Topics tagged with 'Politics'

Govt shifts goalposts for key climate target
8 Aug 2024
The government has told the Climate Change Commission to remove consideration of the 1.5 degrees target from a forthcoming report, a move expected to lead to significantly weaker climate ambition.

Carbon capture – climate plan not clear cut
6 Aug 2024
Capturing carbon is capturing imaginations, but can it live up to the government’s expectations?

How is the draft Emissions Reduction Plan supposed to work?
5 Aug 2024
COMMENT: In its new climate plan, the coalition government seems to be setting New Zealand up to withdraw from the world carbon market before 2035, argues economist Geoff Bertram.

Workshops put climate top of mind for decision makers
5 Aug 2024
More than one thousand Kiwis have now taken part in workshops designed to keep the climate crisis top of mind in decision-making.

Is Air NZ leading the way in dropping its climate target?
2 Aug 2024
News that Air New Zealand is dropping its 2030 emissions target made international headlines this week, and experts are asking whether more businesses will follow suit.

Significant risk Aotearoa will not meet climate targets: Climate Commission
31 Jul 2024
There is a significant risk that New Zealand will not meet future emissions reductions targets, according to a new report from the Climate Change Commission.

Trans-Tasman finance and climate ministers to meet
30 Jul 2024
Media release | Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will take part in the second annual Australia-New Zealand 2+2 Climate and Finance Ministers’ meeting in Brisbane this week.

Govt not ruling out supporting bill to prevent councils considering climate impacts
26 Jul 2024
Climate change minister Simon Watts has not ruled out supporting a controversial private member’s bill to stop regional councils from considering climate change impacts in consenting decisions.

Media round-up
26 Jul 2024
In our weekly round-up of climate coverage in local media: major failings in Hawke's Bay Cyclone Gabrielle response; how fast-track delayed a key climate policy; and the problem with the government’s science and innovation policies.

Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail
25 Jul 2024
Media release | The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines.

Carbon market ‘underwhelmed’ by govt climate plan
24 Jul 2024
The carbon market barely blinked last week when the coalition government released its major climate policy, the second emissions reduction plan, which is intended to chart a path to reach climate targets to 2030.

Gas crunch ripples expand
23 Jul 2024
The pressure from a squeezed gas supply and increasing prices is sending ripples through the economy, government, and courts.

NZ climate ambassador resigns
22 Jul 2024
Climate change ambassador Kay Harrison has resigned just as the government was set to roll out major climate policies - many of which have been criticised by climate experts.

Climate change minister to attend climate action meeting in China
22 Jul 2024
Media release | Climate change minister Simon Watts travelled to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.

Media round-up
19 Jul 2024
In our weekly round-up of climate coverage in local media: how the government's climate plan does less with more; experts say the plan puts NZ's reputation at risk; and why getting the ETS right will be critical to investment.

New plan might see climate change minister in court
18 Jul 2024
Lawyers for Climate Action say there are “significant concerns” about whether the government’s new climate plan will achieve its climate targets, and could be in breach of the Climate Change Response Act.

Foresters say govt planting forecasts are wrong
18 Jul 2024
Foresters say the government's planting forecasts in its new climate plan are wrong, with the actual planted areas likely to be about half the government’s projections in 2024, according to the New Zealand Institute of Forestry.

Govt drastically weakens vehicle emissions standards
18 Jul 2024
By Robert McLachlan | On 25 June, the Government amended the Clean Vehicles Act, completed in a single day under urgency, so there was no opportunity for public input.

Govt releases emissions reduction plan
17 Jul 2024
Climate change minister Simon Watts has released the second emissions reduction plan for consultation, with proposed changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme including aligning ETS units with emissions budgets and reviewing the free industrial allocation of units.

ACT submits bill to stop regional councils considering climate impacts
15 Jul 2024
ACT MP Mark Cameron has lodged a new member’s bill to stop regional councils from considering climate change impacts in consenting decisions.

Reversing oil and gas exploration ban will increase emissions by 50Mt
12 Jul 2024
The coalition government’s plan to lift a ban on oil and gas exploration will lead to an extra 51.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions up to 2050, according to the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment.

EDS launches recommendations for Climate Adaptation Act
12 Jul 2024
Media release | The Environmental Defence Society has launched the final report of Phase 1 of its Climate Adaptation Project.

Climate strategy contradictory - or step in the right direction?
11 Jul 2024
A climate policy expert and IPCC lead author is concerned that progress on climate will be lost if the government doesn’t overhaul the Emissions Trading Scheme and introduce other complementary policies to reduce emissions.

Govt must not lower ETS auction floor price
11 Jul 2024
By Nigel Brunel | OPINION: The coalition government has undermined confidence in our central mechanism to deal with climate change, the Emissions Trading Scheme, and needs to stop meddling and start building back confidence in the market.

How different are the US presidential candidates on climate?
11 Jul 2024
An analysis of both Trump and Biden's climate policies quantifies the difference.

Watts unveils five-point climate strategy
10 Jul 2024
Climate change minister Simon Watts this morning announced a strategy of “five core pillars” to deliver climate change goals.

Govt consulting on carbon capture framework
10 Jul 2024
The government is consulting on a proposed framework for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS).

Initial carbon trading boost following stockpile reduction
9 Jul 2024
There was an initial “flurry” of carbon units trading hands on the secondary market last week, following a government update revealing a 25 million decrease in the stockpile of units in private accounts.

Jones says he hopes Climate Commission CEO is removed
3 Jul 2024
Minister for Resources Shane Jones says he hopes that the chief executive of the Climate Change Commission will soon be removed from her job.

Where did govt suggestion for lower NZU prices come from?
3 Jul 2024
When a recent consultation on Emissions Trading Scheme settings suggested a lower pricing corridor for NZUs, prices in the secondary carbon market plummeted and have continued to stay moribund.

Watts agrees more work needed to restore confidence in ETS
24 Jun 2024
Climate change minister Simon Watts agrees that more needs to be done to restore confidence and stability to the emissions trading scheme, while also saying the scheme is the government’s key tool to do the “heavy lifting” to reduce emissions.

Wait for the emissions reduction plan: Watts
20 Jun 2024
By Liz Kivi | The failure of yesterday’s carbon auction doesn’t mean the Emissions Trading Scheme isn’t working, according to climate change minister Simon Watts.

Conservation minister slammed for branding marine protection commitments “an aspiration, not an obligation”
19 Jun 2024
Media release | The World Wide Fund for Nature NZ has hit back at Conservation Minister Tama Potaka’s outrageous claim that protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 is purely “an aspiration”.

MfE consultation risks landing government back in court
18 Jun 2024
Lawyers for Climate Action NZ has warned MfE that its approach to ETS settings in its consultation document could land the government back in court.

Govt cans controversial forestry ETS charges for this year
17 Jun 2024
Foresters have welcomed the government’s announcement that it is cancelling forestry ETS annual services charges for 2023-24.

Media round-up
14 Jun 2024
In our weekly round-up of the climate coverage in local media: Uncertainty abounds in the ETS; a major Atlantic current collapsing could disrupt NZ’s climate again; and is the government focussing on drilling or climate ambition – it can’t be both.

Govt restoring legal requirement to promote mining
13 Jun 2024
The government’s proposed reform of the Crown Minerals Act goes further than just repealing the 2018 ban on new petroleum exploration outside onshore Taranaki.

Expert slams govt delay in pricing agricultural emissions
12 Jun 2024
The coalition government has reaffirmed greenhouse gases from agriculture won’t be covered in the Emissions Trading Scheme and Cabinet is disestablishing primary sector climate action partnership He Waka Eke Noa.

Climate minister’s speech hijacked by protestors
12 Jun 2024
Climate change minister Simon Watts was shouted down by young protestors at a conference yesterday and left without delivering his prepared speech.

Australia’s leader says opposition will renege on greenhouse gas emissions target if elected
11 Jun 2024
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday said the opposition Liberal Party would renege on the nation’s ambitious target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 if it wins elections due within a year.

Govt to reverse oil and gas exploration ban
10 Jun 2024
Removing a ban on petroleum exploration beyond onshore Taranaki is part of a suite of proposed changes to deal with the energy security challenges caused by declining fossil gas reserves, according to resources minister Shane Jones.

Government signs Indo-Pacific economic agreements to boost trade
7 Jun 2024
Media release | Trade Minister Todd McClay and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts, today signed three Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) agreements that will boost investment, grow New Zealand’s digital and green economies and increase trade between New Zealand and the 14 IPEF partners.

Tiwai deal could lead to multi-billion dollar govt carbon pollution subsidy
5 Jun 2024
Rio Tinto could get close to a million free carbon credits each year under its new electricity supply deal for Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter - a government subsidy that could amount to a possible $2 billion during the 20 year life of the deal, according to campaigners.

Right to Repair Bill could cut hundreds of thousands of tonnes of emissions
4 Jun 2024
A Right to Repair member's bill currently before Parliament could slash more than 200,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions over 15 years based on European research.

Media round-up
31 May 2024
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in local media: rethinking roads as public spaces; government's coal strategy might breach international commitments; and "green reasons" for destroying the seabed?

Climate change minister faces up to some difficult questions
30 May 2024
By Liz Kivi | The climate change minister faced some awkward questions at the Carbon and Energy Professionals conference this week, against a backdrop of falling carbon prices.

Climate Change Commission chair to retire
27 May 2024
Media release | The Climate Change Commission Chair, Dr Rod Carr, has confirmed his plans to retire at the end of his term later this year, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says.

Media round-up
24 May 2024
In our weekly round-up of climate coverage in local media: Christopher Luxon and Chloe Swarbrick - a tale of two speeches; private jet use is increasing in NZ; and investment giant BlackRock is yet to make investments from NZ climate fund announced ten months ago.

Environment commissioner calls for separate ETS for methane
23 May 2024
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has again called for forestry to be phased out of the Emissions Trading Scheme and is calling for a separate ETS for methane.

Govt blamed for low carbon price
22 May 2024
By Liz Kivi | The carbon price hit a ten-month low on the secondary market on Monday, with NZUs trading at about half the price of the commodity’s all-time high of $88.50 in November 2022.