Topics tagged with 'Transport'
Shipping lines join clean port plan
10 Aug 2012
Six shipping carriers have become the inaugural participants in the Port of Los Angeles Environmental Ship Index, an international clean air programme that rewards ocean carriers for bringing their newest and cleanest vessels to the port.
Right food vital, say UN experts
10 Aug 2012
Countries must take immediate action to promote sustainable diets and food biodiversity to improve the health of their citizens, says the United Nations food agency in a new book.
London wins praise for green Olympics
3 Aug 2012
The measures taken to ensure that the London Olympic Games are environmentally sustainable have been praised by the United Nations.
Study finds carbon pathways to the deep
3 Aug 2012
A team of British and Australian scientists has discovered an important method of how carbon is drawn down from the surface of the Southern Ocean to the deep waters beneath.
Our world in peril
20 Jul 2012
The world is in a perilous position - economically, environmentally and socially, according to a new report. And New Zealand is not exempt. Here, Rick Boven, Catherine Harland and Lillian Grace, the authors of Navigating an uncertain future: Environmental foundations for long-term success, outline the situation.
Send it by bike ... freight idea gets wheels
20 Jul 2012
More than 30 companies from across Europe have launched a European Cycle Logistics Federation (ECLF) aimed at improving urban bike deliveries and lobbying for cycle-based delivery policies.
ETS inaction puts focus on transport
6 Jul 2012
The Government will need to use regulations or incentives to cut emissions from the transport sector if it is serious about reducing this country’s emissions levels, an expert in public policy says.
Rio pledges pass $500 billion mark
29 Jun 2012
More than $513 billion in funding has been committed by governments, the private sector, civil society and other groups to achieve a sustainable future.
Right, says Ban, now get on with it
29 Jun 2012
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged world leaders to build on the commitments they made during the Rio+20 conference to achieve economic, environmental and social prosperity for people all over the world.
Rio shows how to have a conference with little paper
29 Jun 2012
Reducing the use of paper, providing vehicles powered by biodiesel and electricity, and using recyclable materials are some of the practices that were pursued during Rio+20 to minimise the forum’s environmental impact.
Australia takes aim at shipping
29 Jun 2012
Legislation has been introduced into the Australian Parliament aimed at reducing pollution from ships and protecting the marine environment.
Banks vow to invest $175b in transport
22 Jun 2012
The eight largest multilateral development banks will invest $175 billion in sustainable transportation systems over the coming decade.
Joyce slams businessmen's report
15 Jun 2012
Economic Development Minister Stephen Joyce says the Pure Advantage business group is just looking for subsidies for businesses it likes.
Rio countries now in final talks
15 Jun 2012
Countries have started the last round of talks to come to an agreement on the draft outcome document on environmental, economic and social issues at the heart of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.
Global emissions reach record high
1 Jun 2012
Global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion reached a record high of 31.6 gigatonnes in 2011, according to preliminary estimates from the International Energy Agency.
Stand by for the golden age of gas
1 Jun 2012
Exploiting the world’s vast resources of unconventional natural gas holds the key to a golden age of gas, says the International Energy Agency.
Air NZ flies high as cutter of emissions
25 May 2012
Projects that cut carbon emissions by a total of 1.7 million tonnes a year and produced $600 million worth of energy efficiency were recognised this week in the annual Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Awards.
Switched-on insurer turns over new Leaf
18 May 2012
Sovereign is the first company in New Zealand to purchase the world’s first mass-produced, fully electric, zero-emission vehicle; the Nissan Leaf.
It's a game-changer, says Aquaflow
20 Apr 2012
Kiwi clean energy company Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation believes it is poised to make refining next generation biofuels a commercial reality in New Zealand and in overseas projects within three years.
Greens predict urban sprawl, congestion
13 Apr 2012
The Productivity Commission's main recommendations for affordable housing will create sprawling, congested, and less productive cities, Green Party co-leader Russel Norman says
Businesses learn how to be eco smart
30 Mar 2012
Organisations wanting to improve their environmental credentials and their bottom line are lining up for the Eco Smart Business programme.
Australia stands alone in low-carbon slide
23 Mar 2012
Australia is the only G20 country that has gone backwards on its low-carbon competitiveness since 1995, according to the Global Climate Leadership Review 2012 released by The Climate Institute.
Wood the answer, says biofuel expert
16 Mar 2012
New Zealand should be replacing fossil-fuel energy with wood, says the general manager of a Whakatane-based biotechnology business.
Govt will slow ETS
9 Mar 2012
The electricity, industrial and transport sectors will continue to be sheltered from the full force of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
EU charge could cost Airbus $3.8m
9 Mar 2012
An Asian airline is threatening to scrap an order for 10 Airbus jets over a European Union carbon charge imposed on global airlines.
Shipping shapes as next target of EU
9 Mar 2012
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) could soon find itself butting heads with Brussels over how best to tackle emissions from international shipping, analysts say.
NZ stays out of Europe airlines row
2 Mar 2012
New Zealand is staying out of a row over a requirement for airlines flying in and out of Europe to pay for their carbon emissions.
Kiwi carpoolers ride all the way to Britain
2 Mar 2012
A carpooling business started in a bedroom in Wellington has conquered Australia and is about to take on Britain.
Europe's airline rules stir controversy
24 Feb 2012
Carbon Market Solutions says that the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme has now included aviation in its emissions reduction sectors in a move fraught with controversy and disagreement.
Electric cars ... what do you think?
17 Feb 2012
What do New Zealanders really think about electric cars?
Officials back slow-down of ETS
3 Feb 2012
Government officials are backing recommendations to slow down the impact the Emissions Trading Scheme is having on the economy.
Minister puts plans for environment
27 Jan 2012
New rules to protect New Zealand’s oceans and freshwater, streamlining the Resource Management Act, a new Environment Reporting Act and aligning the Emissions Trading Scheme with that of Australia are on the Government’s agenda.
Experts eye green economy in a blue world
27 Jan 2012
The economic productivity of the marine sector can be significantly boosted by shifting to a more sustainable approach that focuses on green activities such as renewable energy, eco-tourism and sustainable transport, according to a new United Nations report.
Startling report warns of lives cut short
20 Jan 2012
A world-first study into the potential impact climate change will have on years of life lost has come up with startling results, says an Australian academic.
Business must take over, says green leader
9 Dec 2011
Business must step into the breach on climate change because government negotiators at the Durban climate conference are procrastinating, says one of Africa’s leading environmentalists.
Scrap lignite plan, says energy expert
18 Nov 2011
A New Zealand scientist at the heart of the IPCC says Solid Energy’s lignite development should not go ahead.
Business getting serious about green investment
18 Nov 2011
Businesses and governments are accelerating investment in the green sectors of the economy, a just-released United Nations report shows.
New rules cut ship emissions, says report
18 Nov 2011
The implementation of United Nations-mandated energy-efficiency measures will lead to a significant reduction in carbon emissions from ships, says a new report.
LanzaTech lands a first with India
11 Nov 2011
LanzaTech has just signed its first commercial customer, marking a milestone in the Kiwi clean-energy technology company’s global development.
Unhappy exporters voice ETS fears
11 Nov 2011
National's promise to slow down implementation of the Emissions Trading Scheme has failed to impress exporters.
Where Labour and Greens stand on carbon trading
11 Nov 2011
Carbon Market Solutions casts an eye over the carbon-trading policies of Labour and the Greens:
We can capture carbon, says report
4 Nov 2011
Carbon capture and storage technologies could work safely and effectively in New Zealand, Straterra says.
Study urges care with harvesting for biofuel
28 Oct 2011
Turning trees into biofuel can release more carbon into the atmosphere than would have been released by fossil fuels, new American research says.
Greens say Govt has Auckland train money
28 Oct 2011
Central Government can afford to fund at least 60 per cent of the Auckland CBD rail link, to boost the economy and give Aucklanders better options to get around their city, the Green Party says.
Why we need to ban industrial CERs soon
21 Oct 2011
A proposed Government ban on industrial CERs should go ahead as soon as possible, says DANIEL WATSON, of Carbon Market Solutions.
Global CO2 emissions show steep rise
30 Sep 2011
Global emissions of carbon dioxide - the main cause of global warming - increased by 45 per cent between 1990 and 2010, and reached an all-time high of 33 billion tonnes in 2010, says a European agency.
Nelson projects aim to cut emissions
30 Sep 2011
Three significant projects launched in Nelson as part of the global day of action last weekend will make practical differences to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promoters say.
That's it ... till after the election
16 Sep 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme has been kicked for touch until after the election.
ETS review: Act stands for abolition
16 Sep 2011
The Government should "drop the pretence" and scrap the Emissions Trading Scheme, the Act Party says.
Climate drives transport changes
16 Sep 2011
It is hard to overlook the issue of transport in New Zealand, particularly after the shambles that was Auckland’s public transport system for the Rugby World Cup opening ceremony last Friday.
Oxfam calls on Govt to renew climate finance commitments
Today 12:15pm
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government's failure to renew international climate finance commitments has left Pacific nations short at least $100 million a year, with Oxfam Aotearoa linking the funding gap to New Zealand's weakened Emissions Trading Scheme.
'Terrible result': Emissions barely budged in 2024
Fri 5 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions were virtually unchanged in 2024, falling by 0.03%, despite the economy shrinking by ten times that amount during the same period, according to new data.
$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's green jet fuels see upside in Iran war
Wed 3 Jun 2026
Interest in synthetic propellants is growing as the Iran war pushes Europe to reassess its dependencies, raising hopes of a turnaround for the struggling sector, according to industry experts.
Govt injects $10 million into Auckland predator-free projects
Fri 5 Jun 2026
Conservation projects across Auckland will share in a $10 million Government funding package designed to accelerate predator eradication efforts and restore native biodiversity.
Huntly biomass option no cheap fix, Genesis tells MPs
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.
Carbon auction set to fail while new data suggests sharp decline in stockpile
Today 12:15pm
By Liz Kivi | Tomorrow’s carbon auction is odds-on to fail again, even as the latest figures from the Environmental Protection Authority show the ‘stockpile’ of NZUs continuing to decline.
What to expect from the Bonn climate talks
Today 12:15pm
The annual June climate talks in Bonn are taking place this year against the backdrop of an oil and gas supply crisis tied to the Iran war and deadly heatwaves in Europe, India and the Middle East. Can they produce anything substantial to ease the squeeze on economies and communities around the world?
Media round-up
Fri 5 Jun 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The government must stop delaying decisions on funding climate adaptation, says Gisborne mayor; insurance conference exposes poor preparation for climate change; and Labour questions whether a disappearing climate briefing note was part of a deliberate cover-up.
Lack of demand leads to Bathurst pausing coal mine expansion
Tue 2 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Bathurst Resources has confirmed it is struggling to find a market for coal from its planned extension of the Rotowaro coal mine in North Waikato, and is putting the project on ‘pause’.
NZ’s sustainable finance credibility gap
Fri 5 Jun 2026
By Manbo He | COMMENT: New Zealand has built serious sustainable finance infrastructure - but risks failing to attract the global capital that infrastructure was designed for, because it lacks the practitioner capability to operate it credibly.
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.
Diesel vs LNG – both high cost options for dry year cover
Today 12:15pm
By Pattrick Smellie | ANALYSIS: While last week’s Sapere report – looking at the Government’s proposed LNG terminal for electricity ‘dry year’ cover – says diesel would be better in the short-term, opting for diesel would lead to higher more volatile electricity spot prices in the next few years.
Waikato launches vision for energy transition bringing $4.5 billion investment to the region
Today 12:15pm
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Waikato Regional Council has released a strategy aiming to position the region at the centre of New Zealand's energy transition, with plans to boost energy security, cut emissions and unlock billions of dollars in economic opportunities by 2050.
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.
Seven ‘new approaches’ to avoid our Paris commitments: Carr
Thu 4 Jun 2026
Praying for “new approaches” to materialise to meet our international climate obligations isn’t a strategy, writes Rod Carr.
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.
Nature-based solutions – such as forestry – crucial for carbon removal
Fri 5 Jun 2026
COMMENT: Transitioning from erodible pasture to well-managed forest can yield substantial environmental benefits, writes James Treadwell.
LNG isn’t the best 'dry year' solution – new report
Thu 4 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s proposed LNG import terminal isn’t the best solution for ‘dry year’ electricity security, according to a new report.
Govt legislates for more gas market transparency
Tue 2 Jun 2026
The Government has passed its Gas Market Transparency Bill through all stages under urgency, giving itself stronger powers to see into a gas market where tightening supply is creating significant uncertainty for businesses.
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.”
Sustainable finance taxonomy for energy sector – consultation
Today 12:15pm
The Centre for Sustainable Finance is consulting on the sustainable finance taxonomy’s draft energy sector criteria.
NZ’s ‘light‑touch’ approach to voluntary carbon and nature markets may unlock finance but risks credibility
Tue 2 Jun 2026
By Jennifer Campion, University of Waikato | The government’s recent announcement of support for voluntary carbon and nature markets effectively offers a “warrant of fitness” to signal which markets can be trusted, without directly regulating them.
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.
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.
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.
EU sues Ireland over failure to protect carbon-rich bogs
Today 12:15pm
The European Commission is taking Ireland to court over its failure to protect environmentally crucial boglands from commercial turf-cutters.
Changes to emissions factors prompt caution over climate claims
Thu 4 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Organisations may need to revisit how they calculate and communicate their greenhouse gas emissions after the Ministry for the Environment released an updated version of its Measuring Emissions Guide, incorporating new emissions factors based on New Zealand's latest greenhouse gas inventory.
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.
Wetland protections failing to stop losses
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.
Renewables alone won’t fix ‘broken’ electricity prices
Thu 4 Jun 2026
COMMENT: While many people agree the electricity market is broken, simply adding more renewables to a broken system isn’t the fix we need, writes Geoff Bertram.
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.
Deep South marine reserves boost protection by nearly 50%
Wed 3 Jun 2026
Five new marine reserves protecting more than 300 square kilometres of ocean habitat along the Otago and south Canterbury coast will come into force next month, marking one of the largest expansions of mainland New Zealand's marine reserve network in decades.
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.
Willis touting mysterious ‘new approaches’ to meet Paris Agreement
Tue 2 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | Finance Minister Nicola Willis has again said that New Zealand is unlikely to buy significant offshore mitigation to meet the country’s international climate targets.
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.
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.
How campaigners beat industrial farming in Denmark’s ‘pig election’
Today 12:15pm
Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s new government promises overhaul for people – and animals – in home of ultra-intensive farming.
New breed of political prisoner arises in Britain as anti-protest sentences rise
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.
Why China's critical minerals strategy leaves the US behind
Today 12:15pm
The United States cannot realistically recreate that dominance overnight even if the political will existed.
US to ‘kill’ climate disclosure rule
Tue 2 Jun 2026
In the latest action to undo Biden-era regulations on climate change, the Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed repealing a rule that requires some public companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and the risks they face from global warming.
Australia's greenhouse gas emissions drop as renewable energy, batteries surge
Today 12:15pm
Australia's greenhouse gas emissions have dropped, showing signs of a turning point in the country's most polluting sectors.
‘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.
Researchers say this new Trump rule could destroy American science as we know it. They’re fighting back
Today 12:15pm
Scientists across multiple disciplines are sounding the alarm after the White House proposed taking greater control over how scientific research gets funded and allowing political appointees to decide whether to approve scientific grants.
China’s CO2 climbs 2% in early 2026 due to ‘wasted’ wind and solar
Fri 5 Jun 2026
The country used more coal and gas to generate electricity than in the same quarter a year earlier, despite a record amount of new wind and solar capacity being built.
Carbon trading schemes cut more emissions than carbon taxes, according to global study
20 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Carbon trading schemes are more effective than carbon taxes at reducing emissions, cutting fossil fuel use, and accelerating the shift to renewable energy, a global study has found.
EU wants households to cut peak time energy use as demand from industry and AI soars
Fri 5 Jun 2026
A new law will aim to use artificial intelligence to boost efficient use of power as electricity demand threatens to overwhelm Europe’s grids.
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.
Energy, water use and pollution of AI and data centres rival most countries
Fri 5 Jun 2026
The environmental footprint of data centres already rivals some of the world’s largest countries, according to a United Nations University report, which also predicts their water and energy use and pollution will double in just four years as use of artificial intelligence grows.
Project linking food waste to cutting methane emissions gets underway
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.
Record-breaking heat and dry spring leave parts of England without water
Tue 2 Jun 2026
Thousands of households in southeast England were left without water or facing low pressure during a record-breaking heatwave this week, as high demand followed a dry spring to expose the failings in Britain's ageing infrastructure.
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.
Waves with world's first wind power undersea data center
Thu 4 Jun 2026
China has begun operations of the world's first undersea data center directly powered by offshore wind, as the country races to solve the soaring energy demands of artificial intelligence with greener and more efficient infrastructure.
