Topics tagged with 'Politics'
Europe debates people’s legal right to water
21 Feb 2014
The European Parliament has launched the debate on the first successful European citizens’ initiative, on the right to water.
China renewables target could be 2050
21 Feb 2014
Eighty per cent of China’s electricity production could be based on renewables by 2050, a new report says.
Blocking the sunlight has a dark side
21 Feb 2014
By TIM RADFORD. Finding a technology that would let us counteract the effects of climate change is a cherished dream. But if there is a cure, it could be worse than the disease, scientists say.
Turmoil across the Tasman will be felt here
21 Feb 2014
By WAYNE KING. Australia’s media is drip-feeding news and commentary on the economic downturn in Australia - particularly in energy developments, the political turmoil revolving around the current Renewable Energy Target and the current policies related to a price on carbon, through the Carbon Price Mechanism and other initiatives.
Trade deal ‘opens door to environmental lawsuits’
14 Feb 2014
Multinationals will have wide-ranging powers to sue EU states that enact health or environmental laws breaching their "legitimate expectations" of profit.
Scrap offshore oil rules, says watchdog group
7 Feb 2014
The Environmental Defence Society is calling for the Government's new rules on offshore oil and gas operations to be scrapped.
Why the big boys are serious about carbon pricing
7 Feb 2014
Several of the largest international oil companies, along with other major companies, are taking the prospect of international carbon pricing seriously, writes BARRY NAUGHTON.
France to probe EU carbon market reform plan
7 Feb 2014
The European Commission's proposed carbon price stabilisation mechanism is a "masterpiece of Brussels technocracy" that could fuel greater market volatility, says a group of academics on the proposed package of 2030 climate legislation.
Bloomberg takes climate job to rev up cities
7 Feb 2014
Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been charged with galvanising urban action to reduce greenhouse emissions.
Change ahead, so business needs to get smart
24 Jan 2014
Smart companies will have clear strategic objectives and flexible tactical responses to deal with on-going disruptive change likely to be caused by carbon policy this year, Westpac’s international carbon desk says.
Study doubts value of land abatements
24 Jan 2014
The full abatement potential of Australia’s land sector is unlikely to be realised under existing policies, says carbon advisory firm RepuTex.
EU wants to see cut of 40% in gas emissions
24 Jan 2014
A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent below the 1990 level, an EU-wide binding target for renewable energy of at least 27 per cent, renewed ambitions for energy efficiency policies, a new governance system and a set of new indicators to ensure a competitive and secure energy system.
The war on science: Why we should be very afraid
24 Jan 2014
Climate scientist Dr JIM SALINGER on why we should be very worried by attempts to discredit data showing New Zealand's climate is warming:
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
24 Jan 2014
* China's fair share to halt global warming won't come cheap, Beijing report says * Climate change: 2013 ranked fourth-warmest year * Climate change: don't get scared, get ready * China starts televising the sunrise on giant TV screens because Beijing is so clouded in smog * 23% of Americans do not believe global warming is happening * Plastic made from carbon in the air hits market * Climate change TV series uses stars, Republicans
Pulp politics bring tension to Tasmania
24 Jan 2014
KATE CROWLEY, Associate Professor of Public and Environmental Policy at the University of Tasmania, examines the tension between the economy and the environment in the state's politics:
EDITORIAL: Forget the pretence and let's make a real start with our water quality
20 Dec 2013
It's been an interesting year, with new carbon markets opening in some of the largest economies in the world, including North America and China.
Govt sitting on millions worth of Kyoto units
13 Dec 2013
The Government is sitting on millions of Kyoto units which could reduce the cost of the country's carbon liability.
UK proposes double-counting on biofuels
13 Dec 2013
Britain has proposed a way to lower the European Union's 2020 target for renewable energy by counting the contribution from biofuels twice, avoiding the need for billions of euros in investment, a document shows.
Why wise businesses should take note of Gen Y Kiwis
13 Dec 2013
Businesses must cater to the increasing needs, desires and purchasing power of Gen Y Kiwis, driven by sustainability concerns, according to a new Colmar Brunton survey.
Carbon storage report will shape new laws
6 Dec 2013
A report launched in Wellington yesterday lays the foundations for new laws around the storage of carbon dioxide as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
NZ none the wiser after rejecting refugee’s case
29 Nov 2013
New Zealand has dealt with what is claimed to be the world’s first climate change refugee by throwing his case out of court and earmarking him and his family for deportation.
Australia to ease environment path for drillers
29 Nov 2013
The Australian Government has made progress on establishing a one-stop-shop environmental approval process for offshore petroleum and greenhouse gas storage activities with the release of two draft reports for public comment.
What Tim Groser told the world at Warsaw
22 Nov 2013
Climate Change Minister Tim Groser has put New Zealand’s emissions-reduction credentials to the COP19 gathering in Warsaw.
Take a searching look at our rivers ... and be in the draw to win a copy of this book
22 Nov 2013
DAVID YOUNG has updated his 1986 historical geography Faces of the River. His new book is entitled, Rivers: New Zealand’s Shared Legacy, from Random House. In the politically and ecologically altered landscapes of the past quarter-century, almost nothing remains the same. This is especially true of our river systems, and especially of our lowland rivers. To go in the draw to win a copy of Rivers just email [email protected] with 'rivers' in the subject line.
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
22 Nov 2013
* China to launch Beijing, Shanghai carbon markets * Why banks in London are exiting the carbon trade * Just 90 companies caused two-thirds of man-made global warming emissions * Tony Abbott rejects Commonwealth climate change risk fund * $150m to break lease for defunct Climate Change department * Canadians losing faith in government on climate change * World's most climate vulnerable nation turns to coal power
What's going on in world carbon markets
22 Nov 2013
The Carbon Reduction Fund in Australia, backloading in Europe, markets linking in North America and the first carbon auction in China ... Westpac's carbon desk reviews the international carbon markets:
How Australia deals with carbon and electricity
22 Nov 2013
Westpac's head of electricity trading, CONNELL BURKE, explains the links between carbon and electricity in the Australian market:
Our ministers ill-informed, says top scientist
15 Nov 2013
The New Zealand Government is ignoring “inconvenient” evidence about climate change, says a leading international climate scientist.
EDITORIAL: The message is clear ... we have a government of climate deniers
15 Nov 2013
By editor ADELIA HALLETT. The reason for the Government’s failure to take decisive action on the biggest issue facing us became clear this week; it still doubts the science behind anthropogenic climate change.
Warsaw the great test of will, say Greens
15 Nov 2013
COP19 will be the critical test of the international community’s will to prevent dangerous climate change, says Green Party climate change spokesman Kennedy Graham.
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
15 Nov 2013
* Tony Abbott stifling Australia's climate change ambitions * Indonesia to launch voluntary carbon market * Formula E championship to generate €142 million EV sales by 2040 * Climate change and government inaction conspired against Philippines * Brussels looks to cut plastic bag use
Here we go again ... still talking
15 Nov 2013
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification executive secretary MONIQUE BARBUT warns of imminent social chaos if we continue to ignore the impacts of climate change:
Why it's important that we do our bit
15 Nov 2013
With COP19 under way in Warsaw, CARBON MARKET SOLUTIONS looks at the background to international climate change agreements:
Meet Kennedy Graham, green sheep of the family ... and a man business would be wise to watch
8 Nov 2013
By editor ADELIA HALLETT. The irony of an ancestor owning a coal mine is not lost on Dr Kennedy Graham.
Dunedin takes serious look at carbon footprint
8 Nov 2013
Dunedin City Council is one of the first local authorities in the country to measure its carbon footprint against the global greenhouse gas standard, ISO 14064-1:2006.
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
1 Nov 2013
* 31% of global economic output forecast to face ‘high’ or ‘extreme’ climate change risks. * EU presidency proposes new weakening of car emissions rules. * How Greenland can turn climate change into cash. * Climate change destroyed the Bible's ancient kingdoms, study finds. * Climate change blamed for high muttonbird death toll. * Pacific Ocean may be ‘hiding’ global warming – scientists.
Islands have three-pronged approach to climate change
25 Oct 2013
Carbon Market Solutions chief WAYNE KING continues his analysis of ways in which climate change is being addressed in the Pacific:
Don't sit back and wait for auction...
21 Oct 2013
Spot NZUs finished under $4 for the first time in six weeks, OMFinancial reports.
WORLD WEB ... news from the world of carbon
18 Oct 2013
Polluters eye $4b, airlines emissions charges, China carbon pricing, climate all at sea, worms are heroes, bye-bye Oracle, Quakers talk tough.
UN wants to see greater financial effort
18 Oct 2013
The international community must step up its financial investment in technologies, policies and practices that can help to combat climate change, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said this week.
Back below $4
18 Oct 2013
NZUs edged under $4 yesterday, finishing the day at $3.95, OMFinancial reports.
Expert dismisses Wellington rail plan
11 Oct 2013
Wellington’s Public Transport Spine Study is not backed by science and should be dismissed, says an international expert in sustainability.
Greens vow to bring power to the people
11 Oct 2013
The Green Party says it would implement policies promoting small-scale distributed energy generation, such making it more affordable for families to install solar panels on roofs.
Aussies rush to back Flannery’s climate body
11 Oct 2013
The minute climate change champion Tim Flannery opened the doors of his independent Climate Council, Australians opened their wallets.
Obama's strategy guru joins LanzaTech
4 Oct 2013
Digital communications strategist and Obama 2012 campaign manager Jim Messina is applying his talents to New Zealand-born LanzaTech.
WEB WIRE ... news from the world of carbon
4 Oct 2013
IPCC report, fraud charges, farming key, Kiribati worried, European ETS, climate-think, water bills ...
What is NZ doing to help Pacific?
4 Oct 2013
CARBON MARKET SOLUTIONS continues its look at what New Zealand is doing to help its Pacific island neighbours adapt to climate change:
100% Pure? We're ranked at a lowly 36
27 Sep 2013
“100% Pure” New Zealand ranks at just 36th in the world when it comes to environmental sustainability, according to a new international energy report.
Brussels aims to chop through EU forest rules
27 Sep 2013
An agriculture council is to discuss the European Union’s new forest strategy, which aims to cut through the mass of rules governing the protection of forests.
Political parties back Palmer on RMA
13 Sep 2013
Sir Geoffrey Palmer’s call for environmental protections to be written into a New Zealand constitution is gaining political traction.
Governments must vote in favour of moratorium on deep sea mining
Tue 29 Jul 2025
Media release - Greenpeace | The 30th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has ended with Greenpeace saying governments are continuing to fall short in protecting the deep sea.
Does NZ need a national incentive scheme for wetlands?
25 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | An expert is calling for a national incentive programme to restore New Zealand’s wetlands and wants to stop schemes to drain these vital carbon-sequestering ecosystems.
NZ Post drops science-based climate target
8 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | NZ Post has dropped its science-based emissions reduction target of 42% by 2030 with no plans to replace it.
Airlines risk legal challenges by advertising jet fuel as “sustainable”, NGO warns
18 Jul 2025
Amid suspected fraud in the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a new report says the airline industry should stop calling all alternatives to kerosene “sustainable”.
Challenges persist in bid to mine the deep sea, even after boost from Trump
Tue 29 Jul 2025
After years of delay, the deep-sea mining plans of Canadian firm The Metals Company (TMC) now appear to be progressing as it pursues a controversial new path to securing a license to mine in international waters under U.S. jurisdiction.
Sustainability claims questioned as renewable diesel surges
14 May 2025
Critics are sceptical about industry claims of renewable diesel life-cycle greenhouse gas emission cuts and warn renewable diesel carbon releases will surge if sourcing is scaled up, triggering tropical deforestation as producers convert forests to energy crops, such as oil palm and soy.
Carbon prices slide as market awaits ETS decision
Fri 1 Aug 2025
By Liz Kivi | Volatility has returned to the secondary carbon market, with prices sliding again after plateauing in recent weeks, as the market waits for government decisions on Emissions Trading Scheme settings.
The US is sitting out the most consequential climate summit in a decade. It may offer a victory to China
Fri 1 Aug 2025
The Trump administration fired the last of the US climate negotiators earlier this month, helping cement America’s withdrawal from international climate diplomacy. It may also have handed a huge victory to China.
Bearish sentiment lingers for carbon market
11 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | The compliance carbon market could be set for a gradual upward trajectory, however unsold volume from the quarterly Emissions Trading Scheme auctions continues to act as ‘a price ceiling,’ according to an expert.
Coal use drove recent emissions increase
Fri 1 Aug 2025
Increased use of coal for electricity generation was a large driver for an increase in New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions in the last quarter.
Is extending Huntly power station to 2035 in consumers’ best interest?
22 Jul 2025
By Simon Orme | COMMENT: Genesis Energy is proposing a cartel to keep high-emitting Huntly Power Station in business to 2035. If extending Huntly has economic benefits, is a cartel necessary?
What does 'drier' really mean in 'green' homes?
Fri 1 Aug 2025
Media release - Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland | Researchers say green-rating systems could improve clarity and effectiveness by explicitly defining ‘drier’ and using two measures of humidity.
Cuts to climate finance put exports in jeopardy: Lawyers
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has halved international climate finance, a move aid organisations describe as “devastating,” and which lawyers say could put our Paris Agreement commitments and export market access at risk.
NZ voluntary carbon market’s sad state
14 Jul 2025
By John O’Brien | OPINION: A combination of scandals, challenging economic times, and cheaper offshore carbon credits, mean that the domestic voluntary carbon market in New Zealand remains absolutely tiny.
Bill to restart oil and gas exploration clears final hurdle
Fri 1 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The government’s Crown Minerals Amendment Bill is set to become law after passing its third reading in parliament last night, with critics calling it humiliating for the climate minister and an embarrassment to New Zealand's international reputation.
Key orange roughy population on verge of collapse, govt considers closure
9 Jul 2025
Media release - Deep Sea Conservation Coalition | New data reveals that New Zealand’s main orange roughy fishery, accounting for half of the country’s total catch, is on the brink of collapse, with one model showing it may have reached that point already, and the government’s considering closing it.
Warmer than usual weather ahead, wetter in north and east, as La Niña signals strengthen
Fri 1 Aug 2025
Media release – Earth Sciences New Zealand | Seasonal Outlook Climate August to October 2025 suggests warm, damp weather, with La Niña’s possible return.
Latest trawl bycatch numbers 'a grim wake-up call'
24 Jun 2025
Media release – Greenpeace | The latest fisheries bycatch data paints a grim picture, with trawlers hauling up thousands of kilograms of coral and killing hundreds of fur seals and seabirds over a 12 month period.
Wilding pines threaten Molesworth Station
Mon 28 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Without increased support, the unchecked spread of wilding pines will continue to creep across Marlborough’s high country – putting iconic landscapes and one of New Zealand’s top five biodiversity hotspots at serious risk, according to an expert.
Last minute change to oil and gas legislation over cleanup costs
Thu 31 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government is expected to repeal the oil and gas ban today, with a last-minute amendment handing discretionary power to two ministers over the controversial issue of decommissioning.
A modest geothermal strategy
Thu 31 Jul 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | The Government has unveiled a far more modest geothermal energy strategy than its primary backer, Resources Minister Shane Jones, had sought.
European Central Bank to consider 'climate factor' when lending to banks
Thu 31 Jul 2025
The European Central Bank will add climate change considerations to its lending operations from late 2026, raising pressure on banks to channel financing towards greener sectors as the euro zone seeks to reduce its carbon footprint.
NZ part of hidden global deep-sea network beneath the waves
25 Jul 2025
Media release - Earth Sciences New Zealand | A world-first study of marine life, including sea creatures found in New Zealand's dark, cold, pressurised ocean depths, has revealed that deep-sea life is surprisingly more connected than previously thought.
‘Ideological sludge’: How NZ is quiet quitting climate action
17 Jul 2025
New Zealand once stood out as a world leader on climate change. In June it became the first country in the world to abandon a commitment to phase out oil, gas and coal.
Watts talks big on energy reform, but barriers persist
29 May 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Energy and Climate Change minister Simon Watts says the government is doubling down on efforts to boost renewable energy generation, streamline regulation, and drive private sector investment as New Zealand faces mounting energy security and affordability challenges.
Hiringa eyes green methanol plant near Whanganui
Tue 29 Jul 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Green hydrogen pioneer Hiringa Energy is deep in planning to develop an “eight-to-nine figure” methanol plant near Whanganui, using a combination of biomass and hydrogen produced using renewable energy.
Climate catastrophes are creating a ‘new market reality’ for insurance carriers
23 Jul 2025
Raging wildfires and severe storms contributed to record-high global insurance losses — totalling an estimated US$84 billion — for the first six months of the year.
Will NZ walk away from the Paris Agreement?
20 Dec 2024
By Geoff Bertram | COMMENT: Unless the government can find very cheap offshore mitigation, the temptation to walk away from its Paris Agreement obligations may well be too strong to resist for a coalition government focused on fiscal austerity.
Multi-day protest continues at coal mine
Wed 30 Jul 2025
Bathurst Resources has been forced to truck coal from its Stockton mine as climate activists occupy coal buckets at the mine for a third day.
Fund for low emissions transport winds up
Thu 31 Jul 2025
New Zealand’s Low Emission Transport Fund has officially wrapped up, ending a nine-year programme that put hundreds of millions of dollars towards accelerating the country’s shift to cleaner transport.
Urgent action needed to get on track for climate goals - commission
25 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand is making progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but more work is needed – urgently – to set up for future reductions, according to the latest report from the Climate Change Commission.
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.
Toxic algae are turning South Australia’s coral reefs into underwater graveyards
Tue 29 Jul 2025
Since March, a harmful algal bloom, fueled by a marine heat wave, has been choking South Australia’s coastline.
NZ govt’s fossil fuel plans could break international law
24 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government could be breaching international law with its plans to subsidise and expand fossil fuel extraction, following a ruling overnight from the world’s highest court.
Tipping points: Window to avoid irreversible climate impacts is ‘rapidly closing’
11 Jul 2025
In the midst of a record-breaking heatwave in Europe, the UK city of Exeter recently played host to the second international conference on “tipping points”.
‘Total infiltration’: How plastics industry swamped vital global treaty talks
Mon 28 Jul 2025
Petrostates and well-funded lobbyists at UN-hosted talks are derailing a deal to cut plastic production and protect people and the planet.
Activists sue US development bank over $4.6bn loan to massive Mozambique gas project
18 Jul 2025
Environmental groups claim loan is ‘unlawful’ in legal filing.
Straterra has a new name: the New Zealand Minerals Council
16 Apr 2025
Media release | Straterra has been renamed as New Zealand Minerals Council, says chief executive Josie Vidal.
Tilting at windmills? Trump’s claims about turbines fact-checked
Thu 31 Jul 2025
The US president has taken a swipe at wind power as the blades visible from his Turnberry golf course turn.
Ocean heatwaves may signal climate tipping point
25 Jul 2025
A recent study that tapped into satellite data has revealed that 2023 marked an unprecedented year for marine heatwaves, with record-breaking levels of duration, reach and intensity across the world's oceans.
Climate groups want UK wealth tax to make super-rich fund sustainable economy
17 Jul 2025
Growing number of campaigners urge government to ensure green investment is not done ‘on backs of the poor’.
Can robot taxis solve NZ's transport woes?
23 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Ministry of Transport has tested the idea of driverless taxis as a futuristic fix. But while new modelling explores how "robotaxis" could ease congestion and reduce car ownership, critics say it misses a crucial point – the country’s worsening transport emissions.
United Nations carbon market rules agreed but concerns remain
25 Nov 2024
New carbon market rules agreed at the fractious UN climate summit will be a relief to New Zealand and Singapore, who were leading the negotiations, but concerns about greenwashing and disadvantaging nature-based solutions remain.
EV sales fall, but it’s complicated
Tue 29 Jul 2025
Imports of fully electric vehicles fell over 50% in value during the 12 months to June 2025, compared with the year ended June 2024, according to Stats NZ.
The ICJ’s ruling means Australia and other major polluters face a new era of climate reparations
25 Jul 2025
By Harj Narulla | OPINION: Australia has found itself on the wrong side of history.
Waste Levy risks becoming ‘slush fund’ under proposed changes – Commissioner
5 Jun 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Proposed changes to New Zealand's waste legislation risk undermining public trust in the waste levy scheme, according to Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton.
The struggle for control of the Arctic is accelerating - and it's riskier than ever
11 Jul 2025
As the battle for one of the world’s coldest places heats up, an increasingly fragile security balance may be breaking down, leading to an escalating arms race.
UN University report warns against carbon credits from REDD, tree planting, and improved forest management
13 Jun 2025
But the report stops short of recommending banning the trade in carbon temporarily stored in trees.
For the first time, China invests more in wind and solar than coal overseas
29 May 2025
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, long derided for its heavy carbon footprint, was dominated by wind and solar power projects for the first time from 2022 to 2023, according to a new analysis. But coal plants financed in earlier years are still coming online.
