Topics tagged with 'Tax'
How green Denmark got ahead of the pack
14 Aug 2009
In December, all eyes will be on Copenhagen as world leaders gather to negotiate a new international climate change agreement. But how green are the Danes themselves.
ANALYSIS: Now it comes down to the ETS deal for agriculture
10 Aug 2009
The Government has pretty cunningly positioned itself in its first emissions reduction target offering.
ETS unsettled as NZ packs for Bonn talks
7 Aug 2009
The future of New Zealand’s emissions trading scheme remains up in the air as the Government heads to the Bonn climate change talks.
France faces internal fight over carbon tax
31 Jul 2009
France should aim to introduce a tax on carbon dioxide emissions by 2010 to help to fight global climate change, says a panel advising the government.
Forum: Cool heads still needed on global warming
31 Jul 2009
We're less wealthy than Australia is, so should be setting a lower emissions reduction target, says Business Rountable executive director Roger Kerr.
Costs of emissions cuts most likely overstated - report
31 Jul 2009
A carbon price of $100 to $200 per tonne is being assumed to generate estimates that New Zealand households will face a $3000-a-year bill for cutting emissions by 15 per cent, says the Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Business backs 20% emissions cut target
31 Jul 2009
The New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development has advised the Government to set a unilateral target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020.
Forum: Excluding agriculture from ETS neither principled nor smart
24 Jul 2009
New Zealand asking to exempt agriculture from the scheme to replace the Kyoto Treaty, is as credible as Saudi Arabia asking for the exemption of oil.
Unique online consulation confirms multi-party deal desire
24 Jul 2009
The Government's unique online consultation on New Zealand's emissions target took 70 minutes and six seconds.
Dutch act on tax fraud in carbon market
17 Jul 2009
"Clear indications" of fraudulent activity in the Dutch carbon emissions market has forced the Ministry of Finance to take steps to prevent value-added tax fraud.
Carbon scheme ripe for fraud, says Aussie expert
17 Jul 2009
Australia’s proposed carbon trading scheme is ripe for fraud and companies are set to be hit with class actions by activist groups because they are not adequately protected by proposed laws, a climate change expert has warned.
Japan opposition eyes bolder emissions cuts
17 Jul 2009
Japan's main opposition party will adopt bolder greenhouse gas cuts than the government by using the global emissions market and increasing green jobs if it wins an upcoming election, the party's head of green policy said.
Accountants the winners as carbon economy grows
10 Jul 2009
As a carbon-trading economy gathers steam in the United States, the accounting industry is expected to profit handsomely.
Let’s get inventing, says climate report
10 Jul 2009
The fight against climate change would not be won unless a “revolution” in the use of existing low-carbon technology, and numerous new inventions took hold, says a new report.
Split targets on agenda of Nats-Labour ETS talks
3 Jul 2009
Splitting New Zealand’s domestic emissions reduction target is on the table in talks between Labour and National for an emissions trading scheme deal.
Sweden: Learn from our climate change miracle
3 Jul 2009
Sweden plans to use its “climate change miracle” to convince China and the United States to sign up to tough cuts in greenhouse gases at the Copenhagen summit to find a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.
Farmers deserve reward, not tax, says scientist
30 Jun 2009
Farmers should be compensated for their work in tending the eco system instead of being taxed for climate change, says Professor Robert Watson, chief scientific adviser for Britain’s department of environment, food, and rural affairs.
Obama hails climate bill … but has some changes
30 Jun 2009
United States President Obama has praised the House of Representatives for taking an "extraordinary first step" by passing a climate change bill.
UK wants billions in climate fund for poor countries
30 Jun 2009
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has tried to break the deadlock over climate change by proposing the creation of a £60 billion international fund to help poorer countries adapt to the situation.
Australia delays vote on carbon trading
26 Jun 2009
The Australian government failed to get its carbon trading scheme through the Senate yesterday after the opposition Coalition and crossbench senators criticised the scheme’s economic and environmental analysis as being inadequate.
US climate bill proponents agree to concessions
26 Jun 2009
An agreement on a string of demands sought by United States farmers and lawmakers from rural areas erased a major obstacle facing a massive climate bill that would limit pollution linked to global warming and redirect the nation toward greater use of clean energy.
Kiwi climate system takes Manhatten
23 Jun 2009
Climate change modelling software developed in Hamilton is taking on the world, but it has taken winning a contract in New York City for New Zealand to sit up and take notice.
Climate lobby wants longer ETS review
23 Jun 2009
The New Zealand Climate Change Coalition wants the Government to extend the time frame for the select committee reviewing emissions trading, and to "clarify its real intentions on this issue."
US House may vote on climate bill next week
19 Jun 2009
Legislation to drastically reduce carbon dioxide pollution blamed for global warming could be voted on by the US House of Representatives as early as next week.
Women leading the charge to cleaner energy
19 Jun 2009
American women are paying the electric bills at home and making the critical decisions on energy use in their homes and businesses, according to a new survey.
Polluters should pay, say Greens
19 Jun 2009
The Green Party welcomes yesterday's acknowledgement of responsibility for historic contamination by a chemical company, but is calling for clear financial liability and a fairer contribution to the clean-up and health costs.
NZUs should be staggered, says trading group
12 Jun 2009
The issuing of carbon credits to forest owners should be staggered through the year, rather than in one lump a year, says Environmental Intermediaries and Trading Group.
Swedish PM calls for carbon taxes in Europe
12 Jun 2009
Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt has called for European nations to tax carbon emissions to reduce greenhouse gases.
Rich countries have ‘moral duty’ to cut emissions
12 Jun 2009
Britain needs to cut greenhouse gases by 45 per cent by 2020 to prevent the world "lurching into climate disaster", according to a report from Oxfam.
New Zealanders support insulation, but split on Budget
5 Jun 2009
New Zealanders overwhelmingly support health and insulation policies announced in the Budget, but don't believe the Government has produced enough new policy to successfully manage the economic recession.
Forestry owners plead for level playing field
2 Jun 2009
New Zealand forest owners say investment in forestry world-wide is being inhibited by policies designed to dampen the effects of the economic recession and to counter climate change.
Australia points to $200b natural gas-powered recovery
2 Jun 2009
Australia has more than $200 billion worth of energy projects on the drawing board, enough to drive the nation's economic recovery with the right emissions trading scheme, the industry says.
Business leaders vow to set price on carbon
26 May 2009
World business leaders meeting in Copenhagen are vowing to help world governments set a price on carbon, establishing a market that governments can use to cut greenhouse gases.
Uncertainty means forest industry taking a beating
26 May 2009
The forestry sector will take years to recover from the impacts of recent policy uncertainty, says forestry consultant Roger Dickie.
Get from A2B on the world’s fastest e-bike
26 May 2009
The world's fastest electric bike, already hugely popular in China, is now turning heads in Britain.
Government cans electric car think-tank
22 May 2009
A group of leading industry experts promoting the use of renewable energy in transport has been disbanded less than a year after it was set up.
Smith delivers significant pro-ETS policy steer
22 May 2009
National still prefers an emissions trading scheme and has hinted at ways in which the scheme can be ‘harmonised’ with Australia’s.
We'd rather have a tax break, say biofuels producers
22 May 2009
A new government grant to encourage local biofuel production is not as good as the tax exemption bioenthanol producers get, the industry says.
Biodiesel industry gets multi-million dollar boost
19 May 2009
The biodiesel industry will receive a multi-million dollar boost over the next three years.
US lawmakers formally unveil climate change bill
19 May 2009
Democrats in the US House of Representatives have formally unveiled sweeping legislation to fight climate change and said the 932-page bill enjoyed broad national support.
Climate change threatens millions who live off sea
15 May 2009
Around 100 million people risk losing their homes and livelihoods unless drastic steps are taken to protect Southeast Asia's coral reefs, which could be wiped out in coming decades because of climate change, a new report says.
Straterra welcomes tax exemption for oil and gas exploration
15 May 2009
Straterra, the industry group representing New Zealand’s natural resources industries, has welcomed Government plans to extend tax exemption for offshore oil and gas exploration.
Coal’s idea for tiny tax and trees given solid debunking
12 May 2009
Business leaders have debunked Solid Energy’s proposal for a small new carbon tax.
Air NZ wants carbon price cap in ETS
12 May 2009
Air New Zealand wants the emissions trading scheme review committee to consider including a price cap for carbon liability.
Japanese ask world: What should we do?
12 May 2009
The nonprofit group Japan for Sustainability is asking people around the world for their comments about the country's greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
Solid Energy pushes new 'tax and plant' emissions strategy
8 May 2009
State coal producer Solid Energy is pushing an alternative policy to the emissions trading scheme which will see the Government raise new taxes and regulations.
Aussie officials to visit amid calls to end NZ policy 'chaos'
8 May 2009
Australian officials will brief New Zealand MPs about their new emissions trading plans next week.
Landfill operator wants ETS delay for waste
8 May 2009
Delaying the solid waste sector’s entry into the emissions trading scheme until 2018 and increasing the scope of the existing environmental standard for landfill gas is the way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from New Zealand’s landfills, Envirowaste told the ETS review committee yesterday.
Britain first electric car goes on sale
8 May 2009
Britain’s first family sized electric car has been launched in London.
Road user charges plan penalises diesel cars
8 May 2009
The new-vehicle industry has reacted with surprise to some of the recommendations of the independent review into road-user charges.
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.
