Topics tagged with 'United Nations'
Look to your triple bottom line, say fund-keepers
28 Oct 2008
New Zealand’s Super Fund and 51 other international investment funds managing a total of $US4 trillion worth of assets are telling companies to focus on their triple bottom lines.
New climate deal possible in 2009, says EU chief
28 Oct 2008
A crucial global pact on climate change is possible by next year, European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said in Beijing following two days of talks between Asian and European leaders.
Cities' leaders pledge action on climate change
28 Oct 2008
Leaders of 40 of the world's major cities have pledged action to fight climate change, taking measures ranging from promoting solar energy to tracking genetically modified food.
Japan set to introduce voluntary carbon market
24 Oct 2008
Japan will introduce a voluntary carbon market based on companies' pledged emissions cuts and hopes that thousands of firms will sign up to what could become a forerunner of a mandatory cap-and-trade project.
Settle it, and quickly, Ban tells Europe’s leaders
24 Oct 2008
United Nations’ Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stressed to leaders of the European Union the need to wrap up the bloc’s energy and climate package by the end of the year.
Climate change needs a Roosevelt ‘New Deal,’ says UN
24 Oct 2008
The world should take a leaf from former US president Franklin Roosevelt's songbook for tackling the Great Depression and fund a "Green New Deal" to fight climate change, a United Nations agency says.
EC eyes market solution to deforestation
24 Oct 2008
The European Commission has called for a target to halt global deforestation by 2030, to be delivered partially through a Global Forest Carbon Mechanism (GFCM), under a post-2012 climate agreement.
Our poisoned world - the top 10 worst pollution problems
24 Oct 2008
The "I Trust My Legs" gold mine in Ghana is a local affair, where miners shift silt from rudimentary pits and then combine it with mercury.
EU’s climate actions could be economic boon, says Ban
21 Oct 2008
European Union proposals on tackling climate change could also be a boon for the economy, generating millions of new jobs at a time when the world is suffering from the financial crisis, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.
We’re facing climate change havoc, warns new report
21 Oct 2008
Climate change is occurring much faster than predicted by the scientific fraternity, and will wreak havoc unless action is taken on a global scale, says a new report by the World Wildlife Fund.
Finally, EU-Kyoto carbon trading link up and running
17 Oct 2008
Carbon emissions trading schemes in the European Union and under the Kyoto Protocol were connected yesterday after months of technical delays.
Greece again fails to meet emissions test standards
17 Oct 2008
A United Nations committee in Athens said Greece has failed to demonstrate its ability to adequately measure carbon dioxide emissions, endangering its chances of participating in Kyoto Protocol emissions trading programme.
Markets turmoil could usher in new green era, says UN
14 Oct 2008
The global market crisis could provide an opportunity for the world financial system to reconstruct itself to promote “green” growth, the top United Nations climate change official said yesterday in New York.
Don’t blame cities for climate change troubles, says report
14 Oct 2008
Cities are being unfairly blamed for most of humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions and this threatens efforts to tackle climate change, warns a new report.
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.
EU nods to credit crisis but remains tough on emissions
10 Oct 2008
A powerful European Union committee on Wednesday handed some concessions to industries in an economic downturn but maintained a tough line on curbing carbon emissions in the fight against climate change.
Experts seek clues on impact of climate change on health
10 Oct 2008
Experts at a meeting convened by the United Nations World Health Organisation yesterday agreed on a plan of action to create guidelines on the impact of climate change on human health.
Fiji eyes billion-dollar windfall from carbon trading
10 Oct 2008
The Fiji Government is aiming to receive at least $US1billion in foreign exchange from carbon trading for the next 25 to 30 years.
Financial crisis must not diminish climate change, says UN chief
10 Oct 2008
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned of the dangers of the fight against climate change - which he characterised as the "defining challenge of our era" - getting bogged down by shorter-term problems, such as the current global financial turmoil.
Hong Kong, Singapore fight for carbon trading crown
7 Oct 2008
Hong Kong and Singapore are locked in a heavyweight battle to see which will wear the crown of Asia’s first carbon trading hub.
World Bank makes huge jump in funding of renewable energy projects
7 Oct 2008
The World Bank’s funding for renewable and efficient energy projects in developing countries rose 87 per cent during the past year to nearly $2.7 billion, reflecting the growing interest and demand for environmentally friendly sources of power.
Eastern Europe collects windfall as Japan snaps up carbon credits
3 Oct 2008
Thanks to Kyoto emission levels pegged to 1990, when pollution was worse, former Eastern Bloc countries now sell carbon credits to Japan
Millions of new jobs in green economy, says UN report
30 Sep 2008
Tackling climate change could potentially generate millions of new employment opportunities, according to a new UN-backed study – the first of its kind on the emergence of a “green economy” and its impact on labour.
Greenhouse gas pollution up despite economic downturn
30 Sep 2008
World carbon dioxide emissions continued to rise in 2007 despite a slowing global economy, according to energy use figures from oil company BP and an annual report by the Global Carbon Project.
‘Obsolete’ market system to blame for deforestation, PNG tells UN
30 Sep 2008
The current global economic system is to fault for deforestation, Papua New GuineaDeputy Prime Minister Puke Temu told the UN General Assembly’s high-level debate yesterday, stressing the need to protect the South Pacific nation’s rainforests from degradation.
Ban urges faster efforts to expand access to safe drinking water
26 Sep 2008
Warning that a world without water will be very unstable, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday called for a three-pronged strategy to ensure that the poorest inhabitants of the developing world have access to clean water and basic sanitation within seven years.
Is the end of higher fert prices on the horizon?
26 Sep 2008
There are signs that farmers might be in for some respite from rising fertiliser prices, says Ballance Agri-Nutrients Chairman, David Graham.
Copenhagen most important meeting since WWII, says Stern
23 Sep 2008
The UN climate change meeting to be held in Copenhagen next year is the “most important gathering since the Second World War”, according to Nicholas Stern, author of the influential Stern Review on the economics of climate change.
Leading ad agencies join UN in climate change campaign
23 Sep 2008
Nearly two dozen global advertising giants have joined the United Nations in a partnership to support UN-led efforts to reach agreement on slashing greenhouse gas emissions at a major international conference next year in Copenhagen.
NZ key player at Patagonia climate change talks
16 Sep 2008
New Zealand is one of a handful of key countries at an international dialogue in Patagonia to guide the development of the post-2012 climate change accord.
Greenhouse gas emissions: What others are doing
12 Sep 2008
Companies and governments, including New Zealand, are turning to emissions trading as a weapon to fight climate change, in a carbon market worth $64 billion last year.
Go global, UN chief tells students
12 Sep 2008
In an ever increasingly interdependent world, where challenges such as climate change, development and security transcend national boundaries, it is in everyone’s best interest to think globally, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told students at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where the United Nations chief received an honorary degree yesterday.
Google Earth puts you in the cockpit for hotspots flyover
12 Sep 2008
People can “fly” to some of the world’s most dramatic environmental hotspots courtesy of the UN Environment Programme innovative use of the popular mapping tool Google Earth.
Rudd’s carbon scheme leaves early movers exposed
12 Sep 2008
The Australian Federal Government’s proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) has cast considerable uncertainty over the voluntary carbon market, leaving early movers on carbon reduction exposed, according to a submission on the government’s Green Paper by international professional services company GHD.
Researchers pinpoint world's climate change 'hotspots'
9 Sep 2008
A report looking at probable humanitarian consequences of climate change has identified climate change “hotspots” around the globe.
Carbon forum helps Africa profit from greenhouse gas offset scheme
9 Sep 2008
Three days of deal-making and networking has wrapped up at the United Nations-backed Africa Carbon Forum in Senegal, aimed at improving the continent’s standing in the global carbon marketplace.
Climate forecasts crucial to water resources, say weather watchers
5 Sep 2008
The chief of the UN meteorological agency has called for weather forecasts to play a greater role in planning for economic development and poverty reduction because of the impact climate change has on water resources.
India must brace for the worst, warns UN agency
5 Sep 2008
Climate change is likely to have a much greater impact on India than other countries in similar positions, according to an assessment by the South Asia regional office of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.
Pachauri to head IPCC for further five years
5 Sep 2008
Rajendra Kumar Pachauri has been elected chairman of the UN body Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for a second term.
Australia votes $14m to help endangered island neighbours
2 Sep 2008
Australia will provide $14.8 million to help vulnerable countries in the Asia-Pacific region to adapt to the effects of climate change.
Ban hails UN climate panel on 20th anniversary
2 Sep 2008
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon yesterday paid tribute to the accomplishments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), co-recipient of last year's Nobel Peace Prize, as he marked its 20th anniversary.
Maori Party against ETS bill: concern over subsidies, impacts on Maori land owners
2 Sep 2008
The Maori Party says in EST bill debate that it is "opposed to the concept of paying the polluters; of rewarding the corporate lobbyists with huge exemptions; and the very nature of trading rather than reducing emissions."
Light trading through holidays
1 Sep 2008
Greened AAUs are trading at €11. This equates to NZ$23.11 versus the December 2012 CER equivalent price of NZ$48.88. (€23.26), reports broker OMFinancial.
Accra talks bode well for future climate change negotiations, says UN
29 Aug 2008
Important progress has been made during the latest round of United Nations-led climate change talks in Ghana on key issues relating to a new international agreement to tackle global warming, the world body’s top official dealing with the issue said yesterday.
Poorer countries face $170 billion climate change bill
29 Aug 2008
A total of $US170 billion is needed between now and 2030 to enable developing countries to mitigate and adapt to the impact of climate change, the World Bank says.
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.
Deforestation question splits delegates at Ghana conference
26 Aug 2008
Trading carbon emission rights between developed and developing nations has caused a split between delegates at international climate change talks in Ghana, reports AFP.
New UN reports warns of costs of inaction on climate change
26 Aug 2008
Government leaders must take urgent action to ensure that weather-related hazards, which are becoming more intense and frequent due to climate change, do not lead to a corresponding rise in disasters, a new UN-backed report says.
Climate change will deplete fisheries production, warns FAO
26 Aug 2008
Global warming and the consequent changes in climatic patterns will have strong impact on fisheries with far-reaching consequences for food and livelihood security of a sizeable section of the population, a UN agency warns.
UN to set up climate-change centre for Pacific countries
22 Aug 2008
The United Nations and Samoa plan to establish an inter-agency climate change centre to help to coordinate support to Pacific Island countries fighting the impact of climate change.
Media round-up
Fri 17 Apr 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: The fuel crisis is a chance for government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, what would it take to tap into New Zealand's oceans energy, and which political parties would subsidise your rooftop solar panels?
Climate pollution static but NZ still on track for first emissions budget, says MfE
Fri 17 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand is still on track to meet its first emissions budget, according to the Ministry for the Environment, despite the pace of emissions reductions slowing to standstill.
$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.
EU working on jet fuel plan as Iran crisis threatens air travel
Fri 17 Apr 2026
The European Union is drafting plans to tackle a looming jet fuel supply crunch and maximise refinery output, officials said.
Environment ministry straining under pressure of reforms and potential disestablishment
Wed 15 Apr 2026
The ministry responsible for New Zealand’s most significant resource management reform in a generation is doing so under institutional strain, compressed timeframes, and an uncertain future – including its own potential disestablishment.
New alliance wants renewable-led energy – and Govt to press pause on LNG
9 Apr 2026
A newly formed coalition of business, consumer and energy organisations has unveiled a renewable-led strategy it says will strengthen the country’s energy security, and it’s calling on the Government to pause its plan for an LNG import terminal.
Latest emissions inventory: ‘Something has gone very wrong’
Thu 16 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 decreased by just 0.1% compared to 2023, in what an expert says is a “terrible result”, compared to faster progress in previous years.
Critical Atlantic current significantly more likely to collapse than thought
Fri 17 Apr 2026
The critical Atlantic current system appears significantly more likely to collapse than previously thought after new research found that climate models predicting the biggest slowdown are the most realistic
Carbon ‘stockpile’ up 9 million in March quarter
10 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | The ‘stockpile’ of pollution permits (NZUs) in private accounts has increased by just over 9 million to almost 145 million since the end of 2025, according to the latest figures from the Environmental Protection Authority.
Activist ends five-day tree-top protest at West Coast coal mine
10 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A climate activist has ended a five-day tree-top occupation that blocked access to Bathurst Resources’ Cypress Mine on the West Coast, in a protest against plans to expand what could become New Zealand’s largest coal mine.
Supply-side pressures and political uncertainty ahead for carbon market
7 Apr 2026
By Kristen Green | ANALYSIS: With failed auctions, a surge of new forestry registrations, and an election a few months away, the NZ ETS in 2026 will be subject to a mix of supply-side pressures and political uncertainty.
Sustainable retail-office project breaks ground under new Green Star framework
19 Feb 2026
Construction is set to begin on a new retail-office development in central Auckland, which is targeting a 40% reduction in embodied carbon and 25% lower energy.
Opposition attacks Govt over fossil fuel phaseout backdown
2 Feb 2026
By Liz Kivi | Revelations that Resources Minister Shane Jones ruled out New Zealand signing up to a 'road map' away from fossil fuels at last year’s global climate summit show the National Party’s minor coalition partners’ undue influence over the Government, according to Labour leader Chris Hipkins.
Self-interest should drive investment in overseas climate action, says former climate commissioner
Mon 13 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Wealthy countries – including New Zealand – aren’t doing nearly enough to fund climate mitigation in the developing world, with new research saying we need to "change the conversation" to spark action in this vital area.
Why cheap power could matter more than clean power in the push for net zero
Fri 17 Apr 2026
The issue has taken on new urgency as conflict in the Middle East pushes up oil and gas prices, raising fears that high energy costs could persist.
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.
Climate risks could reshape business finances, new guidance warns
Wed 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.
Transport dominates NZ’s rising consumer emissions
10 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Transport pollution was the biggest contributor to an increase in New Zealand’s consumption-based emissions in 2023, with emissions from household travel up 12%, and consumption-based emissions totalling 58.3 million tonnes – up 1.6% from the previous year.
Wilding conifers continue to plague Southland
Fri 17 Apr 2026
By Matthew Rosenberg, Local Democracy Reporter | Fast-spreading conifer trees are causing headaches in Southland as inconsistent funding continues to hinder control efforts.
A matter of strategy
7 Apr 2026
COMMENT: Even on the brink of a global commodities crisis, the possibilities for climate action aren't hopelessly foreclosed. Strategy can turn our fortunes around, writes David Hall.
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.”
FMA to ease conditions for green bond issues
31 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Green, social and sustainability-linked bonds will face lower disclosure requirements and regulatory costs under a class exemption newly granted by the Financial Markets Authority.
Fonterra admits ‘100% grass-fed’ claim breached law in greenwashing row
2 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Fonterra has admitted its “100% New Zealand grass-fed” claims on Anchor butter were misleading and breached the law, settling a case brought by Greenpeace Aotearoa over packaging used between December 2023 and April 2025.
Govt missing opportunity to slash electricity prices, says expert
11 Feb 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s fixation on eliminating the "dry-year risk margin" as a lever to reduce costs misses a much bigger opportunity to lower electricity prices, according to Christina Hood, head of Compass Climate.
NZ prepares to join ‘gold rush’ for white hydrogen
25 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand may be close to commercialising the capture and use of naturally occurring ‘white’ hydrogen, with investment plans for developments in the Wairarapa region picking up pace in response to spiralling oil prices.
Media round-up
20 Mar 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: Crown lawyers agree High Court could quash emissions plan if found unlawful; NZ is locked in 'disaster inertia'; and climate change is notably absent from new development laws.
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.
Environmental groups launch legal action over Govt's 'tick-box approach' to conservation land
8 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Forest & Bird and the Environmental Defence Society are taking the Government to court over decisions about the future of publicly-owned land on Te Tai Poutini/the West Coast.
Genesis fires up pellet study with Nature’s Flame
8 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Genesis Energy is extending its quest for locally produced torrefied wood pellets to supplement coal and gas to fuel its Huntly power station, announcing it is investigating plant construction with established local solid fuels player Nature’s Flame.
Carbon News launches price index
24 Jun 2024
Today’s issue is the first to feature Carbon News’ own carbon price index for secondary market spot prices for NZUs on New Zealand’s compliance market.
Ocean protections clash with mining pressure in Indonesia’s most diverse marine ecosystem
Mon 13 Apr 2026
Long regarded as a global model for ocean conservation, Raja Ampat ecosystems are now under pressure, as concerns grow over the expansion of nickel mining alongside a surge of international tourism.
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.
Renewable build-out runs into grid and firming limits
8 Apr 2026
New Zealand's electricity market entered 2026 with renewable generation at record levels and a substantial build pipeline finally moving from paper to construction. The harder question is whether the wider system can absorb and firm that capacity fast enough.
Lawyers complain to ombudsman over Govt failure to release LNG modelling
1 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Lawyers for Climate Action has made a formal complaint to the Ombudsman over the Government’s failure to release information about its controversial decision to build a LNG import terminal.
Kiwis overly optimistic about state of environment
27 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New research suggests many New Zealanders believe the environment is in better shape than it really is, with public perceptions often out of step with scientific evidence.
‘They pushed so many lies about recycling’: the fight to stop big oil pumping billions more into plastics
24 Feb 2026
Plastic production has doubled over the last 20 years – and will likely double again. For author Beth Gardiner, metal water bottles and canvas tote bags are not the solution. So what is?
Activists occupy controversial gold drilling site
25 Mar 2026
By Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | Opposition in Golden Bay to a controversial gold mine at Sams Creek has flared up over the weekend after several activists briefly occupied a drilling site.
China has a new competitor? Kazakhstan reveals huge rare Earth deposit that could power the next tech boom
25 Feb 2026
China’s grip on rare earths might finally see some competition, and the world is already taking notice.
Sci-tech prioritisation report is a joke that could cost NZ dearly, says NZ Association of Scientists
2 Apr 2026
Media release: New Zealand Association of Scientists | The Prioritisation Report released yesterday by the Prime Minister’s Science Innovation and Technology Council makes a poor case for further cuts and changes to our research system.
Marlborough’s Rānui Solar Farm enters final testing
Thu 16 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Marlborough's biggest solar farm has entered its final testing phase and is now generating up to 9.9MW of electricity, marking a key milestone for a project expected to boost regional energy security.
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.
AI surge gives carbon capture a new push
Wed 15 Apr 2026
Technology that captures carbon emissions from power plants may finally get a breakthrough as deep-pocketed tech companies try to meet climate goals while powering the AI race.
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.
NZ’s latest push to roll out more EV chargers is a good thing – but can it go the distance?
Tue 14 Apr 2026
A $50 million plan to expand New Zealand’s public electric vehicle (EV) charging network marks another step toward a lower-emissions transport system.
Infrastructure plan calls for ‘predictable approach’ to electrifying economy
18 Feb 2026
Aotearoa’s first National Infrastructure Plan, introduced to Parliament yesterday, calls for "a predictable approach to electrifying the economy" as one of ten priorities for the next decade.
Dairy farmers' lack of climate action 'even bleaker' than water inaction – Upton
1 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Government projections for cutting agricultural emissions are being undermined by low farmer uptake, with the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment warning the country is relying on “heroic” assumptions to meet its methane targets.
AI tool predicts wildfire danger faster than current systems
26 Mar 2026
Media release | A wildfire forecasting system powered by artificial intelligence could help detect dangerous fire conditions earlier and reduce the cost of wildfire response, according to new research from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury.
Fast-track approved project could deliver NZ’s largest wind farm
7 Apr 2026
Media release: New Zealand Government |Fast-track approval has been granted for New Zealand’s largest wind farm project.
