Topics tagged with 'Science'
Heat-related deaths could increase fivefold by middle of 21st century
16 Nov 2023
Heat-related deaths could increase almost fivefold by the middle of the century, according to an international WHO co-authored report by more than 100 researchers.
New study highlights need to address risk of continued global warming after net zero
16 Nov 2023
From scorching heat waves to torrential downpours and devastating storms, the disastrous effects of global warming are sweeping across the world.
Global heating is accelerating, warns scientist who sounded climate alarm in the 80s
6 Nov 2023
Study delivers dire warning although rate of increase is debated by some scientists amid a record-breaking year of heat.
NZ’s response to climate change ‘hangs in the balance’: scientists
3 Nov 2023
Scientists are calling on the incoming government to urgently rebuild the country’s research, science and innovation sector - with our climate change response at risk.
Marsden Fund grants for climate research
2 Nov 2023
Research into climate and the energy transition are among 123 projects taking $83.59 million from this year’s Te Pūtea Rangahau a Marsden, the Marsden Fund, announced today.
New govt funding for climate research
30 Oct 2023
One third of this year’s Rutherford Fellowships are for climate research, with four of the 12 researchers tackling climate-related projects with $800,000 each from the fund over five years.
Proposal to include non-forestry land in NDC calculation
25 Oct 2023
By Jeremy Rose | A Cabinet minute from July of this year agreed in principle to include non-forest land in New Zealand’s nationally determined contribution.
10% of wilderness outside of Antarctica may be threatened by agriculture as the climate warms
20 Oct 2023
Media release | Expansions in crop farming across the globe are the biggest driving force of biodiversity loss in the wild. Now, in a new study publishing in the journal Current Biology on November 6, researchers have modeled how the world’s agricultural landscape could change over the next 40 years.
Sea-level rise likely to skyrocket if Paris Agreement targets not met
19 Oct 2023
Media release | The Greenland ice sheet is projected to undergo abrupt losses due to melting if global warming exceeds temperatures of around 2°C above pre-industrial temperatures, according to a modelling study published in Nature.
Climate change increases risk of earthquake damage
17 Oct 2023
Climate change not only worsens storms, but also increases the risk of landslides and flooding after earthquakes, according to researchers.
Scientists call for urgent emissions reductions as Antarctic sea ice hits record low
4 Oct 2023
New Zealand scientists are calling for an immediate and dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, in response to record low sea ice levels in Antarctica this year.
We must change human behaviour to save ourselves - scientists
28 Sep 2023
A group of researchers, led by a Kiwi conservationist, want global recognition of a “Human Behavioural Crisis” as a step towards tackling ecological overshoot and its symptoms - such as climate change.
Researchers engineer marine bacteria to destroy plastics in seawater
28 Sep 2023
By combining key traits of two bacterial species, the team created a novel bug that can break down plastics in salty conditions—at room temperature.
Strong hurricanes are hitting earlier due to warmer oceans
28 Sep 2023
Warmer oceans mean stronger storms, and the earlier onset of the strongest means potentially devastating consequences.
Visualizing a summer of extremes in seven charts
28 Sep 2023
The past four months of 2023 have shattered all prior records by a truly staggering margin.
Farmers call for methane review based on flawed report, says expert
19 Sep 2023
The agriculture sector is calling for a review of New Zealand’s methane targets, citing a report suggesting Kiwi farmers are being asked to do more than their fair share in terms of reductions.
NZ’s vital kelp forests are in peril from ocean warming – threatening the important species that rely on them
13 Sep 2023
By Christopher Cornwall and Wendy Nelson | Years of almost non-stop marine heatwaves are stressing New Zealand’s kelp forests. But as we show in our new research, ongoing ocean warming is only one of several threats to these unique and important coastal seaweed ecosystems.
Landmark research could open the door to climate protections
13 Sep 2023
Lawyers said it was impossible to tie a specific dose of greenhouse gases to polar bear survival. They were wrong.
Warmer oceans are driving more frequent seabird die-offs
12 Sep 2023
A new study used long-term volunteer data to show that marine heatwaves are linked to mass avian mortality at sea.
Antarctica warming much faster than models predicted in ‘deeply concerning’ sign for sea levels
8 Sep 2023
Study finds ‘direct evidence’ of polar amplification on continent as scientists warn of implications of ice loss.
Invasive species pose devastating threat to local ecosystems and economy: new research
6 Sep 2023
Invasive alien species are taking a massive toll on ecosystems and the global economy, and the problem is growing exponentially.
Adult corals have been safely frozen and revived for the first time
6 Sep 2023
Freezing chunks of living corals for safekeeping — or cryopreserving them — could save them from extinction as the oceans heat up and acidify from human-caused climate change.
NIWA forecasts early and long-lasting ozone hole
5 Sep 2023
Media release | NIWA scientists are predicting that this year’s ozone hole will stay around for longer than usual, potentially lasting into early summer.
How can we use AI to address global challenges like climate change?
4 Sep 2023
As climate change continues to pose an enormous threat to our planet, we must explore innovative solutions that can help mitigate its impact.
Top science publisher withdraws flawed climate study
29 Aug 2023
Science publisher Springer Nature has withdrawn a study that presented misleading conclusions on climate change impacts after an investigation prompted by an inquiry.
Researchers call for the urgent expansion of Southern Ocean science
21 Aug 2023
Hundreds of international scientists are sounding a clarion call for urgent expansion of Southern Ocean science in the emerging climate crisis.
Rising methane could be a sign that Earth’s climate is part-way through a ‘termination-level transition’
17 Aug 2023
Since 2006, the amount of heat-trapping methane in Earth’s atmosphere has been rising fast and, unlike the rise in CO₂, its recent increase seems to be driven by biological emissions, not the burning of fossil fuels.
Study suggests rise in global photosynthesis rate due to increase in carbon dioxide has slowed
15 Aug 2023
A team of Earth scientists has found evidence that the rise in photosynthesis rates around the world caused by the increase of carbon dioxide, has slowed dramatically.
Can vacuums slow global warming? Biden administration bets $1.2 billion on it
14 Aug 2023
Texas and Louisiana will become a global testing ground for giant machines that suck carbon from the air.
Why this startup is covering the ocean with wooden balls
11 Aug 2023
The climate tech startup Running Tide has a unique approach to carbon removal that involves wood waste, seaweed, and the deep ocean.
Floating solar near the equator could power the world
11 Aug 2023
Researchers in Australia suggest that floating solar on parts of the ocean near the Equator could power the entire world several times over.
New study: nitrogen runoff strategies complicated by climate change
10 Aug 2023
As climate change progresses, rising temperatures may impact nitrogen runoff from land to lakes and streams more than projected increases in total and extreme precipitation for most of the continental United States.
Ancient lake microbes caused global warming during ice age
9 Aug 2023
Global warming is not just a modern issue, but has occurred numerous times over Earth's history, with one event happening 304 million years ago during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age.
More efficient than natural photosynthesis – new photocatalytic system converts carbon dioxide into valuable fuel
9 Aug 2023
A joint research team from the City University of Hong Kong and collaborators recently developed a stable artificial photocatalytic system that is more efficient than natural photosynthesis.
‘Virtually certain’ extreme Antarctic events will get worse without drastic action, scientists warn
9 Aug 2023
Record low sea ice levels, the collapse of ice shelves, and surface temperatures 38.5C above average cited as concerns in new review.
How to maximise mangroves as climate and community solution
9 Aug 2023
Mangroves’ capacity to store up to five times more carbon than upland tropical forests — makes them a powerful natural solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Ocean heat record broken, with grim implications for the planet
7 Aug 2023
The oceans have hit their hottest ever recorded temperature as they soak up warmth from climate change, with dire implications for our planet's health.
NZ needs better emissions data: research
3 Aug 2023
New research shows that New Zealand isn't doing enough to keep track of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change mitigation, with lacking data and modelling capacity in some sectors.
Auckland researchers get funding to test "cool roofs" in climate hot spots
3 Aug 2023
A trial led by Auckland scientists to test "cool roofs" in countries vulnerable to climate heating has received a massive boost, with funding from a $37 million pool.
Climate change made July hotter for 80% of humans on Earth
3 Aug 2023
Human-caused global warming made July hotter for four out of five people on Earth, with more than two billion people feeling climate change-boosted warmth daily, according to a flash study.
Cost pressures “intensifying” for Environment Commission
2 Aug 2023
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, says his office will likely need more funding soon.
Greenland ice sheets are weaker to climate change than we thought
1 Aug 2023
A new study suggests the ice sheets could be much more sensitive to human-driven climate change than previously estimated.
Effects of climate change increasing in Asia, WMO says
28 Jul 2023
Extreme weather events caused by climate change are on the rise in Asia and bound to affect food security and the continent's ecosystems, the World Meteorological Organization said.
Sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere can’t undo all the effects of climate change
28 Jul 2023
Climate change turns more places into deserts. Sucking CO2 out of the air can’t undo all the damage.
IPCC: Scottish professor to lead top global climate body
27 Jul 2023
A Scottish scientist has been chosen to lead one of the world's most influential climate change bodies.
Vital Atlantic Ocean current could collapse as soon as 2025
26 Jul 2023
A study warns that the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is close to a tipping point that would severely disrupt the climate – but other researchers say the timing is impossible to predict.
New scientific report identifies "the fingerprints of climate change"
26 Jul 2023
The fingerprints of climate change are all over the intense heat waves gripping the globe this month, an international study has found.
Antarctic sea ice levels dive in 'five-sigma event', as experts flag worsening consequences for planet
25 Jul 2023
This winter has confirmed what scientists had feared — the sea ice around Antarctica is in sharp decline, with experts now concerned it may not recover.
New machine learning-based model boosting Africa's preparedness climate change
24 Jul 2023
Scientists have unveiled a first-ever weather forecasting model using artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions to help vulnerable African countries build resilience to climate impacts.
Scientists unveil the key site that shows we’re in a new climate epoch
20 Jul 2023
The holy grail for understanding the start of the Anthropocene lies at the bottom of a lake in Canada.
Urban rewilding combats global biodiversity decline
Wed 28 May 2025
Media release | A new study led by the University of Sydney reveals how cities around the world are restoring wildlife to their former habitats in the face of ongoing urban sprawl.
US dairy farmers consider return on climate-smart milk
22 May 2025
The approach is just one of many dairy practices now considered “climate-smart” because they could cut production of climate-warming gases.
Greenwashing is rife in Australia, but could its days be numbered?
Wed 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.
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.
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
Thu 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.
Pacific Island nations support China's Taiwan claims at high-profile foreign ministers' meeting
Fri 30 May 2025
Pacific nations have backed China's claim over Taiwan during a high-profile meeting, but have shied away from directly endorsing Beijing's push to "reunify" the democratically ruled island with the mainland.
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.
Owning a green home could cut mortgage payback time by two years
9 May 2025
A green certified home plus a green mortgage and associated energy bill savings could save Kiwi families up to $98,800 over the course of their mortgage - the equivalent of being mortgage-free several years early, according to new research.
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
Thu 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.
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.
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.
Glacier collapse buries most of Swiss village
Fri 30 May 2025
The Swiss village of Blatten has been partially destroyed after a huge chunk of glacier crashed down into the valley.
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.
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.
Why expensive gas – not net-zero – is keeping UK electricity prices so high
Wed 28 May 2025
The UK’s high electricity prices have become intensely political, with competing claims over the cause of rocketing bills and how best to get them down.
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
Tue 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.
Nelson backs ‘ambitious’ emissions target, but mayor nervous
26 May 2025
By Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | Nelson’s mayor has been accused of “pouring cold water” on ambitious greenhouse gas emission targets proposed for the city.
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.
While govt ‘refreshes’ fund for low carbon trucks, are transport emissions set to accelerate?
Wed 28 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has announced it is updating the Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund, however cuts to funds to decarbonise transport in last week’s budget, and potential changes to road user charges, could stall transport emissions reductions.
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.
Kiwi cleantech companies on the world stage
Tue 27 May 2025
Six New Zealand 'cleantech' companies were in Singapore earlier this month, along with a venture capital firm and the MacDiarmid Institute, to meet investors and multinational partners.
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.
New research reveals NZ’s natural resource footprint
Thu 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.
World’s nations to gather in France to tackle what UN says is a global emergency in the oceans
Fri 30 May 2025
The world’s nations are gathering in France next month to tackle what the United Nations calls a global emergency facing the world’s oceans as they confront rising temperatures, plastic pollution choking marine life, and relentless overexploitation of fish and other resources.
Europe’s next climate target may already have been agreed in Berlin
Wed 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.
Warm water affecting Antarctica’s largest ice shelf - new research
22 Apr 2025
While Antarctica’s Ross Ice Shelf is currently stable, new research shows warm water is reaching up to 170 kilometres under the front of the ice shelf.
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.
For the first time, China invests more in wind and solar than coal overseas
Thu 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.
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.
More than 1 in 4 cars sold globally in 2025 expected to be EV: IEA report
26 May 2025
According to the Global EV Outlook 2025 report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), 2025 is set to be big for EV sales. The report predicts that about one in four cars sold worldwide this year will be electric, despite overall market uncertainties.
Brazil seeks early deals on two stalled issues at Bonn climate talks
26 May 2025
Moving forward work on just transition and implementing recommendations from the Global Stocktake of climate progress are key priorities for upcoming UN negotiations.
Global sea levels rise spelling catastrophe for coastal towns and cities
14 May 2025
For around 2,000 years, global sea levels varied little. That changed in the 20th century. They started rising and have not stopped since — and the pace is accelerating.
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.
NZ moving too slowly to decarbonise – former commission chair
22 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand's energy transition is too slow and too controlled by vested interests, according to former Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr.
