Topics tagged with 'Tax'
Nats' research stance worries wind turbine pioneer
24 Oct 2008
A New Zealand wind-energy pioneer says that plans by a National government to cut the research and development tax credit would hamper his company’s plan to provide affordable wind turbines for householders.
Now is the time to get out of Kyoto, says Hide
24 Oct 2008
ACT party leader Rodney Hide says New Zealand should pull out of the Kyoto Protocol in the face of increased pressures on businesses and households caused by the global financial crisis - but it won’t be a make-or-break issue during any post-election discussions with National.
Labour commits to R&D tax credits and Fast Forward
22 Oct 2008
Prime Minister Helen Clark and Research Science and Technology Minister Pete Hodgson today confirmed Labour’s commitment to significant investment in innovation saying it would produce a step change in New Zealand’s economy.
WANTED: 10,000 rich investors to boost our country
21 Oct 2008
Attracting 10,000 rich investors who want a “piece of the New Zealand story” is the key to getting New Zealand’s clean-tech revolution off the ground, says a former cabinet minister and merchant banker.
Parker: Nats won't, but we'll answer the questions
21 Oct 2008
Climate Change Minister David Parker says that he is willing to answer Carbon News’ questions on climate change policy – even if National isn’t.
Environment will wither whoever wins US election
21 Oct 2008
Eager anticipation of a new American president offering a dramatic departure on issues such as climate change is rapidly being tempered by the financial crisis that threatens to blight the next administration's agenda, says the Times Online.
New-man Miliband has blueprint for greener UK homes
21 Oct 2008
Britain’s new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband, is drawing up plans for a "big shift" in the way Britons heat and power their homes, the Independent on Sunday has revealed.
Nats and climate change: The unanswered questions
17 Oct 2008
Carbon News’s questions for the National Party on key climate-change policy issues have met with silence over the past week.
Govt releases rules for emissions reporting
14 Oct 2008
The Government has released draft regulations for emissions reporting by most of the country’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases.
We're wasting our wood resource, says biofuel innovator
14 Oct 2008
A world-leading New Zealand innovator says he despairs over the country's inertia when it comes to using its abundant wood waste resource.
Top economist supports chamber's views on carbon taxes
14 Oct 2008
The latest pronouncement from one of the world's top economists that a carbon tax is better than an emissions trading scheme to fight global warming is welcome news, according to the Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce.
ETS will hinder economic growth, says Kiwi Party
14 Oct 2008
Kiwi Party leader Larry Baldock rhas enewed his party's call for the repeal of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Key players ponder Nat's 'unusual' R&D decision
10 Oct 2008
Key players in New Zealand’s renewable energy sector are stoic - if somewhat bemused - in the face of National’s announcement that it intends dropping the 15 per cent tax-credit for research and development if it wins power.
Buffett makes a bid for power - that's our power
10 Oct 2008
American billionaire-investor Warren Buffett, through holdings in the Wells Fargo Bank, is on the verge of assuming beneficial control of Transpower’s South Island high-voltage electricity grid.
Major players say no to carbon price-cap proposal
7 Oct 2008
A call for a price-cap on carbon in New Zealand is supported by neither the Government nor significant industry players spoken to by Carbon News.
Time for green thinking on the economy, say Greens
7 Oct 2008
It is time for Government to set its sights on a green economy to ensure there will be jobs for New Zealanders, that food will be affordable, and it won’t be out of people’s reach to get around, the Green Party says.
Asian coal demand gives longer life to Stockton mine
3 Oct 2008
Solid Energy’s Stockton coal mine will operate for at least another 20 years.
'Hard year' nearly halves Meridian profit
3 Oct 2008
State-owned Meridian energy’s profits have almost halved.
Tax cuts eaten into by emissions trading
3 Oct 2008
The executive director of the Greenhouse Policy Coalition, Catherine Beard, says the much needed tax cuts will unfortunately be eaten into significantly by the increased costs households will face from the emissions trading scheme.
Big emitters play the waiting game with ETS
30 Sep 2008
Some of New Zealand’s major emitters of greenhouse gases are waiting to see who wins the election before committing themselves to buying carbon credits.
EU offers first analysis of carbon leakage risk
23 Sep 2008
Parts of Europe's aluminium, steel and cement industries are likely to qualify for free carbon allowances to compensate them for lost international competitiveness under plans to revise the EU's emission trading scheme, the European Commission suggests in a new analysis.
FUTURE AMERICA: What the candidates say about emissions and climate change
19 Sep 2008
U.S. presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain say that if they are elected in November, they will fight global warming by reducing carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2020, using methods that include a cap-and-trade system.
FORUM: Is the door open for a carbon tax?
19 Sep 2008
Kensington Swan energy specialist Bryan Gunderson looks at the impacts of Australia adopting a carbon tax.
Disappointed farmers vow to fight on ... but how?
12 Sep 2008
Federated Farmers will keep fighting the emissions trading scheme – but isn’t sure what move to take next.
REACTION: Greens: ETS a first step, time for some big strides now
12 Sep 2008
The passing of the Emissions Trading Scheme is the first small step towards getting New Zealand’s carbon emissions under control – there is still much work to be done, the Green Party says.
LETTER: Bad news for Ngai Tahu
12 Sep 2008
In Carbon News (5 Sept 2008) Willie Te Aho was quoted as saying that the deforestation liability for Ngai Tahu would be around $15,000 per hectare for changing the use of its 80,000 hectare pre-1990 forest estate.
Govt all talk and no action, says vehicle emissions group
9 Sep 2008
The Government needs to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to lowering vehicle emissions, says a high-powered lobby group.
Biofuels decision upsets Nats' environment spokesman
9 Sep 2008
More harm than good will come from making biofuels compulsory, says National’s Environment spokesman, Nick Smith.
ETS bill a good compromise - CTU
2 Sep 2008
The CTU welcomes the progress being made in Parliament on the emissions trading scheme.
Call for funding for trials of alternative fertilisers on farms around lakes
2 Sep 2008
The time bomb of chemical leaching threatening Rotorua lakes and waterways can be worked through with alternative farming practices that not only maintain production but look after the environment according to fertiliser company Agrissentials.
Urban development discussion document published
2 Sep 2008
A discussion document Building sustainable urban communities –Designing a place-based approach to sustainable urban development in New Zealand, has been published today.
ETS DEALS: What the Greens and NZ First got changed
29 Aug 2008
Changes to the ETS bill, negotiated in return for the support of the Green and New Zealand First parties, are:
New report lists advantages of scrapping fossil fuel subsidies
29 Aug 2008
A newly published UN report says scrapping fossil fuel subsidies could play an important role in cutting greenhouse gases while giving a small but not insignificant boost to the global economy.
ANALYSIS: How we can live without cars
26 Aug 2008
A new report by the Land Transport Agency reads like a Green Party policy statement at first glance – it’s time to change public attitudes so that single-occupant car journeys become a thing of the past and people use more public transport.
Pass the ETS, greens, unions and business tell politicians
22 Aug 2008
Environmentalists, unions and business are urging politicians to pass the emissions trading scheme.
Public happier with Personal Carbon Trading, study shows
19 Aug 2008
New research by Britain’s Institute for Public Policy Research reveals that the public favours Personal Carbon Trading (PCT) over other emission reduction policy options for individuals and households.
Airlines under pressure to reduce freighter flight emissions
5 Aug 2008
The question of just how big a carbon footprint air cargo creates and what can the industry do to lessen its impact on the environment are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
Biofuels player pulls $100m plug on New Zealand plant
1 Aug 2008
A British biofuels company is pulling its $100-million investment out of New Zealand, blaming the Government’s Biofuels Bill.
ANALYSIS: Show faith in our emerging biofuels industry
1 Aug 2008
Today’s news that UK-based Argent Energy is pulling out of New Zealand because of what it sees as the distorted biofuels market which the Biofuels Bill has failed to address should sound large alarm bells in Government circles – but will anyone be listening?
BP: What it says over there - and here
1 Aug 2008
The head of BP says a cap and trade system is the best way of creating conditions to reduce emissions.
South Africa vows to shift energy policy from coal to nuclear
1 Aug 2008
The South African government says it will move away from cheap coal - long the engine of its economic growth - and embrace nuclear and renewable energy in a bid to combat climate change.
BREAKING NEWS: Government calls for tough CDM regime
29 Jul 2008
New Zealand is calling for tougher rules around carbon credits and investments, saying that governments should be required to monitor and enforce minimum requirements for clean development mechanisms.
Public wants help with ETS costs, survey shows
22 Jul 2008
Overwhelming public support for help for households in coping with the costs of an emissions trading scheme could provide the impetus to get the scheme passed before the election.
Fertiliser companies' carbon move could cost consumers
22 Jul 2008
A push by fertiliser companies to sheet home carbon dioxide emission charges to the “end users” of the fertiliser has conjured up the possibility of a carbon levy or surcharge on consumer foodstuffs sold in supermarkets and elsewhere.
Maori Party sticks to polluters-should-pay stance on ETS fuel plans
18 Jul 2008
The Maori Party is unlikely to push for an Australian-style buffer against the effects of increased fuel prices under New Zealand’s proposed emissions trading scheme.
Long-haul airlines to get carbon relief from Europe
18 Jul 2008
Airlines flying long-haul to Europe will get extra allocations of carbon credits under the European emissions trading scheme, says the European Commission to New Zealand.
Canadian premiers squabble over climate change action
18 Jul 2008
The annual Canadian premiers' conference has opened in Ottawa with rival camps in the climate change debate digging in their heels, reports the Toronto Star.
Australia announces all-gases and almost-all sectors ETS
16 Jul 2008
Australia has announced a proposal for a broad emissions trading scheme that covers all six greenhouse gases and every sector except agriculture.
REACTION: Green Paper gives cold comfort to those wanting to delay emissions trading
16 Jul 2008
The Green Paper outlining the Australian Government’s thinking on emissions trading shows it is well aligned with New Zealand’s plans, says the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development
REACTION: NZ emission scheme should pick up some Aussie ideas, say forest owners
16 Jul 2008
Forest owners have welcomed the release by the Australian Government of its preferred policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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.
