Links
Archives
- 10/01/2000 - 11/01/2000
- 11/01/2000 - 12/01/2000
- 12/01/2000 - 01/01/2001
- 01/01/2001 - 02/01/2001
- 02/01/2001 - 03/01/2001
- 03/01/2001 - 04/01/2001
- 04/01/2001 - 05/01/2001
- 05/01/2001 - 06/01/2001
- 06/01/2001 - 07/01/2001
- 07/01/2001 - 08/01/2001
- 08/01/2001 - 09/01/2001
- 09/01/2001 - 10/01/2001
- 10/01/2001 - 11/01/2001
- 11/01/2001 - 12/01/2001
- 12/01/2001 - 01/01/2002
- 01/01/2002 - 02/01/2002
- 02/01/2002 - 03/01/2002
- 03/01/2002 - 04/01/2002
- 04/01/2002 - 05/01/2002
- 05/01/2002 - 06/01/2002
- 06/01/2002 - 07/01/2002
- 07/01/2002 - 08/01/2002
- 08/01/2002 - 09/01/2002
- 09/01/2002 - 10/01/2002
- 10/01/2002 - 11/01/2002
- 11/01/2002 - 12/01/2002
- 12/01/2002 - 01/01/2003
- 01/01/2003 - 02/01/2003
- 02/01/2003 - 03/01/2003
- 03/01/2003 - 04/01/2003
- 04/01/2003 - 05/01/2003
- 05/01/2003 - 06/01/2003
- 06/01/2003 - 07/01/2003
- 07/01/2003 - 08/01/2003
- 08/01/2003 - 09/01/2003
- 09/01/2003 - 10/01/2003
- 10/01/2003 - 11/01/2003
- 11/01/2003 - 12/01/2003
- 12/01/2003 - 01/01/2004
- 01/01/2004 - 02/01/2004
- 02/01/2004 - 03/01/2004
- 03/01/2004 - 04/01/2004
- 04/01/2004 - 05/01/2004
- 05/01/2004 - 06/01/2004
- 06/01/2004 - 07/01/2004
- 07/01/2004 - 08/01/2004
- 08/01/2004 - 09/01/2004
- 09/01/2004 - 10/01/2004
- 10/01/2004 - 11/01/2004
- 11/01/2004 - 12/01/2004
- 12/01/2004 - 01/01/2005
- 01/01/2005 - 02/01/2005
- 02/01/2005 - 03/01/2005
- 03/01/2005 - 04/01/2005
- 04/01/2005 - 05/01/2005
- 05/01/2005 - 06/01/2005
- 06/01/2005 - 07/01/2005
- 07/01/2005 - 08/01/2005
- 08/01/2005 - 09/01/2005
- 09/01/2005 - 10/01/2005
- 10/01/2005 - 11/01/2005
- 11/01/2005 - 12/01/2005
- 12/01/2005 - 01/01/2006
- 01/01/2006 - 02/01/2006
- 02/01/2006 - 03/01/2006
- 03/01/2006 - 04/01/2006
- 04/01/2006 - 05/01/2006
- 05/01/2006 - 06/01/2006
- 06/01/2006 - 07/01/2006
- 07/01/2006 - 08/01/2006
- 08/01/2006 - 09/01/2006
- 09/01/2006 - 10/01/2006
- 10/01/2006 - 11/01/2006
- 11/01/2006 - 12/01/2006
- 12/01/2006 - 01/01/2007
- 01/01/2007 - 02/01/2007
- 02/01/2007 - 03/01/2007
The place for NZ oriented news releases on climate change and related energy policy.
Greens Urged To Fight Global Warming With Market
The Kyoto Forestry Association (KFA) will tomorrow urge the Green Party to promote sophisticated market-based strategies to implement the crucial Kyoto environmental treaty.
KFA, which represents the interests of forest owners who have risked their capital to plant more than 600,000 hectares of new forestry in New Zealand since 1989, has been invited by the Green Party to its business briefing in Wellington tomorrow. KFA spokesman Roger Dickie has welcomed the Green Party's initiative to build a better relationship with business and believes common ground can be found, including on Kyoto issues.
We will urge the Greens to lead the debate within the new Government on using market mechanisms to implement Kyoto, to achieve better environmental outcomes than the old tax-and-subsidise approach, while removing all financial risk from the taxpayer, Mr Dickie said.
In particular, we are urging the new Government to base Kyoto policy on the principle that those who have reduced emissions or created sinks should earn financial instruments that those who pollute are then required to buy. In this way, there would be a clear incentive to reduce emissions or create sinks, and a clear disincentive to pollute. The Government would be involved only as regulator so that we would get the positive environmental outcomes we all seek, with no risk to the taxpayer.
Mr Dickie said market approaches such as this were envisaged by world leaders when they negotiated the Kyoto Protocol and are being used or considered in other pro-Kyoto jurisdictions including the EU and Japan.
But then..................
"In forestry alone, Mr Dickie said the previous Government’s flawed Kyoto implementation had ripped more than 8,000 jobs and more than $200 million of annual investment from provincial towns and cities throughout New Zealand, decimating the skilled infrastructure of New Zealand’s third largest export earner.
Good grief.
The Kyoto Forestry Association (KFA) will tomorrow urge the Green Party to promote sophisticated market-based strategies to implement the crucial Kyoto environmental treaty.
KFA, which represents the interests of forest owners who have risked their capital to plant more than 600,000 hectares of new forestry in New Zealand since 1989, has been invited by the Green Party to its business briefing in Wellington tomorrow. KFA spokesman Roger Dickie has welcomed the Green Party's initiative to build a better relationship with business and believes common ground can be found, including on Kyoto issues.
We will urge the Greens to lead the debate within the new Government on using market mechanisms to implement Kyoto, to achieve better environmental outcomes than the old tax-and-subsidise approach, while removing all financial risk from the taxpayer, Mr Dickie said.
In particular, we are urging the new Government to base Kyoto policy on the principle that those who have reduced emissions or created sinks should earn financial instruments that those who pollute are then required to buy. In this way, there would be a clear incentive to reduce emissions or create sinks, and a clear disincentive to pollute. The Government would be involved only as regulator so that we would get the positive environmental outcomes we all seek, with no risk to the taxpayer.
Mr Dickie said market approaches such as this were envisaged by world leaders when they negotiated the Kyoto Protocol and are being used or considered in other pro-Kyoto jurisdictions including the EU and Japan.
But then..................
"In forestry alone, Mr Dickie said the previous Government’s flawed Kyoto implementation had ripped more than 8,000 jobs and more than $200 million of annual investment from provincial towns and cities throughout New Zealand, decimating the skilled infrastructure of New Zealand’s third largest export earner.
Good grief.
Study shows need for power vision
The Government needs to decide on a long-term energy strategy so that businesses can have greater certainty when making investment decisions, the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development says.
The council published a study today of the energy policy options facing New Zealanders up until 2050.
'If the Government doesn't indicate which pathway it wants to go on, there's a problem for people in the marketplace who have to make investment decisions,' says the council's chief executive, Peter Neilson.
'Once you've built a plant, it might be there for 50 to 100 years.' "
The Government needs to decide on a long-term energy strategy so that businesses can have greater certainty when making investment decisions, the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development says.
The council published a study today of the energy policy options facing New Zealanders up until 2050.
'If the Government doesn't indicate which pathway it wants to go on, there's a problem for people in the marketplace who have to make investment decisions,' says the council's chief executive, Peter Neilson.
'Once you've built a plant, it might be there for 50 to 100 years.' "
Push for govt to drop Kyoto
The Employers and Manufacturers Association is pushing for the government to drop its commitment to the Kyoto protocol.
It comes as the British government admits the climate change scheme is unworkable, because no country is willing to take steps which will cause slower growth.
Chief executive of the EMA, Alasdair Thompson, says there are other ways of tackling the problem.
He says countries can work together to combat global warming, rather than trying to meet the unrealistic targets in the Kyoto protocol.
Mr Thompson says New Zealand needs to get out of the deal at the next available opportunity.
He says it is pretty tough for New Zealand to be the only one left with the Kyoto burden."
Comment: If the EMA has a case it should make it without distortions like these.
The British government has not said Kyoto is unworkable.
Tony Blair recently said “The truth is no country is going to cut its growth or consumption substantially because of a long-term environmental problem.”
That's a perfectly reasonable statement.
However the right wing and anti-Kyoto lobby widely reported it as: “The truth is no country is going to cut its growth or consumption" - which is outrageous and mischievous reporting.
Mt Thompson could do better than repeat that sort of approach.
Blair's speech is at http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/pdf/transcripts/plenary/cgi_09_15_05_plenary_1.pdf
New Zealand the only one left with the Kyoto problem? - what hyperbole. Kyoto is a solution not the problem. Climate change is the problem and EMA has no solution to offer other than free-riding on those who are tackling the problem, at some cost to themselves, like Canada, Japan, the entire EU.
The current count is 84 ratifications of Kyoto.
The Employers and Manufacturers Association is pushing for the government to drop its commitment to the Kyoto protocol.
It comes as the British government admits the climate change scheme is unworkable, because no country is willing to take steps which will cause slower growth.
Chief executive of the EMA, Alasdair Thompson, says there are other ways of tackling the problem.
He says countries can work together to combat global warming, rather than trying to meet the unrealistic targets in the Kyoto protocol.
Mr Thompson says New Zealand needs to get out of the deal at the next available opportunity.
He says it is pretty tough for New Zealand to be the only one left with the Kyoto burden."
Comment: If the EMA has a case it should make it without distortions like these.
The British government has not said Kyoto is unworkable.
Tony Blair recently said “The truth is no country is going to cut its growth or consumption substantially because of a long-term environmental problem.”
That's a perfectly reasonable statement.
However the right wing and anti-Kyoto lobby widely reported it as: “The truth is no country is going to cut its growth or consumption" - which is outrageous and mischievous reporting.
Mt Thompson could do better than repeat that sort of approach.
Blair's speech is at http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/pdf/transcripts/plenary/cgi_09_15_05_plenary_1.pdf
New Zealand the only one left with the Kyoto problem? - what hyperbole. Kyoto is a solution not the problem. Climate change is the problem and EMA has no solution to offer other than free-riding on those who are tackling the problem, at some cost to themselves, like Canada, Japan, the entire EU.
The current count is 84 ratifications of Kyoto.
Business Organisations Will Need To Raise Game
If there is a political will we can do much more right now to encourage the greening of the New Zealand car fleet by moving to more fuel efficient and lower emission vehicles.
Even when the very long term issue of climate change came into discussion no major party told us how they planned to address the problem. Opposing or supporting the Kyoto Treaty is the smallest issue regarding climate change. What we should do about our own and the world's emissions remains a long term issue for New Zealand that needs resolution, to allow producers using fossil fuels some policy stability when investing long term in New Zealand. "
If there is a political will we can do much more right now to encourage the greening of the New Zealand car fleet by moving to more fuel efficient and lower emission vehicles.
Even when the very long term issue of climate change came into discussion no major party told us how they planned to address the problem. Opposing or supporting the Kyoto Treaty is the smallest issue regarding climate change. What we should do about our own and the world's emissions remains a long term issue for New Zealand that needs resolution, to allow producers using fossil fuels some policy stability when investing long term in New Zealand. "
Kyoto carbon count system to cost $1m
The Environment Ministry will spend more than $1 million building an electronic carbon accounting system to meet the country's obligations to the Kyoto protocol.
The protocol, the first stage of which comes into effect in 2008, requires New Zealand to track land use changes and show how this alters its 'carbon sinks'.
New Zealand already has a system to track carbon emissions, but this must be combined with changes in the amount of carbon locked in trees ? carbon sinks ? which changes as forests grow and are harvested. "
The Environment Ministry will spend more than $1 million building an electronic carbon accounting system to meet the country's obligations to the Kyoto protocol.
The protocol, the first stage of which comes into effect in 2008, requires New Zealand to track land use changes and show how this alters its 'carbon sinks'.
New Zealand already has a system to track carbon emissions, but this must be combined with changes in the amount of carbon locked in trees ? carbon sinks ? which changes as forests grow and are harvested. "
Genesis wins case for wind farm
The Environment Court has granted power company Genesis Energy resource consent to build a wind farm on Awhitu Peninsula, south of Auckland.
The court said the 18-turbine development was justified on the basis of the national need for more renewable energy and the minor visual effects on the environment.
The company had appealed to the Environment Court after Franklin District Council had rejected its application for the wind farm last year because of opposition to 'visual pollution' in a rural area, impact on equestrian activities and presence of Maori archaeological sites.
The wind farm was supported in the appeal process by Greenpeace, Auckland Regional Council, Environmental Defence Society, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and some local residents.
The Environment Court has granted power company Genesis Energy resource consent to build a wind farm on Awhitu Peninsula, south of Auckland.
The court said the 18-turbine development was justified on the basis of the national need for more renewable energy and the minor visual effects on the environment.
The company had appealed to the Environment Court after Franklin District Council had rejected its application for the wind farm last year because of opposition to 'visual pollution' in a rural area, impact on equestrian activities and presence of Maori archaeological sites.
The wind farm was supported in the appeal process by Greenpeace, Auckland Regional Council, Environmental Defence Society, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and some local residents.
Saturday Herald, National Leader Don Brash was asked “Environmentally, what is the most pressing issue?”
Brash said “Let me say what I think it’s not: I don’t think its global warming. The National Party has said on Kyoto, we should not have ratified in 2002 before our major trading partners did. Labout went ahead and ratified, because they said to do so was responsible, and to do so is worth serious money to New Zealand.
It makes no sense for us, who produce less than a half of 1 percent of global greenhouse gases, to slow down our growth when other countries aren’t willing to do the same.
I think more important is the quality of water and the quality of air. We could make a major contribution to both at a fraction of the cost that we’d incur trying to meet a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. We could look at things including vehicle emissions and all of that kind of area, water quality.”
Brash said “Let me say what I think it’s not: I don’t think its global warming. The National Party has said on Kyoto, we should not have ratified in 2002 before our major trading partners did. Labout went ahead and ratified, because they said to do so was responsible, and to do so is worth serious money to New Zealand.
It makes no sense for us, who produce less than a half of 1 percent of global greenhouse gases, to slow down our growth when other countries aren’t willing to do the same.
I think more important is the quality of water and the quality of air. We could make a major contribution to both at a fraction of the cost that we’d incur trying to meet a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. We could look at things including vehicle emissions and all of that kind of area, water quality.”
Grid can cope with substantial wind energy
The New Zealand Wind Energy Association (NZWEA) annual conference heard this morning from a number of speakers about the economic integration of wind energy on the New Zealand electricity grid.
New Zealand?s National Grid operator, Transpower, and Electricity Commissioner, Roy Hemmingway, said many of the difficulties associated with connecting substantial levels of wind energy to the national grid could be managed. "
The New Zealand Wind Energy Association (NZWEA) annual conference heard this morning from a number of speakers about the economic integration of wind energy on the New Zealand electricity grid.
New Zealand?s National Grid operator, Transpower, and Electricity Commissioner, Roy Hemmingway, said many of the difficulties associated with connecting substantial levels of wind energy to the national grid could be managed. "
$300m wind farm deal signed
Mighty River Power, a state-owned energy company, is to partner with Palmerston North City Council in its plans to develop a $300 million wind farm on reserve land in Turitea, near Palmerston North.
Mighty River will develop the wind farm and make an annual payment to the city.
Ratepayers will get to have a say on the project at the resource consent hearing late next year. "
Mighty River Power, a state-owned energy company, is to partner with Palmerston North City Council in its plans to develop a $300 million wind farm on reserve land in Turitea, near Palmerston North.
Mighty River will develop the wind farm and make an annual payment to the city.
Ratepayers will get to have a say on the project at the resource consent hearing late next year. "
New air quality standards begin clearing our air
New national environmental standards, designed to improve air quality and health for all, come into effect tomorrow [1 September], Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said.
'This is a great day for the health of New Zealanders. The six new Ministry for the Environment standards will make a real difference ? significantly cutting pollution and saving lives,' Marian Hobbs said.
Research shows pollution causes a range of preventable health problems including respiratory illnesses, asthma attacks, reduced immunity, hospitalisations and premature deaths.
To help meet the fine particle standard, a new design standard for domestic wood burners also takes effect today, greatly reducing the amount of fine particles new wood burners can produce in urban areas.
The other standards set maximum levels for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and sulphur dioxide in outdoor air, to protect public health.
New national environmental standards, designed to improve air quality and health for all, come into effect tomorrow [1 September], Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said.
'This is a great day for the health of New Zealanders. The six new Ministry for the Environment standards will make a real difference ? significantly cutting pollution and saving lives,' Marian Hobbs said.
Research shows pollution causes a range of preventable health problems including respiratory illnesses, asthma attacks, reduced immunity, hospitalisations and premature deaths.
To help meet the fine particle standard, a new design standard for domestic wood burners also takes effect today, greatly reducing the amount of fine particles new wood burners can produce in urban areas.
The other standards set maximum levels for carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and sulphur dioxide in outdoor air, to protect public health.
First step towards biofuels
The government has responded positively to those wanting greater certainty about the future direction for biofuels by agreeing in principle to set a sales target in law. The decision comes after several months of consultation with affected parties, including oil companies, motor vehicle industry groups and potential biofuel producers.
The government is focusing on two types of biofuel - bioethanol to be blended with petrol, and biodiesel to be blended with diesel. Enough biodiesel can be produced from tallow to provide around five per cent of New Zealand's diesel, while the dairy industry could today produce enough bioethanol to meet only 0.3 per cent of our petrol needs. "
The government has responded positively to those wanting greater certainty about the future direction for biofuels by agreeing in principle to set a sales target in law. The decision comes after several months of consultation with affected parties, including oil companies, motor vehicle industry groups and potential biofuel producers.
The government is focusing on two types of biofuel - bioethanol to be blended with petrol, and biodiesel to be blended with diesel. Enough biodiesel can be produced from tallow to provide around five per cent of New Zealand's diesel, while the dairy industry could today produce enough bioethanol to meet only 0.3 per cent of our petrol needs. "
Environment key to helping poor
The key Millennium Goal of halving poverty in a decade cannot be met without better environmental protection, according to a new report.
The World Resources 2005 document says that most of the world's poor depend on nature for their income.
Its authors say a focus on aid has taken attention away from more complex issues such as the environment. "
"In the Millennium Goals, the environment was treated as an afterthought," he told the BBC News website.
The key Millennium Goal of halving poverty in a decade cannot be met without better environmental protection, according to a new report.
The World Resources 2005 document says that most of the world's poor depend on nature for their income.
Its authors say a focus on aid has taken attention away from more complex issues such as the environment. "
"In the Millennium Goals, the environment was treated as an afterthought," he told the BBC News website.
