the country's ability to tackle climate risks, with a new poll finding fewer than one in three are confident the country can reduce the impacts of climate change, while many are calling for stronger Government leadership on climate hazards.
Media round-up
3 Jul 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: Getting the most impact from the Government's investment in school solar; NZ needs an objective assessment of LNG imports and renewable storage options; and while greener suburbs are healthier on all kinds of metrics, achieving them isn’t straightforward.
Offshore renewable energy bill passes, opening path for developers
2 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | Feasibility permits for offshore wind developments could be issued within months after the Government passed a long-awaited law to establish a regulatory regime.
Ombudsman upholds complaint PM’s office ‘unreasonably withheld’ climate law briefing
2 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Ombudsman has upheld a complaint that the Prime Minister’s office unreasonably held information, as Parliament is set to read – under urgency – the climate bill at the centre of the scandal.
Conservation bill risks climate goals, lawyers say
1 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Lawyers for Climate Action NZ says the Government's plan to change the law to encourage economic development on conservation land could undermine New Zealand's climate goals by weakening the land's ability to store carbon, as well as allowing new sources of emissions such as mining.
Upton warns of 'expensive mess' if catchments carved up
1 Jul 2026
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has warned the Government risks creating an "expensive mess" if it abolishes regional councils without first deciding which environmental functions must still be managed at catchment or regional scale.
Next Govt must restart action on plastic pollution
1 Jul 2026
Media release - Zero Waste Aotearoa | Plastic Free July begins with an urgent call to put plastic pollution back on the political agenda. Plastic Free July is a worldwide campaign to reduce plastic waste and eliminate single use plastics.
Kiwi named among world's climate science elite
30 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand climate scientist Kevin Trenberth has been recognised as one of the world's most influential climate researchers after earning top rankings for scientific citations on two international platforms.
Govt trims environmental reporting schedule
30 Jun 2026
The Government has introduced legislation to reduce the frequency of national environmental reporting, in a reform whose own regulatory impact statement only partially met quality assurance standards.
Smith files High Court case against Govt move to block climate lawsuits
29 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Climate activist and iwi leader Mike Smith has filed High Court proceedings challenging Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith's decision to introduce legislation to outlaw climate tort litigation.
No prosperous future for NZ built on fossil fuels – Hipkins
29 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Labour leader Chris Hipkins says New Zealand has "no prosperous future" built on fossil fuels, arguing a shift to renewable energy is essential for the country's economic and environmental future.
Labour won't scrap RMA replacement laws: Hipkins
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.
Commissioner ‘unconvinced’ LNG is the best dry-year solution
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.
'Not enough': Pressure mounts to scrap conservation bill despite Potaka retreat
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.
Media round-up
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.
National promises low-cost solar loans for households
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.
Energy resilience conference axed due to Ara Ake closure
25 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A national conference focused on energy affordability, resilience and hardship has been cancelled because of the Government's decision to end Crown funding for energy innovation centre Ara Ake.
Green Party pledges to protect public conservation land
25 Jun 2026
The Green Party is promising to scrap the Government's current conservation reforms and start again with a process focused on protecting conservation land and wildlife for future generations, if elected.
Forestry at heart of ETS problems – commissioner
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.
Scrutiny week reveals unresolved trade-offs
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.
Too much environmental reporting, claims councillor
24 Jun 2026
By Vihan Dalal, Local Democracy Reporter | Environmental reporting is often costly and unnecessary because New Zealand already has "a pretty good environment," claims one West Coast regional councillor.
Carbon auction failures show ETS working, Watts says
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.
UN intervention could become election focus
22 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | A United Nations recommendation that the Government should change course on a proposed climate law change could become an election issue if it eventuates, according to a legal expert.
Two thirds of New Zealand voters say no to selling conservation land
22 Jun 2026
New polling shows New Zealanders oppose allowing the sale of public conservation land, as the Government moves ahead with law changes that could make large areas of the conservation estate easier to sell.
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.
Climate advocates take complaint to UN over Govt’s plan to block climate lawsuits
18 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Climate activist and iwi leader Mike Smith has joined forces with other advocates in a complaint to the United Nations over the Government’s proposed legislation change to block climate lawsuits.
ETS settings: Minister favours biennial cycle, officials prefer annual updates
18 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The Ministry for the Environment and the Climate Change Minister, Simon Watts, hold differing views on how often emissions trading scheme (ETS) settings should be updated.
Public conservation land maps show risk of sale
18 Jun 2026
Media release | Forest & Bird has today released new maps highlighting public conservation land across Aotearoa New Zealand that could be more exposed to development or sale.
Planetary Facts dashboard aims to make environmental costs visible
Today 12:30pm
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Consumers can now compare the environmental impacts of everyday products with a new online dashboard designed to do for sustainability what nutrition labels have long done for food.
Hurunui to notify climate solution plan change
Thu 9 Jul 2026
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter | A North Canterbury council is looking to progress "a uniquely Hurunui solution’’ to sea level rise.
$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.
Media round-up
Thu 9 Jul 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The Government re-wrote fast-track law after mining companies pushed for change; costs from inland flooding are expected to rise by up to 53% by 2075; and is there such a thing as a sustainable tourist?
University launches worldwide search for nature-focused researchers
Today 12:30pm
Media release | As governments and businesses around the world grapple with climate change and biodiversity loss, Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland is launching an international search for ten PhD researchers to help shape a more nature positive economy.
Inaction on shipping decarbonisation could cost NZ up to $94b by 2050, report says
30 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | Failing to support and enable the decarbonisation of the shipping industry could result in losses of $17.5 billion to $94.4b to the New Zealand economy by 2050, according to a report from the Aotearoa Circle.
Emissions Trading Scheme ‘stockpile’ shrinking
Thu 9 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The “stockpile” of NZUs in private accounts continues to shrink, with the latest Environmental Protection Authority figures showing the number has dropped by 9.5 million since this time last year.
The world's largest meat company abandons its climate and deforestation goals
Today 12:30pm
After encountering the “immense” challenge of actually executing its net-zero goal by 2040, JBS said it will instead lower its “emissions intensity.”
Climate law introduced requiring adaptation plans and reducing Commission's role
Today 12:30pm
By Oli Lewis | The Government has introduced legislation to amend the Climate Change Response Act (CCRA), which includes stripping the Climate Change Commission of one of its core roles, adds a new requirement for councils to produce adaptation plans for higher-risk areas, and updates ETS settings.
Coal is back in Australian Super’s portfolio. What happened to that net zero pledge?
Mon 13 Jul 2026
In 2020 Australia’s biggest super fund dumped its Whitehaven shares. Fast forward to 2026 and it is now the coalminer’s single biggest investor.
Politicians need to lead on climate: Carr
30 Jun 2026
As the election campaign heats up, former Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr has a list of actions he's hoping to see from our aspiring leaders, which includes confronting climate denial as well as refusing funds or policy advice from vested interests.
EMA pushes for steady hand on energy and regulation
Mon 13 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Employers and Manufacturers Association wants the next government to commit to a long-term energy plan and allow faster investment in renewable generation, at the same time as slowing the pace of policy change and providing businesses with greater certainty.
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.
Experts call on Govt to withdraw ‘repugnant’ legislation to block climate lawsuits
Mon 13 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | Lawyers and climate policy experts are calling on the Government to withdraw legislation intended to block climate lawsuits, with an adaptation expert arguing that the legislation could worsen the insurance protection gap.
Clock ticks on Gas Security Fund as Tariki developer reports ongoing losses
Today 12:30pm
By Oli Lewis | A Canadian company advancing a major gas storage project in New Zealand continues to report ongoing losses.
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.
Climate change is here and we’re all paying for it
Today 12:30pm
By Raewyn Peart | COMMENT: Another week, another storm. Just days ago, Kaikōura saw two months of rain fall within 48 hours, the most recent in a long line of adverse weather events.
Tarakihi on verge of extinction: Stock collapse exposes major fisheries management failings
3 Jul 2026
Media release: Environmental Defence Society | Fisheries NZ is consulting on new sustainability measures for the country’s two tarakihi stocks.
Seymour ‘imploring’ council to go easy on foresters is abuse of authority: EDS
7 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Environmental Defence Society says that Regulation Minister David Seymour’s attempt to influence Gisborne District Council to ‘go easy’ on forestry companies in enforcing environmental laws is a clear abuse of ministerial authority.
The rise and fall of the fracking phenomenon
Today 12:30pm
The fracking boom remade the U.S. economy and global energy markets. It also left behind a complicated legacy of winners, losers and lasting political fights.
'Electric election': Labour promises $160m SolarSaver scheme funded by gas investment cuts
8 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | Labour is promising to reprioritise $160 million from the Gas Security Fund to pay for its new SolarSaver policy, designed to accelerate the roll-out of household solar.
$3m Govt boost for Tauranga geothermal energy
Tue 14 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | Resources Minister Shane Jones has announced a $3 million grant for the Gas to Geoheat Tauranga Geothermal System Project as part of the Government's plan to double geothermal energy by 2040.
How will the World Bank’s abandoned finance goal affect climate action?
7 Jul 2026
The World Bank has abandoned a target for 45% of the funding it gives developing countries to be “climate finance”, following months of pressure from the Trump administration in the US.
Conservation bill risks climate goals, lawyers say
1 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Lawyers for Climate Action NZ says the Government's plan to change the law to encourage economic development on conservation land could undermine New Zealand's climate goals by weakening the land's ability to store carbon, as well as allowing new sources of emissions such as mining.
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.
Lake Onslow pumped hydro consortium secures funding for consent push
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.
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.
Former West Coast Regional Council chair slams new flood report
Mon 13 Jul 2026
By Vihan Dalal, Local Democracy Reporter | A West Coast regional councillor has criticised a new report by Earth Sciences New Zealand as "a fraud" after it suggested the West Coast faces up to $24 million worth of flood damages to infrastructure by 2075.
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.
Ugandan farmers launch UK court case against East African oil pipeline
Thu 9 Jul 2026
Four Ugandan farmers filed a case with London’s High Court aiming to stop the East African Crude Oil Pipeline from starting to operate by asking the court to apply Uganda’s laws against the project’s UK-registered company.
Commissioner ‘unconvinced’ LNG is the best dry-year solution
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.
Govt backs hydrogen with national industry summit
Thu 9 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | The Government is convening a major hydrogen conference to promote awareness and uptake of the alternative fuel.
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”
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.
What’s next for Sams Creek after failed mining bid?
Today 12:30pm
Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | A controversial gold mining application at Sams Creek has been declined, leaving question marks hanging over the future of the land.
Climate remains top priority for Pacific leaders
Tue 14 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Major regional events in Vanuatu and Fiji this month have underscored the Pacific's continued focus on climate action, with locally led innovation and sustainable farming highlighted as critical tools for tackling the region's environmental challenges.
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.
Carbon markets and biochar: a golden opportunity for NZ?
1 Jul 2026
By John O’Brien | COMMENT: New Zealand’s abundant and increasing forestry waste could become a multi-billion dollar opportunity for biochar carbon sequestration – as long as the right policies, programmes, and incentives are in place.
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.
UN plastics pact talks restart amid fears production curbs will be left out
2 Jul 2026
Diplomats reconvene a year after negotiations collapsed, but campaigners fear the agenda risks burying tricky discussions on key elements.
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.
Swarbrick slams $50m critical minerals funding as 'Trump's war machine' subsidy
7 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Green Party has criticised the Government's investment into two West Coast critical minerals projects, claiming the funding could ultimately support the United States defence industry rather than New Zealand's clean energy transition, while Shane Jones dismissed opponents as "flat earth idiots".
Shining a light on Trans-Tasman solar reforms
Tue 14 Jul 2026
OPINION: The real test of solar reforms is how fast retailers can turn new rules into working tariffs, writes Mark Humphreys.
NZ lagging in energy storage investment – report
Tue 14 Jul 2026
Investment in energy storage is maturing globally, with the need for resilient and flexible power driving demand for storage, but New Zealand has some catching up to do, according to a new report.
Fast-track panel backs proposed Haldon Solar Farm
6 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The proposed Haldon Solar Farm in the Mackenzie Basin has moved to the final stages of the Fast-track Approvals Act process after the Fast-track Panel proposed granting approval for the project.
Experts sound alarm over escalating climate impacts
8 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Scientists are warning climate impacts are accelerating across our region after a World Meteorological Organization report found last year was the South-West Pacific's second-warmest on record, with impacts including rising seas, marine heatwaves and extreme weather.
Low-cost loans for solar panels could save households hundreds on bills – thinktanks
Thu 9 Jul 2026
Millions of UK households could save hundreds of pounds a year on their energy bills if the government were to approve low-cost loans for solar panel installation, research has found.
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.
Microsoft emissions surge 27% as AI buildout crimps climate goals
Mon 13 Jul 2026
Microsoft's greenhouse gas emissions jumped 27 percent in its latest fiscal year, the tech giant disclosed Thursday, adding to a wave of worsening environmental reports from an industry racing to build AI infrastructure.
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.
‘Those blocking climate science are not our friends': Pacific leaders warn at Bonn talks
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.
Next Govt must restart action on plastic pollution
1 Jul 2026
Media release - Zero Waste Aotearoa | Plastic Free July begins with an urgent call to put plastic pollution back on the political agenda. Plastic Free July is a worldwide campaign to reduce plastic waste and eliminate single use plastics.
Greens announce water policy, including nitrogen fertiliser phase-out
7 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party announced its water policy yesterday, promising to phase out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, as well as destructive fishing methods, if the party is elected in November.
Tourist spots across Europe hit by wildfires as Greece warns of toxic smoke
8 Jul 2026
Wildfires are raging across holiday spots across Europe, with hundreds of firefighters battling blazes in Portugal, Greece, and Spain. International reinforcements have been sent to Portugal, where a massive fire has been burning for over three days.
Faster consenting, harder trade-offs
7 Jul 2026
Faster consenting is starting to produce results, but this week's decisions show speed has not removed the harder trade-offs around electricity security, conservation, ecology and climate liability.
