Topics tagged with 'Politics'
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.
Start now, science chief tells businesses
13 Sep 2013
New Zealand’s chief science adviser says that businesses should not be distracted by apparent argument over the validity of anthropogenic climate change.
Shane Jones: It's all about balance
6 Sep 2013
Labour MP Shane Jones says that a Government led by him would balance environmental and economic interests.
Labour thermal power bid fails
6 Sep 2013
A bid by Labour MP Moana Mackey to bring back the ban on new thermal electricity generation has fallen at the first hurdle.
Environment first, vows Labour contender
30 Aug 2013
A government led by Labour leadership contender Grant Robertson would make all legislation subject to an environmental impact assessment.
ANALYSIS: Australians' vote will affect carbon market
30 Aug 2013
The 2013 Federal Election in Australia will have a significant impact on Australian carbon markets, regardless of who wins, Westpac says.
Spot NZUs hold and forward curve tightens
30 Aug 2013
Spot NZUs closed at $4.50 yesterday; it was reasonably well bid at $4.50 and was given there on the close. OMFinancial reports:
New forum to boost sustainable development
23 Aug 2013
The United Nations has established a new high-level forum to boost efforts to tackle global economic, social and environmental challenges.
Academic links climate change and civil wars
23 Aug 2013
A Harvard University academic is looking for connections between climate change and civil war.
Free market doesn't do it for us, say academics
16 Aug 2013
The free market will not deliver the innovation New Zealand needs to move to a high-tech, high-income, low-carbon economy, says the author of a book launched in Wellington last night.
Africa vows tougher stance on e-waste
16 Aug 2013
African nations have called for continent-wide action to staunch the import of electronic waste, including old computers and mobile telephones from Europe.
Palmer: Why we must protect environment
9 Aug 2013
New Zealand needs a constitution that includes environmental protection, says constitutional expert and former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer.
Bathurst can dig up Denniston, rules court
9 Aug 2013
The Environment Court has given Bathurst Resources approval to mine coal on the Denniston Plateau.
California shuns linking emissions schemes
9 Aug 2013
The head of the Californian emissions trading scheme – which will ultimately become the world’s third largest – says the US state has no plans to link with Australia’s carbon price.
Aussie emitters await election outcome
9 Aug 2013
Australia's Federal election has been September 7 and the outcome will determine the fate of the Carbon Price Mechanism, but in the meantime, the business of compliance goes on. Westpac reports:
NZ eyes move to natural capital cost
2 Aug 2013
Government officials are working on ways to bring in policies recognising the economic value of New Zealand natural capital.
Scientists link ocean warming to aerosols
26 Jul 2013
Australian scientists have identified causes of a rapid warming in the upper subtropical oceans of the Southern Hemisphere.
Australia makes early move to carbon trading
19 Jul 2013
Australian households will benefit from an average $380 reduction in the cost of living next financial year after the country moves to a floating price on carbon emissions, the Rudd Government says.
Business not doing job, says green analyst
12 Jul 2013
Business is still failing to address climate change and environmental sustainability despite a talkfest in the capital this week, says one of our leading environmental policy analysts.
Labour seeks help for fossil fuel action
12 Jul 2013
Labour is looking for cross-party support for its attempt to bring back a ban on new fossil fuel electricity generation in New Zealand.
New forum will boost sustainable development
12 Jul 2013
A new high-level political forum has been set up by the United Nations to boost efforts to tackle global economic, social and environmental challenges.
Rudd aims to redraw carbon reduction plans
28 Jun 2013
Recycled Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is rumoured to be revisiting Australia’s carbon reduction scheme.
President promises to slash emissions
28 Jun 2013
United States President Barack Obama has unveiled the country’s first national climate action plan, pledging to limit carbon emissions from power plants.
What the power industry players think
28 Jun 2013
United States power industry interest groups were quick to give their assessment this week on President Obama’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power generation.
UN climate chief applauds Obama
28 Jun 2013
President Barack Obama’s climate action plan can be a critical move forward on the path toward a new, global climate agreement, the United Nations climate chief believes.
Big news from the US, Australia
28 Jun 2013
There have been significant policy developments over the past week in the global emissions arena, Westpac reports.
Yes, we can make steel without coal
21 Jun 2013
Our ancestors made steel without coal, so why don't we? Former Green Party co-leader JEANETTE FITZSIMONS examines the feasibility of coal-less steel:
People come first, say UN leaders
21 Jun 2013
Governments should that land and mineral wealth are managed wisely, transparently and yield benefits for the people, senior United Nations officials said this week
Dunne decider on thermal power future
14 Jun 2013
Beleaguered MP Peter Dunne could be called on to cast the deciding vote over whether new thermal electricity generation is banned or not.
Industry sees bioenergy as key to jobs
14 Jun 2013
Legislation supporting bioenergy production of electricity will provide employment and economic growth in rural areas, says the Bioenergy Association.
China set to roll out trading scheme
14 Jun 2013
China next week will launch an emissions trading scheme in the southern city of Shenzhen, marking its first attempt to cut emissions using market mechanisms.
Experts rule fracking too risky
14 Jun 2013
German environmental experts doubt that developing shale gas is economically profitable and worthwhile for the country's energy transition.
Profit-taking comes as no surprise
14 Jun 2013
European carbon corrected overnight, with EUAs for December 2013 delivery closing down 9 cents to €4.41, OMFinancial reports.
Farmers slam fracking opposition
7 Jun 2013
Environmental and health concerns over the practice of spreading fracking fluids on pasture are being described as scare-mongering by Federated Farmers.
New courses focus on climate action, activism and creating vision
Fri 12 Sep 2025
Media release | Dark Times Academy’s final lineup of courses for 2025, launching in mid-September, will focus on taking action on climate, learning about practical activism, and creating visions for the future.
Carbon price steady after failed quarterly auction
Tue 16 Sep 2025
By Liz Kivi | The carbon price has continued to trade in its familiar moribund range in the high $50s following last week’s failed quarterly auction, with ample supply still trading on the secondary market at about $10 below this year’s $68 auction floor.
NZ needs to be part of a regional SAF strategy: Z, Air NZ
9 Sep 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand needs to be part of a regional strategic approach to sourcing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with domestic production less the aim than ensuring access to the fuel from one of a number of strategically positioned bio-refineries around the world.
'Non-negotiable' – EU carbon pricing to hit Kiwi exporters, expert warns
11 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | High carbon exports will inevitably face a high carbon tax at the EU border, possibly in the next five years, and high methane agricultural products might not be exempt, an international expert told a local audience yesterday.
UK foreign aid for nature hits £800m record due to cash for carbon credits
Tue 16 Sep 2025
The UK’s climate-aid spending on “nature protection and restoration” reached record levels of nearly £800m last year, according to government figures obtained by Carbon Brief.
Air NZ declares surprisingly low SAF prices
3 Sep 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Air New Zealand is able to source sustainable aviation fuel at between 1.5 and 2.5 times the price of conventional fossil fuels used for flying, all sourced from the US.
No bidders front to carbon auction - again
10 Sep 2025
By Liz Kivi | Today’s quarterly carbon auction was a non-event yet again, making it the third consecutive auction this year with no bidders, with the secondary market price still limping along at nearly 20% below the auction floor.
Ashburton councillor opposes climate strategy he voted for
Wed 17 Sep 2025
Jonathan Leask, Local Democracy Reporter | Incumbent Ashburton councillor Phill Hooper says he doesn’t want to waste money on a climate change strategy, despite voting for the policy a few weeks ago.
'Atrocious' and 'bizarre': experts slam Act Party's climate policy
3 Sep 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Act Party is promising to challenge New Zealand’s Paris Agreement climate target, while the coalition Government’s other minor partner, NZ First, also says it wants to reevaluate the country’s commitment to the international treaty.
Industry struggles with double-digit power price hikes
Mon 15 Sep 2025
As power prices surge by double-digit amounts for the second year in a row, industrial users can’t keep absorbing cost increases, the Major Electricity Users’ Group says.
The merchants of doubt are back
3 Sep 2025
OPINION: If you don’t follow climate policy closely, you might not know that the Trump administration is launching an effort to overturn one of the most fundamental pillars of American climate policy.
Milestone for NZ Steel electrification
10 Sep 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | NZ Steel has passed an installation milestone for its new electric arc furnace, which will reduce emissions from the Glenbrook steel mill site by as much as one megatonne (1Mt) a year.
RMA to speed up fossil fuel consents
18 Aug 2025
By Liz Kivi | An energy lobby group has welcomed a last-minute amendment to the RMA that puts fossil fuels on the same footing as renewables, however a sustainable energy expert says the move “beggars belief.”
Watts not considering removing electricity from ETS
Tue 16 Sep 2025
Energy and Climate Change Minister, Simon Watts, says he is “not currently considering” removing electricity generation from the Emissions Trading Scheme, as proposed by NZ First Minister Shane Jones.
Gentailers told to behave as ministers weigh Frontier review
Wed 17 Sep 2025
The chief executives of Contact, Meridian, Mercury and Genesis met Energy and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts on Thursday for their regular monthly session.
Declining sea-ice is altering Antarctic food webs
11 Sep 2025
A new study shows a significant change in Antarctic phytoplankton over time that could cascade through the marine food web and affect the ocean’s capacity as a carbon sink.
Science cuts will hold back climate research
Wed 17 Sep 2025
By Liz Kivi | A crisis in government-backed science funding is worsening, with dire implications for climate research in New Zealand, according to experts from the scientific community.
Marginal drop in last year's regional emissions
27 Aug 2025
Regional greenhouse gas emissions were down slightly last year, with a fall in gas supply leading to a big drop in Taranaki, but more coal burnt leading to higher emissions in Waikato, according to new figures from Stats NZ
Indigenous forest 'islands' could help transition exotic plantations to native bush
11 Sep 2025
Native forest 'islands' within exotic plantations might be the key to transitioning plantations from exotic to Indigenous, according to new research.
Decline in global oil and gas field output accelerating, IEA says
Wed 17 Sep 2025
The decline in output from mature global oil and gas fields is accelerating amid greater reliance on shale and deep offshore resources.
A modest geothermal strategy
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.
Why mega-polluters have little to fear from the European Central Bank and its new climate policy
Fri 12 Sep 2025
The European Central Bank plans to raise borrowing costs for climate offenders – but a new FTM analysis shows that big polluters such as Shell will barely feel it.
Media round-up
5 Sep 2025
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The great methane debate; law change scuppers legal challenge to irrigation scheme consent; and what are the energy and climate implications of the $7.5 billion Amazon Web Services data centre deal?
Coal imports up 650%
Fri 12 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams and Liz Kivi | Coal imports are up 650% as generators stockpile the most polluting fossil fuel ahead of next winter.
Hiringa eyes green methanol plant near Whanganui
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.
Media round-up
29 Aug 2025
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: Changes to road user charges will increase New Zealand's emissions; Climate Change Minister Simon Watts promises better access to hazard data for homeowners; and Kiwis borrow over $1 billion in ‘green loans’ for heat pumps and electric cars.
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.
Apple Watch not a 'CO2-neutral product,' German court finds
28 Aug 2025
Apple can no longer advertise its Apple Watch as a "CO2-neutral product" in Germany, following a court ruling on Tuesday that upheld a complaint from environmentalists, finding that the U.S. tech company had misled consumers.
Forest carbon stores massive blind spot - study
4 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Aotearoa New Zealand’s planted forests hold significant deep soil organic carbon — with over half of it stored below 30 cm, and much of it over 1,000 years old.
Govt tweaks offshore energy bill with 'declared areas' model
Wed 17 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is making changes to the Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to address offshore wind developers' concerns about competing for space with other industries.
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.
A steady ocean pattern just failed for the first time ever observed
Wed 17 Sep 2025
The failure of the Gulf of Panama’s seasonal upwelling system has left scientists wondering what happens next.
Watts full-throated in National’s support for Paris
10 Sep 2025
By Pattrick Smellie | Climate Change Minister Simon Watts came to this week’s Climate Change and Business Conference with nothing to announce.
Govt resilience plan 'dangerous fantasy' - thinktank
29 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | An independent thinktank, whose members include former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer and multiple academics, is warning that the government’s long-term resilience strategy ignores physical and energy realities and exposes Kiwi households and businesses to systemic failure.
‘Plastic Cup’ competitions are cleaning up rivers in Hungary
1 Sep 2025
Afloat on DIY boats, teams of volunteers have removed over 450 tons of plastic waste from the Danube and its tributaries.
Invites-only fast-track for seabed mine slammed as 'rushed, awful'
Fri 12 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | With the wider public shut out of submissions, critics including Te Pāti Māori, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining and Greenpeace say the process strips away robust scrutiny and risks setting a dangerous precedent.
Underestimating support for climate action limits political decision making, study says
8 Sep 2025
Research reveals huge disparity between perceived and actual willingness of public to contribute to fixing climate.
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.
Solar and battery systems to boost resilience at Tasman community facilities
Tue 16 Sep 2025
Media release: Tasman District Council | Ten community facilities across Tasman District will soon be equipped with solar panels and battery storage, following confirmation of co-funding from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
The ozone hole continues to recover thanks to international action
Wed 17 Sep 2025
Media release: World Meteorological Organization (WMO) | The Earth’s protective ozone layer is healing and the ozone hole in 2024 was smaller than in recent years, according to a new report.
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’.
Ara Ake backs 13 projects to unlock NZ’s energy flexibility
11 Sep 2025
Media release | Ara Ake has approved over $600,000 in funding from the National Flex Discovery Fund for 13 flexibility service providers (FSPs).
Last minute change to oil and gas legislation over cleanup costs
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.
Most EU carmakers on track to meet emission targets: study
10 Sep 2025
Almost all European carmakers are on track to meet EU emission targets after winning a reprieve this year as electric vehicles (EV) sales pick up, a study showed.
Hotter, longer, more frequent: NZ’s escalating heat risk
26 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Heat extremes in New Zealand will intensify faster than previously thought, according to a new study.
Echo Tech secures growth investment to tackle NZ's e-waste crisis
Mon 15 Sep 2025
Media release | Echo Tech Limited, New Zealand’s leading provider of e-waste recycling and IT asset recovery services, is proud to announce a strategic investment from growth equity firm Altered Capital.
La Niña set to prolong NZ hydro shortfall
9 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | With La Niña favouring a drier-than-normal spring across much of the South Island, hydro lakes are unlikely to recover without substantial rain and late snowmelt – keeping national storage levels below average.
Record UK wildfires have burned an area twice the size of Glasgow in 2025
12 Aug 2025
Wildfires have scorched more than 40,000 hectares of land so far this year across the UK – an area more than twice the size of the Scottish city of Glasgow.
Which countries are scaling solar and wind the fastest?
Fri 12 Sep 2025
The leaderboard is quite different depending on what metric you look at.
