Topics tagged with 'Tax'
Denmark lures e-car owners with $40,000 tax break
4 Dec 2009
Is saving $40,000 at the showroom enough to get drivers behind the wheel of an electric car?
Australian scientist quits over ETS 'censorship'
4 Dec 2009
A senior Australian environmental economist has resigned after saying his criticism of the emissions trading scheme was censored.
Cleantech bigger money-maker than the internet
27 Nov 2009
By Nick Hodge - The billionaire venture capitalist John Doerr says cleantech is the largest economic opportunity of the 21st century.
ETS changes mean tomorrow's NZers will pay 84 per cent of Kyoto costs, says council
23 Nov 2009
The Sustainability Council is sticking by its claim that amendments to the emissions trading scheme will mean that tomorrow’s New Zealanders will have to pay for today’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Australia, US woo NZ biofuel pioneer
20 Nov 2009
A New Zealand pioneer in making bio-oil from algae is considering quitting the country.
IN THE HOUSE: Maori Party ETS deal
20 Nov 2009
Parliament yesterday discussed the potential impacts of the emissions trading scheme on Maori.
Forum: Taking agriculture forward with the Emissions Trading Scheme
20 Nov 2009
Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith speaks to the Federated Farmers National Council Meeting in Wellington yesterday.
Maori health will be hit hard, say MPs
20 Nov 2009
Lower income Maori households will be amongst the hardest hit by the emissions trading scheme deal, because they will be forced to pay more taxes to subsidise big polluters while much- needed social spending is slashed, say Labour MPs Charles Chauvel and Mita Ririnui.
Next steps will depend on Maori Party bottom line
16 Nov 2009
ANALYSIS. – The backroom deal with the Maori Party will determine if changes to ETS law get through Parliament.
Harmonisation not the way, says expert
16 Nov 2009
An international expert on emissions trading says that detailed harmonisation of the New Zealand scheme with that of Australia is not necessary or desirable.
Britain to build 10 nuclear power stations
13 Nov 2009
Britain will build 10 nuclear power stations to supply up to 25 per cent of the country’s energy needs.
Campaigners call carbon markets corrupt
6 Nov 2009
The world's carbon trading markets’ growing complexity threatens another "sub-prime" style financial crisis that could again destabilise the global economy, campaigners have warned.
Emissions trading doesn’t work, says scientist
6 Nov 2009
A government scientist has spoken out against Australia’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, saying carbon trading and offset schemes appear ineffective in terms of reducing greenhouse gases.
Forum: Why must New Zealand adopt the limitations of the Australian CPRS, asks EITG's Richard Hayes
6 Nov 2009
Cabinet minutes from the September 14 have some sobering news for forest owners thinking of selling credits off shore by converting NZU units to international government compliance assigned amount units (AAU) units.
Sydney drags chain in Asian carbon-hub race
30 Oct 2009
Sydney might be the loser as Hong Kong, Beijing and Singapore gear up to be the Asian hub of carbon trading.
Climate change turmoil poses security risks
30 Oct 2009
An island in the Indian Ocean, vital to the US military, disappears as the sea level rises … rivers critical to India and Pakistan shrink, increasing military tensions in South Asia … drought, famine and disease forces population shifts and political turmoil in the Middle East.
Hide hacks at ETS policy management – tied bill voting more likely
23 Oct 2009
Act party leader Rodney Hide says the process of establishing the ETS is “shot through with lobbying, unprincipled deal-making and divergent treatment of different economic activities”.
Chauvel to energy leaders: ETS changes too generous to last
23 Oct 2009
It’s unfair to business to give large concessions and subsidies that won't last.
Tourism could be climate victim, UN warns
23 Oct 2009
Rising sea levels could inundate coastal holiday spots while melting snow caps could spell an end to ski resorts, the UN World Tourism Organisation has warned.
Push to exempt Australian farmers from carbon laws
16 Oct 2009
The Australian government will be asked to exempt farmers from carbon trading in order to pass landmark emissions laws through parliament under changes this week being pushed by opposition lawmakers.
Was National pretending to deal with Labour?
9 Oct 2009
Had National already decided what ETS changes it wanted while still outwardly wanting a deal with Labour?
Smelter might suffer under Aussie rules
9 Oct 2009
New Zealand operations powered by renewable energy - like the Rio Tinto aluminium smelter at Bluff - could be disadvantaged by plans to calculate average emissions levels with Australia under a new intensity-based scheme.
COMMENT: Are farmers still denying climate change?
9 Oct 2009
On September 4, 2003, Federated Farmers led hundreds to the steps of Parliament to oppose paying for research into reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Forget ‘cap and trade,’ it's now all about PRI
2 Oct 2009
US Senate Democrats tried out a new catch phrase yesterday to sell their global warming bill: pollution reduction and investment, or PRI.
Back our bill, pleads 'proud' climate minister
23 Sep 2009
Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith says that National has delivered on its election promise to amend the emissions trading scheme.
Airlines plan to halve emissions by 2050
23 Sep 2009
The world’s airlines have unveiled plans to halve emissions by 2050, to fend off calls for new taxes on flying and criticism that they are failing to act quickly enough in the fight against climate change.
Shipowners back expensive global trading net
23 Sep 2009
Shipowners are backing a global carbon trading scheme that could add as much as £5.4 billion in extra cost on to maritime transport and push weaker shipping companies out of business.
EU lists industries exempted from carbon trading
23 Sep 2009
The European Union has agreed on a list of industries ranging from plastics manufacturing to iron and food processing that will be largely exempted from CO2 trading after 2013 for fears that their inclusion would move production abroad.
FORUM: ETS is farmers' ball and chain
23 Sep 2009
Dr Peter Amer, of AbacusBio, says there are opportunities for farmers in the ETS.
No-deals Nats would have gone for a carbon tax
18 Sep 2009
The Government was apparently prepared to scrap the emissions trading scheme in favour of a carbon tax if it couldn’t get the support it needed to amend the current scheme.
IN THE HOUSE: Deal with Maori under scrutiny
18 Sep 2009
Questions over the deal between the National and Maori parties have dominated environmental debates in Parliament this week.
EXCLUSIVE - The "Dear Lucy" deal e-mail from Labour to National
14 Sep 2009
Carbon News has an e-mail sent Monday morning from Labour's climate change negotiator to Minister Nick Smith.
Confident Labour sits in ETS driving seat
11 Sep 2009
Talks over the future of the emissions trading scheme are on again, with Labour sending strong signals that it feels in the driving seat.
Sarkozy sets carbon tax to 'save human race'
11 Sep 2009
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to lead the fight to "save the human race" from global warming, launching a carbon tax to encourage families and industry to cut their use of fossil fuels.
Irish might need cow tax to meet EU targets
11 Sep 2009
The Irish Government might have to introduce a “cow tax” to help it to meet new tough targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions laid out in the European Union’s climate change strategy.
EU plans fix to carbon tax fraud threat
11 Sep 2009
The European Commission will propose a temporary solution to the threat of tax fraud in the European carbon emissions market later this month
Prepare to pay extra $120 in airfare pollution charges to Europe
4 Sep 2009
Including aviation in the European ETS could mean a pollution charge of about $120 on long haul flights to New Zealand.
French carbon tax debate turns toxic for Sarkozy
4 Sep 2009
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's plan for a carbon tax on fuel has threatened to backfire as critics slammed it as unfair and his own camp fretted it will anger voters already hit by the crisis.
All sectors, all gases the way to go, says ETS report
31 Aug 2009
Climate change is probably true and an all-sectors, all-gases emissions trading scheme is the best option for New Zealand, says the committee set up to review the scheme.
National's best ETS bet is deal with Labour
31 Aug 2009
The Labour Party is looking like the Government’s most likely emissions trading scheme partner.
Report lists 34 ways to shape our carbon future
31 Aug 2009
The Emissions Trading Scheme Review Committee has made 34 recommendations about New Zealand’s response to climate change and the shape of the emissions trading scheme.
Dunne: A middle road through complex issues
31 Aug 2009
The Emissions Trading Scheme Select Committee review has demonstrated strong support for such a scheme and gives the Government the platform it needs to develop its position for the upcoming Copenhagen climate change conference, committee chairman Peter Dunne said today.
Farmers: Report is a loaded gun at our heads
31 Aug 2009
Farmers are reacting angrily to news that a parliamentary select committee thinks that agriculture should be part of the emissions trading scheme.
ETS review body to report next week
21 Aug 2009
The select committee reviewing the emissions trading scheme will release its long-awaited report next week.
ETS deal hangs on Key's response to Goff
21 Aug 2009
National is having significant difficulty delivering the “broad-based political support” sought for an amended ETS by its Climate Change Issues Minister.
Australia better off with carbon tax, says oil giant
21 Aug 2009
Exxon Mobil, the world’s biggest publicly traded oil company, says a tax on carbon in Australia would be a better method to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions blamed for global warming.
Smith hopes ETS will please everyone
21 Aug 2009
The Minister for Climate Changes Issues has told business leaders he hopes for a settled emissions trading scheme attracting broad political sign up.
Business warns extra assistance to emitters could equal another round of tax cuts
14 Aug 2009
Adjusting assistance to large emitters in New Zealand to Australia's proposed levels could cost the equivalent of another round of tax cuts.
Copenhagen is 10-times bigger than Kyoto for business
14 Aug 2009
By Alex Koyfman. - What few understand today is that climate change is actually one of the most significant drivers of the economy that we're likely to see in our lifetimes.
Climate takes back seat in Budget 2026
Fri 29 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Climate change featured only lightly in Budget 2026, with most climate-related spending focused on resilience and disaster recovery rather than emissions reduction, while the Government again left out any updated estimate of the cost of meeting New Zealand’s Paris Agreement obligations.
Wetland protections failing to stop losses
Thu 28 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New mapping commissioned by the Environmental Law Initiative shows wetlands across New Zealand are still being converted to pasture, forestry and mining despite stronger national protections introduced in 2020, with researchers warning enforcement gaps may be undermining the rules.
$30m airline fund risks ‘burning public money’ without lasting benefit – expert
20 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A $30 million government package to support regional air routes risks delivering poor value for money while increasing emissions, according to transport strategist Tim Adriaansen.
Europe has 'maybe six weeks of jet fuel left', energy boss warns
20 Apr 2026
Stocks would reach a tipping point in June if Europe was unable to replace at least half of its imports from the Middle East, the organisation said in a report this week.
‘Shameful’ move to scrap Ministry for the Environment passes
Thu 28 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The curtain has fallen on the Ministry for the Environment after legislation paving the way for its merger into a new mega ministry passed its third reading in Parliament yesterday, with the opposition condemning the move as a major weakening of environmental protection and nature’s voice within government.
Huntly biomass option no cheap fix, Genesis tells MPs
Thu 28 May 2026
Genesis Energy says biomass can be burned in Huntly's Rankine units, but current costs put it in roughly the same price range as imported LNG and extra Rankine capacity would be expensive and could take years.
‘Fiscal hole’ likely to deepen as another carbon auction looms
Thu 28 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | A broker is picking the NZU price will push towards $60 in the coming weeks on the back of improved confidence, however prices on the secondary market are still lagging well below the auction floor, with the second auction of this year less than two weeks away.
World almost certain to endure record hot year by 2030, UN warns
Fri 29 May 2026
A record-breaking hot year is almost certain by 2030 as the climate crisis intensifies, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization has warned.
ETS auction failures created $1.4b fiscal hole – Greens
Wed 27 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Finance Minister Nicola Willis has hit back at the Green Party's claim that the repeated failure of New Zealand’s carbon auctions has added a $1.4 billion 'fiscal hole', with Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick blaming the Government for undermining the ETS.
New coal plants hit ‘10-year’ global high in 2025 – but power output still fell
22 May 2026
The number of new coal-fired power plants built around the world hit a “10-year high” in 2025, even as the global coal fleet generated less electricity, amid a “widening disconnect” in the sector.
Mike Smith’s asymmetric victory
Mon 25 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | COMMENT: The New Zealand Government’s recent move, undercutting citizens’ rights and the rule of law to cancel the country’s most important climate case is a massive win for Mike Smith, the climate change activist who brought it.
Green building council calls for clean energy policies
18 May 2026
The New Zealand Green Building Council has released its 2026 election manifesto calling for policies to reduce energy waste in buildings, lower household and business energy costs, and improve New Zealand’s energy security.
What Magyar’s defeat of Orbán in Hungary means for climate and energy
21 Apr 2026
Hungary has played a disproportionate role in EU climate and energy policy in recent years, by repeatedly vetoing climate action and by delaying the phaseout of Russian fossil-fuel imports.
Govt unveils long-awaited voluntary carbon market guidance
15 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has released long-awaited guidance for New Zealand’s voluntary carbon and nature markets, as questions continue for the sector despite ministers signalling support for its growth.
Budget quietly kills renewable energy innovation centre Ara Ake
Fri 29 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The axe has fallen in the Budget on the last Labour-led government’s Ara Ake future energy development centre.
Environmental groups call for ETS reform
20 Feb 2026
Several environmental organisations are calling on political parties to make climate and biodiversity central to the 2026 election campaign, with reforming the Emissions Trading Scheme seen as a key priority.
Westport climate case study highlights need for national adaptation support
Fri 29 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A new Climate Change Commission case study on climate adaptation in Westport has highlighted growing concerns about flooding, climate resilience, and the psychological toll of repeated extreme weather events, with residents and councils calling for clearer national direction and greater funding support.
EDS urges MPs to scrap the Fisheries Amendment Bill
5 May 2026
Media release | The Environmental Defence Society today lodged a substantive submission on the Fisheries Amendment Bill.
Biomass sector asks: where did the love go?
18 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand has sufficient biomass in its plantation forests to replace natural gas for industrial process heat at lower costs than electrification, but is failing to get the attention it deserves, sector leaders say.
New Plymouth residents say “no to LNG”
Fri 29 May 2026
Media release: Climate Justice Taranaki | At a public meeting in New Plymouth this Tuesday attended by about 100 local residents, the vast majority signed an ‘Urgent Plea’ to stop the proposed Liquefied Natural Gas import facility, addressed to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Energy Minister Simeon Brown, and Cabinet Ministers.
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.”
Hipkins pans LNG plan as ‘massive step backwards’
19 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Labour leader Chris Hipkins has told a Queenstown audience that a Government he leads would not proceed with a planned LNG import terminal, if elected at November’s election.
NZ Govt’s move to halt climate litigation under international scrutiny
19 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Local and international NGOs have signed an open letter calling on the Government to reconsider its decision to shield major emitters from legal liability for climate-related harm.
Why ‘greenhushing’ signals deeper issues with NZ’s climate risk reporting regime
15 May 2026
By Hang Pham, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington | Most of us are familiar with the concept of greenwashing: organisations exaggerating or overstating their environmental credentials. But in New Zealand, there are signs the country’s climate disclosure regime may inadvertently be driving a very different trend: not saying much at all.
‘Formidable’ El Niño expected this winter
29 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Meteorologists are anticipating a significant El Niño influence on weather patterns across the country from winter onwards, with predicted lower rainfall for some areas and heavier rain for others likely to impact multiple sectors of the economy as well as the carbon market.
Victorian Hydrogen announces Southland urea fertiliser project using coal
22 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Australian-based Victorian Hydrogen has announced it is developing a new 1.5 million-tonne-a-year urea fertiliser operation in Southland, which it will apply for under fast-track legislation.
Media round-up
24 Apr 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: What is the real cost of storm-hit infrastructure? Urgency is needed over climate adaptation funding; and a community conservation group has won a legal victory against multinational mining company OceanaGold.
Climate law change spanner in the works for Waitangi Tribunal Inquiry
19 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s controversial changes to New Zealand’s legal framework for climate policy have thrown a spanner in the works for a long-running Waitangi Tribunal Inquiry into climate change.
Officials told Govt not to stop climate court case
Wed 27 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Government officials advised ministers not to intervene in a groundbreaking climate court case, according to newly released documents.
LNG vital to prevent economic damage as gas leaves NZ economy
Wed 27 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Importing natural gas will make the difference between an “orderly” or “chaotic and unnecessarily costly" decline as domestically produced gas runs out, the chief executive of the Gas Industry Company, David Prentice, said yesterday.
Govt missing tricks to save fuel in crisis
30 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is being urged to shift its response to the fuel crisis away from short-term relief and towards measures that reduce demand, with public health experts warning it is missing an opportunity to boost energy security and lower household costs.
Climate risks could reshape business finances, new guidance warns
15 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New guidance warns climate change is set to fundamentally reshape financial outcomes for businesses, including difficult-to-model climate “tipping points” – irreversible changes such as ice sheet collapse or ocean circulation shifts – which threaten severe and sudden financial impacts.
Move to block lawsuits could strengthen climate case against Govt
14 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s plan to block climate lawsuits – while potentially fatal for one groundbreaking climate case – could actually bolster claims in another live climate case underway against the Government.
Thumbs up for Govt help for businesses transitioning from gas
Tue 26 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Businesses and climate advocates alike have welcomed the Government’s pre-budget announcement that it will help secure cheap lending for businesses transitioning from gas, as New Zealand’s domestic supply dwindles.
Geo-heat search explores exhausted oil and gas fields
Wed 27 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Underground heat from exhausted oil and gas fields are a new target for government-backed efforts to tap geothermal resources for electricity production and industrial use.
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.
Six NZ climate solutions up for 2026 Earthshot prize
21 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Six New Zealand climate and sustainability initiatives have been nominated for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, with the shortlist showcasing Kiwi-led solutions tackling emissions, plastic waste and ocean restoration.
Environmental groups sue Trump administration over approval of new ultra deep-water drilling project
23 Apr 2026
Environmental groups sued the Trump administration on Monday over its approval last month of oil company BP’s ultra deep-water drilling project in the Gulf of Mexico.
Govt had ‘little choice’ in signing key UN climate resolution – expert
22 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Climate policy expert Bronwyn Hayward said it was “shameful’ New Zealand didn’t throw more active support behind a pivotal climate resolution ratified by the United Nations this week.
A real ‘intergenerational equity’ budget would address Australia’s unceasing environmental decline
15 May 2026
Labor has unveiled a budget designed to tackle intergenerational equity in Australia through bold tax reform.
ESG funds include petrochemical companies, report finds
5 May 2026
Global banks have invested US$133bn into US petrochemical expansion, even as the industry is linked to climate change.
New breed of political prisoner arises in Britain as anti-protest sentences rise
Wed 27 May 2026
More people are being jailed in England and Wales as a result of acting to prevent climate breakdown and the war in Gaza, research reveals.
Green Party calls for national electrification plan
20 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party is calling for a national plan to electrify homes, transport and industry using renewable energy, to reduce fossil fuel dependence in response to the Middle East crisis.
FMA urges sharper focus on climate risk disclosures
Tue 26 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand companies are making steady progress in climate-related financial disclosures, but the Financial Markets Authority says many organisations still need to provide clearer and more robust reporting on physical climate risks and their potential business impacts.
Aus power prices to fall for most customers, with bigger drops for businesses
Thu 28 May 2026
Surging levels of renewable energy and better reliability from coal-fired generators are set to give consumers a break, with benchmark power prices to fall up to 10 per cent for consumers and more for small businesses.
‘Landmark’ conservation reform bill – boost or bust for nature?
8 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government has announced an overhaul of the country’s conservation system, which environmental organisation Forest & Bird says will undo the work of many generations of Kiwis to protect public conservation land.
Science losing the long game
Fri 29 May 2026
Media release: New Zealand Association of Scientists | Budget 2026 pushes the science system into a quiet purgatory, with zero announcements from the Minister’s office since 1 April.
Marae solar project boosts sustainability and mana motuhake
Mon 25 May 2026
By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporter | Five marae from Whanganui to Taumarunui are running on solar power and many more could join a major green energy initiative aimed at cutting electricity costs and strengthening community resilience.
VR tool helps communities plan for a safer, resilient future
Wed 27 May 2026
Media release: University of Canterbury | A newly developed virtual reality (VR) tool could help communities understand flood risks, raise public awareness and give decision-makers clearer information for planning.
Pacific climate response in question as NZ finance remains unclear
19 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | With New Zealand's $1.3 billion international climate finance commitment set to end with no clarity on what follows, the Auditor-General says oversight of that funding remains patchy and long-term outcomes are unclear.
Rotorua extends diesel bus contract after NZTA declines extra funding
Mon 25 May 2026
By Mathew Nash, Local Democracy Reporter | Rotorua is stuck with its diesel-powered public buses after a funding snag played a part in setting back plans for zero-emission buses by years.
Europe heatwave 'brutal reminder' of climate change: UN
Thu 28 May 2026
The UN climate chief said Wednesday that a record-breaking early heatwave scorching a swathe of western Europe was "a brutal reminder of the spiraling impacts of the climate crisis".
Project linking food waste to cutting methane emissions gets underway
Wed 27 May 2026
Media release | Kai Commitment is leading a New Zealand-first project to help understand the connection between food waste and methane emissions and identify effective interventions.
Commission urges Govt action on climate risks
7 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Climate change currently poses major risks to our water infrastructure with “significant gaps” in readiness to manage risks and increasing hazards, according to the Climate Change Commission.
Why is Northern Ireland facing a growing threat from wildfires?
7 May 2026
Figures show that spring drought events are happening more often while there has been a sharp rise in "fire weather" - a mix of warmth, dryness, and wind that allows fires to ignite and spread rapidly. Experts warn this combination, along with climate change, is creating a longer and more volatile wildfire season.
Global wind and solar power outpace gas for first time in April, report shows
22 May 2026
Wind and solar combined generated more electricity than gas globally in April for the first month ever, data analysed by UK-based think tank Ember showed on Thursday.
