Topics tagged with 'Politics'

Biofuels player pulls $100m plug on New Zealand plant
1 Aug 2008
A British biofuels company is pulling its $100-million investment out of New Zealand, blaming the Government’s Biofuels Bill.

Silicon-fuelled power stations one solution, says NZ scientist
1 Aug 2008
A Waikato University scientist has reached for his periodic table - which shows that carbon and silicon are in the same family - and has outlined what is being applauded as the most cogent argument to date for a silicon economy, powered by silicon fuel.

Words in the House over ETS support talks
1 Aug 2008
So how are the support talks going to get votes to pass the emissions trading bill?

China enters pact with UK carbon trading player
1 Aug 2008
British carbon exchange specialist Climate Exchange has confirmed that it has signed an agreement with the Chinese authorities to start an emissions trading scheme in the country.

Australians strongly back carbon trade scheme, poll shows
1 Aug 2008
Australians overwhelmingly back government plans to introduce one of the world's biggest carbon trading schemes, a poll found this week.

Firms found to be ill-prepared for cap-and-trade scheme
1 Aug 2008
Many UK firms remain unprepared for the introduction of a cap-and-trade scheme, and have little experience of the IT systems and trading processes that will be required to comply with the new legislation.
Former UN man joins IDEAcarbon
1 Aug 2008
A former under secretary general for economic and social affairs at the United Nations in New York, Nitin Desai, has joined IDEAcrbon as an advisor to its board of directors.
New members for GIAB announced
29 Jul 2008
Twelve new members representing some of New Zealand's leading businesses and research organisations have been appointed to the government's Growth and Innovation Advisory Board

We'll fight for our forest rights, owners warn ETS policy-makers
25 Jul 2008
Kyoto Forest Owners say they will wage war if either major political party reneges on promises over carbon credits worth millions of dollars.

ANALYSIS: Heavy emitters and National scoring major own goal
25 Jul 2008
The little-covered press release issued by the Kyoto Forestry Association this week, seeking major-party assurances its members will still get hundreds of millions of dollars worth of carbon credits, speaks of the unspeakable position anti-emissions trading campaigners have got themselves and others into.

Minister stays mum on support for Biofuels bill
25 Jul 2008
The Government says that its Biofuel bill has the backing of industry, but is not saying whether it has the backing of Parliament.

California joins major North American effort to curb greenhouse gases
25 Jul 2008
California, six other Western states and four Canadian provinces will launch a market-based carbon trading system in a major North American effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, according to a draft proposal released yesterday.
Kyoto foresters seek assurances on Labour and National's carbon credit promises
25 Jul 2008
The Kyoto Forestry Association (KFA) is seeking assurances from the Labour and National parties that their 2007 promises to post-1989 forest owners, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, can continue to be relied upon.

Canadian PM under pressure as major province signs up with US emissions group
22 Jul 2008
The Canadian government faces new pressure to adopt a more aggressive climate-change plan after its largest province threw its considerable political weight behind a North American initiative to tackle global warming.

BBC TV about to air climate change the thriller
22 Jul 2008
Climate change joins mainstream television this week with the screening in Britain of the environmental thriller Burn Up.

Tell us how to cope with ETS, Business Council urges Government
18 Jul 2008
The Government would win more political support for emissions trading scheme if it told New Zealanders how it will help them to cope with the costs of the scheme, says the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development.

National Party hopeful targets Indonesian coal used at Huntly
18 Jul 2008
The importing of “safe” coal from Indonesia as a substitute for our own plentiful – but more politically sensitive - variety is a National Party plank that will resonate between now and the general election.

Maori Party sticks to polluters-should-pay stance on ETS fuel plans
18 Jul 2008
The Maori Party is unlikely to push for an Australian-style buffer against the effects of increased fuel prices under New Zealand’s proposed emissions trading scheme.

Long-haul airlines to get carbon relief from Europe
18 Jul 2008
Airlines flying long-haul to Europe will get extra allocations of carbon credits under the European emissions trading scheme, says the European Commission to New Zealand.

US power giant will spend $10b to slash gas emissions
18 Jul 2008
The United States’ largest electricity and gas utility, Exelon, has released a $10 billion plan to eliminate or offset its carbon dioxide emissions, positioning itself ahead of expected federal climate change legislation.
Consider Aussie ETS before passing bill, say Nats
18 Jul 2008
New Zealand needs to give careful consideration to the design of the Australian emissions trading scheme before passing the current bill, says National Party Climate Change spokesman Nick Smith.

Parker, Swan meet tomorrow to talk emissions trading
16 Jul 2008
Australia’s proposed emissions trading scheme will be top of the agenda for a meeting between New Zealand Climate Change Minister David Parker and Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan tomorrow.
REACTION: Green Paper gives cold comfort to those wanting to delay emissions trading
16 Jul 2008
The Green Paper outlining the Australian Government’s thinking on emissions trading shows it is well aligned with New Zealand’s plans, says the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development
REACTION: NZ emission scheme should pick up some Aussie ideas, say forest owners
16 Jul 2008
Forest owners have welcomed the release by the Australian Government of its preferred policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

World won't buy ETS dream, top economist tells Aussies
15 Jul 2008
Australians are being told by one of the world’s leading economists that the world will never support an emissions trading regime.
ANALYSIS: Australian Green Paper: Will faces here go green or red?
15 Jul 2008
ANALYSIS: The Green Paper on Australia’s emissions trading scheme, being published tomorrow, could have policy and political repercussions in New Zealand.

Bush administration slams door on climate change
15 Jul 2008
Arguing that it's the wrong tool for the job, the Bush Administration has said that it will not use the nation's leading clean air law to regulate emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Poll shows most of us want action on climate change
11 Jul 2008
Another poll has confirmed that most New Zealanders believe that climate change is human-induced and want to take action.

NZIER-funded polling shows coalition deal may have to deliver ETS policy
11 Jul 2008
Emissions trading is an issue of great concern to Maori and Green party voters - and the major parties might need them to form a coalition after this year's election.

ANALYSIS: The NZIER and friends' poll slip is showing
11 Jul 2008
A close-call election result is probably not what the NZIER and its major emitter study funders would have most liked in the results of their June TNS Conversa poll.
Roundtable: NZIER survey confirms ETS proposals lack support
11 Jul 2008
“The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research survey confirms what the Business Roundtable has been saying: that the government has failed to make a robust case to the public that further action against climate change is in New Zealand’s interests, and that without public support any action is likely to be politically unsustainable”, Roger Kerr, executive director of the New Zealand Business Roundtable said.

Paper giant might fold and flee if NZ emissions scheme 'hostile'
8 Jul 2008
International paper giant Norske Skog might quit New Zealand if it is confronted by what it regards as a hostile emissions regime, sources say.

Forest owners urge NZ to follow Garnaut carbon storage action
8 Jul 2008
Australia’s emissions trading scheme is likely to recognise carbon stored in wood products – something New Zealand’s own forest industry would like to see on the table for the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.
Garnaut review releases draft report
8 Jul 2008
Australians are facing risks of damaging climate change. Without strong and early action by Australia and all major economies we are likely to face severe and costly impacts on Australia’s prosperity and enjoyment of life, according to the Garnaut Climate Change Review’s Draft Report, released on Friday.

Did the ETS really cause big business to leak?: the Dutch evidence
8 Jul 2008
Everywhere emissions trading is being considered, heavy emitters are saying they will relocate to countries without a price on carbon.

India shapes up as second-biggest emitter, says report
8 Jul 2008
India, with a rising demand for crude oil and coal, is likely to overtake the US as the second-largest emitter of carbon from energy use by 2050 after China, a new study says.

Wind-generated electricity blows past 2007 figures
4 Jul 2008
The contribution of wind energy to New Zealand’s electricity supply has increased significantly, figures released yesterday by the Ministry of Economic Development show.

ANALYSIS: The Labour-National negotiation that should be under way
4 Jul 2008
National and Labour are not far apart on the adjustments needed to make the emissions trading bill acceptable to both and restore multi-party support for the measure.

No horse trading on other issues in Govt - NZ First ETS negotiations
4 Jul 2008
Winston Peters has revealed his negotiating position over the emissions trading bill does not involve any other issue.

What’s it all about, mate, ask bewildered Aussies
4 Jul 2008
Australia takes a big step into the brave new world of climate change and greenhouse gas emissions with the release today of Professor Ross Garnaut’s draft report for the Rudd government on carbon trading.

Get on with it, unions tell business and politicians
1 Jul 2008
Unions are climbing into the emissions trading debate, using two of their heavy-weights to send a clear message to business and political leaders that it’s time to pass the bill.

Questions over SOE-funding of ETS reports
1 Jul 2008
Three State-owned enterprises are in the political spotlight for funding reports being used on either side of the lobby campaign on the Government’s emissions trading scheme.

UN chief uses Kyoto to call for new climate change agreement by end of 2009
1 Jul 2008
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday that the world must galvanise its will and reach a new agreement on measures to fight climate change by the end of 2009.

Blair calls for 'short steps' to climate change
1 Jul 2008
Governments trying to hammer out a post-Kyoto deal on climate change should not become “fixated on precise targets” but concentrate on practical short-term steps towards halving emissions by 2050, says former UK prime minister Tony Blair.
Send ETS back to select committee, says Roy
1 Jul 2008
ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader Heather Roy today put her support behind those businesses and individuals pressuring the Government to put the brakes on the Emissions Trading Scheme - a major piece of legislation with wide-ranging effects that should not be rammed through before the election.

Tokyo bourse carbon-permit trade hinges on Japan plan
27 Jun 2008
The introduction of carbon permits trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange will hinge on a government plan for compulsory emission curbs, Atsushi Saito, the president of the world's second-largest bourse, said yesterday.
Hurry up’ report based on generalised assumptions
24 Jun 2008
A report claiming big investment gains from quickly passing emissions trading legislation is based on generalised assumptions and some questionable logic, says Business NZ.

Pressure builds as minor parties decide where to stand on ETS
24 Jun 2008
The emissions trading bill is top of the agenda for most minor political party caucus meetings today as pressure builds to get the scheme passed before the election.

No local biofuel under proposed law - manufacturers
24 Jun 2008
Local production of biofuels will be halted by changes to the Biofuels Bill, which came back into Parliament yesterday, say manufacturers.