Topics tagged with 'Science'
Climate stories don’t have to be depressing to be effective
3 Mar 2022
Stories in which characters take action with an intent to protect the climate make readers more likely to support climate policies and more likely to say they’ll take pro-environmental actions themselves, according to a new study.
Reaching peak carbon early could save hundreds of thousands of lives in China
3 Mar 2022
Reaching peak carbon emissions before its 2030 target could help China to avoid more 600,000 deaths from exposure to the most deadly small particles over the following two decades, a study has found.
‘One of the most extreme disasters in colonial Australian history’: climate scientist
3 Mar 2022
The deluge dumped on southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales this week has been catastrophic. Floodwaters peaked at around 14.4 metres high in Lismore – two metres higher than the city’s previous record.
Kiwi climate scientist's call for strike makes New York Times
2 Mar 2022
Massey University's Bruce Glavovic was in the news yesterday as one of the authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's latest assessment. Today's he's in the New York Times making the case for a climate scientists strike.
Need to focus on coastal cities: Bruce Glavovic
2 Mar 2022
Dr Bruce Glavovic may be calling for climate scientist strike but he's still doing his utmost to alert the public to the dire consequences of climate change. In his latest piece for The Conversation he argues that coastal cities are where transformative climate-resilient development can happen.
The UN’s climate report highlights the dangers of natural solutions
2 Mar 2022
A variety of researchers have highlighted the potential to leverage nature to combat climate change, by planting trees or growing crops to suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
Tonga volcano eruptions have smaller cooling impact on climate change: study
2 Mar 2022
An analysis has revealed that the cooling effect of Tonga's volcano eruptions would be much smaller than initially thought and not strong enough to overwhelm longer-term global warming tendency.
These solar panels pull in water vapor to grow crops in the desert
2 Mar 2022
Using a unique hydrogel, scientists in Saudi Arabia created a solar-driven system that successfully grows spinach by using water drawn from the air while producing electricity.
An "atlas of human suffering": Guterres
1 Mar 2022
"An atlas human of suffering" was UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres pithy summary of the latest climate report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change yesterday.
Cyclone risks are intensifying for India due to climate change
1 Mar 2022
Increasing temperatures in the north Indian Ocean is spurring more intense cyclones that spell trouble for India's densely-populated coastal regions. And climate change is to blame, according to a new study.
Deforestation emissions far higher than previously thought: study
1 Mar 2022
Carbon emissions from tropical deforestation this century are far higher than previously thought, doubling in just two decades and continuing to accelerate, according to a study.
California's carbon markets getting in the way of climate targets: report
1 Mar 2022
CALIFORNIA'S carbon market could be hurting the state’s chances of meeting its ambitious climate goals, while at the same time exacerbating pollution in already overburdened communities, two new reports warn.
New UN report set to paint stark picture of impacts of climate change
28 Feb 2022
A NEW UN science report [being released at midnight tonight NZ time] is set to send what may be the starkest warning yet about the impacts of climate change on people and the planet.
Russian official apologizes to Ukraine at climate science meeting
28 Feb 2022
A Russian government representative apologized to Ukraine and said there was no justification for his country's invasion during a meeting of climate scientists and governments on Sunday morning
Using land to tackle climate change could have ‘adverse impacts’ on global hunger
28 Feb 2022
Relying heavily on land use to tackle climate change could slow the decline in global hunger, according to new research published in Nature Food.
UN report warns climate change could spur 50% more wildfires by 2100
25 Feb 2022
A UN report has found governments are spending too much money on fire suppression and not enough on prevention.
Fossils emit 70% more methane than governments report: IEA Tracker
24 Feb 2022
Emissions of climate-busting methane from fossil fuel operations are 70% higher than national governments are reporting, according to the 2022 edition of the Global Methane Tracker released this morning by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Antarctica will likely set an alarming new record this year: new data
23 Feb 2022
As surging global temperatures alter the landscape of the Arctic, scientists are observing what's shaping up to be a new record at the other end of the globe.
Climate change is sickening, literally!
23 Feb 2022
Climate change has a major role in the shifting of range and seasonality of several diseases, the most prominent of which includes Lyme disease.
Covid shutdown linked to record rainfall in China
22 Feb 2022
Scientists say that a rapid drop in emissions because of Covid played a key role in record rainfall in China in 2020. The decline in greenhouse gases and small particles called aerosols caused atmospheric changes that intensified the downpours.
Engineered bacteria produce chemicals with negative carbon emissions
22 Feb 2022
Bacteria engineered to turn carbon dioxide into compounds used in paint remover and hand sanitiser could offer a carbon-negative way of manufacturing industrial chemicals.
Fatal distraction: the problem with the methane pledge
22 Feb 2022
Over the past year, the world has experienced severe heatwaves, wildfires, and drought. As global temperature continues to creep upwards, these events will become more frequent and more extreme.
Colonialism distorts efforts to save climate-threatened heritage: report
21 Feb 2022
Climate change threatens to destroy invaluable heritage sites and traditions in marginalized countries — but empowering local people is key to adaptation.
Forests follow unexpected—and surprisingly fast—paths to recovery
17 Feb 2022
A new study found that carbon, nitrogen and soil density in cleared forests reached 90% of levels in untouched forests after 1 to 9 years. They key was leaving them alone.
A child born today needs to emit 10 times less than their grandparents
16 Feb 2022
Children born today will emit 10 times less carbon during their lifetimes than their grandparents if the world achieves the goal of reducing global emissions to net zero by 2050.
‘Dangerously fast’ methane increase suggests feedback mechanism may have begun
15 Feb 2022
Methane concentrations in the atmosphere have risen at a “dangerously fast” rate and now exceed 1,900 parts per billion, prompting some researchers to warn that climate change itself may be driving the increase.
In a warmer future, ocean carbon sinks could help stabilise our planet
15 Feb 2022
We think of trees and soil as carbon sinks, but the world's oceans hold far larger carbon stocks and are more effective at storing carbon permanently.
Flyers not willing to pay extra for green travel: study
14 Feb 2022
A new scientific study has slammed the effectiveness of airline carbon offsetting schemes in combatting climate change.
Why climate change talk must focus on water
14 Feb 2022
Nothing works like clarity in getting things done. And the world needs to get down its carbon emissions to keep it habitable for most of us in the not-too-distant future. Naturally, then, most climate conversations revolve around carbon, with political and business leaders jumping onto the Net Zero bandwagon. So why muddy the waters, by talking about, um, water?
Polar bear inbreeding and bird 'divorces': Weird ways climate change is affecting animal species
14 Feb 2022
The world's biodiversity is constantly being threatened by warming temperatures and extreme changes in climate and weather patterns.
Scientists raise alarm over ‘dangerously fast’ growth in atmospheric methane
11 Feb 2022
As global methane concentrations soar over 1,900 parts per billion, some researchers fear that global warming itself is behind the rapid rise.
Rethinking how to measure methane's climate impact
10 Feb 2022
Like boxers whose punching power declines over their careers, greenhouse gasses lose their warming impact at different rates. So, to compare gasses' climate changing potential to the most common greenhouse gas—carbon dioxide—international negotiators often use a metric that measures their influence on global warming over a 100-year timeframe.
Ice that took roughly 2,000 years to form on Mt. Everest has melted in around 25
8 Feb 2022
The highest glacier on the world's tallest mountain is losing decades worth of ice every year because of human-induced climate change, a new study shows.
Giant iceberg blocks scientists’ study of ‘Doomsday Glacier’
4 Feb 2022
Antarctica’s so-called Doomsday Glacier, nicknamed because it is huge and coming apart, is mostly thwarting an international effort to figure out how dangerously vulnerable it is.
Ending animal agriculture and planting trees on empty fields is 'best chance' to slow climate change: vegan scientists
4 Feb 2022
Getting rid of animal agriculture and planting trees on the empty fields is our "best and most immediate chance" to slow climate change, according to two prominent vegan scientists
Remote sensing technology reduces urban air pollution
4 Feb 2022
Cities that adopt roadside emissions sensors to detect high polluting vehicles, together with an enforcement programme to inspect and repair these vehicles, could significantly improve urban air quality, new research shows.
Extreme heat driven by climate change is ‘new normal’ for oceans: study
3 Feb 2022
More than half of the world’s ocean surface has surpassed historic extreme heat thresholds on a consistent basis since 2014, according to a new study by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Climate change has likely begun to suffocate the world's fisheries
2 Feb 2022
By 2080, around 70% of the world's oceans could be suffocating from a lack of oxygen as a result of climate change, potentially impacting marine ecosystems worldwide, according to a new study.
30,000 year-old carbon deposits are thawing in Siberia
2 Feb 2022
Carbon, freeze-locked under ice over 30,000 years ago, is now thawing and being released into the climate.
Repeat photography shows climate change impacts on real places
2 Feb 2022
A 2004 photo captures a boat cruising a strip of water where an 1899 picture taken from the same spot shows a giant glacier. On either side of the channel, green trees and shrubs cover a rocky landscape that a century ago had been blanketed with white snow.
Plant-based epoxy enables recyclable carbon fibre
31 Jan 2022
Ten times stronger than steel, nearly half the weight of aluminum, far stiffer than fiberglass — carbon fibre carries a package of advantages, making it a preferred material for use in luxury sedans and Formula One racecars alike.
Key crops face major shifts as world warms
28 Jan 2022
The parts of the world suitable for growing coffee, cashews and avocados will change dramatically as the world heats up, according to a new study.
Future forests will have smaller trees and soak up less carbon: study
28 Jan 2022
There is no crystal ball to tell ecologists how forests of the future will respond to the changing climate, but a University of Arizona-led team of researchers may have created the next best thing.
Gas stoves leak climate-warming methane even when they're off
28 Jan 2022
Your natural gas cooking stove may leak climate-warming methane even when it is turned off, warns a new Stanford University study.
Here’s how top predator species might buffer climate change impacts on biodiversity
27 Jan 2022
Sometimes even a finger-length fish can make all the difference in an ecosystem. As many of the world’s wild places confront a double-whammy of a warming climate and vanishing species, new research suggests that predators as small as the lowly sculpin could help dampen ecological turmoil triggered by heatwaves.
Rich countries could slash agricultural emissions by 62% by eating less meat
26 Jan 2022
A move to reduce meat consumption could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by 62% across the world’s 54 richest countries and free up enough land to store 100 billion tonnes of carbon, a new study concludes.
Scientists warn climate change could unleash ‘rivers in the sky’
25 Jan 2022
The planet’s warming climate could intensify ‘rivers in the sky’ over East Asia, scientists have warned.
What will it take to shrink the carbon footprint of health care
25 Jan 2022
One of the most instantly recognisable emblems of the past pandemic year is the discarded surgical mask: ground into mud at the edge of a walking path, caught in the branches of a tree, tangled around a seabird’s legs. Thanks to the pandemic, the waste and disposability associated with modern healthcare are more visible to the public than ever before.
“We’re no longer totally f$%@ed. But we’re also far from totally unf$@%*ed!”
24 Dec 2021
Princeton energy researcher Jesse Jenkins accurately, and colorfully, pinpointed the weird moment we’ve arrived at in a recent tweet: “We’re no longer totally f$%@ed. But we’re also far from totally unf$@%*ed!”
Ozone-destroying greenhouse gas emissions from China increased significantly: Study
24 Dec 2021
Emissions of industrially produced chlorocarbon, dichloromethane (CH2Cl2), increased in China from 2011-2019, a new study established. The emissions grew to 628 gigagrams (Gg) per year in 2019 from 231 Gg per year in 2011 in the country, with an average annual increase of 13% primarily from eastern China.
Climate progress slowing, says Auckland councillor
Today 11:30am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The devastating cyclone that tore through Tāmaki Makaurau in 2023 left behind more than just broken infrastructure, sparking calls to focus on facts over ideology in the fight against climate change.
Controversy around NZ’s methane target hits international press
Tue 3 Jun 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand’s approach to methane targets has hit international media, with climate scientists from multiple countries penning an open letter warning Prime Minister Christopher Luxon not to weaken methane targets.
Greenwashing is rife in Australia, but could its days be numbered?
28 May 2025
COMMENT: Have you ever ticked the box to “fly carbon neutral”, had something delivered via “carbon-neutral shipping” or chosen to pay a bit extra to buy “carbon-neutral gas” from your energy retailer?
Help sustainable aviation fuels take off or delay targets, airlines warn EU
20 May 2025
Earmarked funding, risk-reduction tools, and simplified imports top Airlines for Europe’s wish list for the EU’s upcoming Sustainable Transport Investment Plan.
Microplastics found in sand on dozens of NZ beaches
Wed 4 Jun 2025
Scientists have extracted microplastics from the sand of 22 beaches from the Far North to Banks Peninsula.
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.
Govt mulls status quo for ETS auction settings
29 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has released its consultation on the Climate Change Commission’s latest advice on Emissions Trading Scheme auction settings and volumes, putting forward the option to ignore the commission’s advice to boost auction volumes from 2028-2030.
Food giants’ climate plans lack credibility, new report finds
Today 11:30am
Food firms are inflating their climate targets with carbon removals and weak deforestation claims, according to a report from the NewClimate Institute and Carbon Market Watch.
Carbon price too low to fund carbon capture
20 May 2025
The government’s climate target to 2030 is at risk, after revelations that a carbon capture project which the government was relying on to deliver one third of its carbon reductions, might not go ahead.
Fight over coal mine heats up
Fri 30 May 2025
Forest & Bird is calling on the government to create a new scientific reserve covering the Denniston Plateau on the West Coast, which would stop a fast-tracked coal mine.
Trump’s actions are already having consequences for climate, especially for the IPCC - expert
11 Apr 2025
Leading climate scientist, Dr Kevin Trenberth, left the US and came home to New Zealand because of the rise of Donald Trump. In this comment piece, he writes that he is appalled in multiple ways by the so-called “war on science” unfolding through staff cuts and the president’s policy edicts.
Common low-grade clay strengthens low-carbon concrete
Today 11:30am
Media release | Engineers at RMIT University have converted low-grade clay into a high-performance cement supplement, opening a potential new market in sustainable construction materials.
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.
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.
Gas supply reducing faster than forecast
Today 11:30am
By Liz Kivi | Gas reserves have reduced 27% as of 1 January 2025 compared to last year, according to data released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Govt budgets $200m for would-be gas investors
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | Energy Resources Aotearoa has welcomed the government's plan to co-invest $200 million in fossil gas expansion, while environmental and climate groups have reacted with horror.
Death toll from Nigeria flash floods rises to 151
Tue 3 Jun 2025
At least 151 people in central Nigeria are now known to have died following flash floods that destroyed homes and displaced thousands of residents earlier this week.
Oceans Commission must have teeth – minister
14 May 2025
If an Oceans Commission were to be established under the government it would need genuine powers to make change, says Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones.
Environmentalists see forestry changes as dangerous step for Tairāwhiti
Tue 3 Jun 2025
By Zita Campbell, Local Democracy Reporter | Tairāwhiti environmentalists have called changes for commercial forestry under proposed Resource Management Act reforms “a slap in the face” and a return to weaker forestry regulations.
Vanuatu criticises Australia for extending gas project while making COP31 bid
Wed 4 Jun 2025
Vanuatu’s climate minister has expressed disappointment over Australia’s decision to extend one of the world’s biggest liquefied natural gas projects and said it raises questions over its bid to co-host the COP31 summit with Pacific nations.
Hotter and deeper: how NZ’s plan to drill for ‘supercritical’ geothermal energy holds promise and risk
2 Apr 2025
By David Dempsey, University of Canterbury | New Zealand’s North Island features a number of geothermal systems, several of which are used to generate some 1,000 MegaWatts of electricity. But deeper down there may be even more potential.
Electrification challenge for politicians, regulators
27 May 2025
Rewiring Aotearoa is calling for stronger political leadership to bring its vision of a cheaper, cleaner and stronger energy system to life, with the launch of its policy manifesto today.
Could ‘orange’ hydrogen be NZ’s key to net-zero?
Fri 30 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand could be sitting on resources for a thriving multi-billion-dollar, low-carbon hydrogen economy, which might even be capable of creating a net reduction of carbon dioxide, according to scientists.
Energy Australia is in court accused of greenwashing. What is the case about and why is it significant?
16 May 2025
Climate group alleges energy giant misled 400,000 customers about ‘Go Neutral’ product, arguing that carbon credits don’t actually remove emissions.
Methanex closure comes early this year
14 May 2025
The almost-now-annual closure of Methanex has come earlier this year, giving more confidence that the electricity system will get through the winter without a fuel shortfall.
What happened to the hydrogen economy?
Tue 3 Jun 2025
The hydrogen car that was supposed to carry us into a cleaner future is still not in the driveway. In fact, outside of a few test markets, it’s not in anyone’s driveway.
Climate change could drive surge in foreclosures and lender losses, new study finds
22 May 2025
Extreme weather linked to climate change could spell financial ruin for many American homeowners and lead to billions in losses for lenders, a new study finds.
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.
Energy Australia apologises to 400,000 customers and settles greenwashing legal action
22 May 2025
Energy retailer says carbon offsetting ‘not the most effective way’ to reduce emissions.
Carbon News launches price index
24 Jun 2024
Today’s issue is the first to feature Carbon News’ own carbon price index for secondary market spot prices for NZUs on New Zealand’s compliance market.
Govt's RMA overhaul sparks fears for nature and climate
Fri 30 May 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has opened public consultation on the biggest overhaul of environmental planning rules in New Zealand’s history, with critics warning it puts nature and climate at risk in favour of fast-tracked development and industry expansion.
Waste Levy risks becoming ‘slush fund’ under proposed changes – Commissioner
Today 11:30am
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.
From sovereignty to sustainability: United Nations Ocean Conference
Today 11:30am
While ocean governance was once designed to protect the marine interests of states, nowadays it must also address the numerous climate and environmental challenges facing the oceans.
Tech alone won’t save us, warns climate expert
Wed 4 Jun 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Technology alone won't be enough to reach net zero emissions, environmental psychologist Lorraine Whitmarsh told the Carbon and Energy Professionals conference in Auckland last week.
New research reveals NZ’s natural resource footprint
29 May 2025
Media release | New research from the office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment reveals that about 107 million tonnes of natural resources were required to produce the goods and services consumed by New Zealanders in 2019 – approximately 21 tonnes per person on average.
NZ's first chance in 20 years to catch up on waste
Fri 30 May 2025
Media release | The government has announced proposals for updating the Waste Minimisation Act and the Litter Act. For the first time in nearly 20 years, Kiwis have a chance to catch up with other countries to reduce our waste and litter.
Dismissals 'massive win' for climate movement
13 May 2025
The outstanding charges against 25 climate activists who disrupted traffic in Wellington have been dropped, a move the group calls a win for the climate movement.
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.
US: Clean energy project cancellations top $14 Billion so far in 2025
Wed 4 Jun 2025
Businesses have pulled the plug on big projects amid Trump’s retreat on climate action. But plenty remain in the pipeline, awaiting a Congressional decision on tax credits.
Green budget 'ludicrous la-la land' – govt
15 May 2025
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the budget was "clown show economics" and an "absolute circus".
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.
“It’s not the car – it’s how we move” – EECA
Tue 3 Jun 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams| New Zealand’s transport emissions conversation has focused heavily on electric vehicles – but Richard Briggs, group manager, delivery and partnerships at the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, says we’re asking the wrong question.
Europe’s next climate target may already have been agreed in Berlin
28 May 2025
Germany’s new coalition has adopted a climate stance shaped by talks with the EU’s top climate official, signalling where the bloc may land on a likely upcoming 2040 emissions target.
Water crisis on the horizon?
26 May 2025
Media release | Sewage contaminating Auckland oyster farms highlights the “dire state” of water infrastructure in Aotearoa, says University of Auckland Associate Professor Daniel Hikuroa.
Tropical forest loss hit new heights in 2024; fire a major driver in Latin America
23 May 2025
Tropical forest loss skyrocketed in 2024, with vast swaths of primary forest consumed by fire, according to new satellite data.
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.
