New Zealand Climate Change News - Environmental Defence Society

Flow-on in biofuel fills dairy pockets - New Zealand rural news on Stuff.co.nz

2007-07-10T11:44:00.000+12:00

Flow-on in biofuel fills dairy pockets - Stuff.co.nz

Climate change hit 'well off' - New Zealand news on Stuff.co.nz

2007-07-10T11:40:00.000+12:00

Climate change hit 'well off' - Stuff.co.nz

Brian Rudman: Manukau challenges its neighbours over the rings of fire - 06 Jul 2007 - Volcanoes news - NZ Herald

2007-07-06T10:21:00.000+12:00

Brian Rudman: Manukau challenges its neighbours over the rings of fire - NZ Herald
It's been a great week or two for Auckland's volcanoes. First came their listing as one of eight proposed world heritage sites. This coincided with a letter to Auckland civic leaders from Minister of Conservation Chris Carter saying he was "keen to see public agencies working together to ensure the protection of these important landmarks which give Auckland City and its neighbours so much in terms of urban character".

Are New Zealand pasture soils losing carbon? Landc...

2007-07-05T16:35:00.000+12:00

Are New Zealand pasture soils losing carbon?
Landcare Research article

Lobbyists' green speak is double-talk - New Zealand's source for business, stock market & currency news on Stuff.co.nz

2007-06-27T10:58:00.000+12:00

Lobbyists' green speak is double-talk - Stuff.co.nz

NZ going backwards in energy savings, says report - 22 Jun 2007 - NZ Herald: New Zealand and International Environment News

2007-06-24T07:35:00.000+12:00

NZ going backwards in energy savings, says report - NZ Herald

Carbon emissions of native trees under the microscope - 21 Jun 2007 - NZ Herald: New Zealand National news

2007-06-21T08:03:00.000+12:00

Carbon emissions of native trees under the microscope - NZ Herald

Proposal and inquiry concerning national policy statement on electricity transmission [Ministry for the Environment]

2007-05-17T05:25:00.000+12:00

Proposal and inquiry concerning national policy statement on electricity transmission
Section 48 Resource Management Act 1991.
The Minister for the Environment has prepared a proposed national policy statement on electricity transmission .
The proposal sets out the objective and policies for managing the electricity transmission network under the Resource Management Act. The objective is to recognise the national significance of the electricity transmission network.
Submissions close at 5pm on 25 June 2007.

Government to decide on emissions trading within months - 08 May 2007 - NZ Herald: New Zealand and International Environment News

2007-05-09T07:37:00.000+12:00

Government to decide on emissions trading within months - NZ Herald

Antarctic global warming research gets $1m - 08 May 2007 - NZ Herald: New Zealand and International Environment News

2007-05-08T11:01:00.000+12:00

Antarctic global warming research gets $1m - NZ Herald
Environment News

New IPCC Smmary for Policymakers The Working Group...

2007-05-07T07:55:00.000+12:00

New IPCC Smmary for Policymakers
The Working Group III contribution to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report focuses on new literature on the scientific, technological, environmental, economic and social aspects of mitigation of climate change, published since the IPCC Third Assessment Report

Environmental Defence Society, Home

2007-05-04T17:14:00.000+12:00

Environmental Defence Society
EDS welcomes NZX's "Green Wall Street" proposal (1 May 2007)
Environmental Defence Society welcomed today's news that NZX will seek to position New Zealand as a "Green Wall Street" by creating a carbon exchange.
"EDS is very encouraged by the way the mainstream businesses behind this proposal are responding to the global climate challenge" said Chair Gary Taylor.
Carbon trading is a key part of achieving emission reductions at the least overall cost. Setting up an exchange will help familiarise New Zealand businesses with carbon trading and the need to factor the cost of carbon into decisions.
However Mr Taylor stressed that this move is a complement to government policy, not a substitute for it.
"The Government can now move quickly to implement a comprehensive tradeable permit regime as part of New Zealand's Kyoto response, as EDS advocated in its recent submission on climate change policies. If policy proposals from EDS and others are adopted, Kyoto compliant credits could be trading by next year"
The exchange plans to link with other Asia-Pacific countries. Mr Taylor welcomed this: "International links mean a bigger and more stable market and make it more likely least cost solutions will be found."
Mr Taylor said that he thought there would also be opportunities to link into the European Emission Trading System (ETS) and noted that Australian State Governments are working on an emission-trading scheme.
"Carbon trading is a growing global enterprise and EDS supports this initiative to recognise the opportunities that exist for New Zealand."
The exchange plans to trade legally binding Kyoto-compliant credits, and also non-Kyoto credits that meet the standards for the proposed TZ1 Platinum branding. Similar voluntary credits are traded in the US at present. They are separate from Kyoto credits and cannot currently be used to meet Kyoto commitments.
Mr Taylor welcomed the commitment that any non-Kyoto credits traded would be high quality and verifiable. "Integrity is valuable. The credibility of this business will hinge on the extent to which any non-Kyoto credits are more than hot air."

About climate change: New Zealand greenhouse gas emissions and inventory systems [Ministry for the Environment]

2007-05-04T14:23:00.000+12:00

New Zealand greenhouse gas emissions and inventory systems
New Zealand�s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990-2005
The Ministry�s latest report on New Zealand�s greenhouse gas emissions shows that emissions for 2005 were 77.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (Mt CO2-e), a 2.8 per cent increase from 2004 and a 24.7 per cent over the 1990 level.

New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development

2007-04-16T11:19:00.000+12:00

WHAT NEW ZEALANDERS THINK ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Seventy seven per cent of New Zealanders think climate change is a problem to be dealt with now or urgently. A nationwide poll conducted between April 4-7, and being published in The National Business Review today, shows New Zealanders strongly support making emitters buy carbon credits, and rewarding those who cut their emissions with carbon credits.They overwhelmingly back managing climate change with policies to insulate homes, fund research into alternative energy sources and cutting animal emissions. However, support starts to weaken for policies to impose new taxes, like putting up registration fees for cars with the largest engines. New Zealanders would rather back emission-cutting policies like paying cash grants to buyers of fuel efficient, low emission vehicles, stepping up subsidies to encourage production of bio fuel from forestry waste, and encouraging forestry planting.

States take emissions trading to COAG - Breaking News - Business - Breaking News

2007-04-13T07:14:00.000+12:00

States take emissions trading to COAG
State leaders have agreed on a united front for the meeting with Prime Minister John Howard on setting up a national emissions trading scheme.
But Mr Howard says there'll be no deal on carbon trading before next month's report of a task force studying market proposals.
The eight Labor premiers and chief ministers agreed on a timeline to set up a national scheme by 2010 and to proceed with or without the federal government's involvement.

Editorial: Global peril needs more than hot air - 12 Apr 2007 - NZ Herald: Opinion, Editorial and reader views and comment from New Zealand and around the World

2007-04-12T07:46:00.000+12:00

Editorial: Global peril needs more than hot air - - NZ Herald

Setting the price of keeping cool - 12 Apr 2007 - NZ Herald: New Zealand Business and Personal Finance News

2007-04-12T07:43:00.000+12:00

Setting the price of keeping cool - NZ Herald

Latest IPCC report - just out Working Group II Con...

2007-04-10T07:48:00.000+12:00

Latest IPCC report - just out
Working Group II Contribution to the Panel on Climate Change
Fourth Assessment Report Climate Change 2007:
Climate Change Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
Summary for Policymakers
(pdf download)

OECD environmental performace report Recommendatio...

2007-04-05T14:33:00.000+12:00

OECD environmental performace report
Recommendations:

International Co-operation

34. Adopt and implement a clear and comprehensive package of climate change policy measures (e.g. economic instruments, flexible mechanisms) to meet New Zealand�s international commitments, giving consideration to setting sectoral targets; develop strategies for future climate protection commitments in line with guidelines of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
35. Give consideration to allocating carbon sink credits and liabilities to forest owners, and ensure that the agriculture sector reduces its CHG emissions through low-cost practice changes and efficiency gains (e.g. energy efficiency improvements, increased biogas recovery).

National Business Review (NBR) - Business, News, Arts, Media, Share Market & More

2007-04-05T13:59:00.000+12:00

Business NZ urges caution on emissions trading
Business NZ has reitered support for a broad-based emissions trading market after 2012 in its submissions to the government's draft energy and climate change strategies.
But the organisation doesn't want to see any interim measures before then, including the proposed targeted tax on thermal generation.
This tax would lead to distortions in the market and higher prices without greenhouse gas reductions, Business NZ chief executive Phil O'Reilly says."

Environmental Defence Society, Home

2007-04-05T13:58:00.000+12:00

Environmental Defence Society - submissions on Climate Change Policy
EDS strongly supports the implementation of an overall climate change policy approach that combines a clear price signal throughout the economy, an active and enhanced project mechanism, and a range of comprehensive and complementary measures.

US court rules against Bush in global warming case - 03 Apr 2007 - NZ Herald: New Zealand and International Environment News

2007-04-04T02:04:00.000+12:00

US court rules against Bush in global warming case - NZ Herald

UN-Backed Carbon Trading Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions

2007-04-03T14:32:00.000+12:00

UN-Backed Carbon Trading Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Emissions
An essential tool in efforts to reduce global warming gas emissions is on track for completion with testing in the coming months of a mechanism allowing countries that cut emissions below their targets to sell surplus allowances to others that have deficits, the United Nations body overseeing the project The International Transaction Log (ITL) allows industrialized countries that have signed up to the Kyoto Protocol, which seeks to curb global warming, to link their national registries to the central hub of a settlement system that will deliver traded allowances from sellers to buyers.
The registries of Japan and New Zealand have already linked their test environments to the ITL and have successfully conducted trial transactions."

Broker opens door to carbon market - 03 Apr 2007 - NZ Herald: New Zealand Business and Personal Finance News

2007-04-03T14:29:00.000+12:00

Broker opens door to carbon market - NZ Herald

Clark invokes nuclear free spirit to tackle climate change - The Dominion Post: local, national & world news from Wellington's daily newspaper

2007-02-14T10:43:00.000+13:00

Clark invokes nuclear free spirit to tackle climate change -
New Zealand's response to climate change will define the country in the same way as the reaction to threat of nuclear war galvanised it 20 years ago, Prime Minister Helen Clark said today.
Miss Clark's opening statement to begin the parliamentary year called for a bold approach to environmental policy.
'I believe that in the years to come, the pride we take in our quest for sustainability and carbon neutrality will define our nation, just as our quest for a nuclear-free world has over the past 23 years,' Miss Clark told MPs.
As well-signalled, Miss Clark announced there would be a biofuel sales obligation in an effort to reduce reliance on oil.
There would be a biofuel target of 3.4 per cent of annual petrol and diesel sales by 2012 to encourage biodiesel and develop the infrastructure for ethanol distribution.
Miss Clark the government intended to lead by example and six departments were committing to reach carbon neutrality by 2012 by reducing omissions and tree planting. "