The world will reach the crucial threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels as early as 2030 That’s the stark conclusion of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, which warns serious changes are needed immediately to cut the risk of extreme heat, drought, floods and poverty. Continue →

The Productivity Commission says early action on key policy reforms is needed if New Zealand is to achieve its emissions‑reduction goals and transition to a low-emissions economy Chair of the Productivity Commission, Murray Sherwin, says that the period to 2050 will pass quickly and that delaying action is “likely to make the transition costlier and more abrupt and limit viable and cost-effective mitigation options in the future.” Amongst the numerous changes that will be required across the economy – some disruptive, some less obvious – three particular shifts must happen for New Zealand to achieve its low-emissions goals: stop burning fossil fuels and switch to using electricity and other low-emission energy sources – this means a rapid and comprehensive switch of the light vehicle fleet to electric vehicles (EVs) and other very low-emissions vehicles, and a switch away from fossil fuels in providing process heat for industry; undertake substantial levels of afforestation to offset New Zealand’s remaining emissions – this will require sustained rates of planting over the next 30 years (mostly on land currently used for sheep and beef farming), potentially approaching the highest annual rate ever recorded in New Zealand change the structure and methods of agricultural production – this will include diversification of land use towards more horticulture and cropping, and greater adoption of low-emissions practices on farms. Continue →

Leading industry figures and academics have backed the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s call for the government to clear up the confusion around environmentally-friendly plastics Commissioner Simon Upton has released an online resource to help concerned consumers tackle the complexities of the issue, but he says the government needs to “step in and assume greater responsibility.” “There are all sorts of supposedly environmentally-friendly plastics coming onto the market, but it is extremely difficult for consumers to make sense of their respective claims,” Upton observes. Continue →

The public consultation process on the 2050 emissions targets has opened, leading several academics to offer their thoughts and suggestions on how New Zealand can transition to a low-emission economy Associate Professor Ivan Diaz-Rainey, Co-Director, Otago Energy Research Centre, University of Otago, notes that while the bill provides context which should allow for the enactment of new climate policies or alterations of existing policy instruments (such as the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)), it doesn’t guarantee the policies needed will be enacted. Continue →

Local Government New Zealand has welcomed the release of the Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group’s final report on how New Zealand can adapt to the impacts of climate change The Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group’s (CCATWG) report recommends that New Zealand needs a national adaptation action plan, a regularly updated national climate change risk assessment, a review of existing legislation and policy to integrate and align climate change adaptation considerations and an investigation into who should bear the costs of climate change adaptation and how it can be funded. Continue →

A draft report from the Productivity Commission has made a series of recommendations for how New Zealand can transition to a low-emissions economy Its recommendations include emissions pricing that includes agriculture, greater forestation, more resources for low-emissions research and development, especially for agriculture, and consideration of a ‘feebate’ scheme for imported vehicles to reward energy-efficiency. Continue →

More and better data is needed to assess man’s impact on New Zealand, one of the authors of an influential environmental report insists   “The Our Land 2018 report just released by MfE and StatsNZ is a key document that will enable us to better understand where New Zealand stands in terms of challenges and pressures that our environment is facing,” says Motu Economic and Public Policy Research Fellow, David Fleming. Continue →

The latest inventory of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions shows that there has been a 20% increase in emissions from 1990 to 2016 Climate Change Minister James Shaw announced the result of the inventory a few hours after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared that the government would not hand out any new offshore oil and gas exploration permits through the Block Offer programme. Continue →

The Energy Management Association of NZ (EMANZ) has announced a major upgrade in its energy and sustainability training course to include carbon reduction strategies The renamed Energy & Carbon Manager Professional programme develops the capability of larger local businesses and government agencies to reduce carbon and energy use. Continue →

The New Zealand dollar-denominated bonds would be used to invest in environmental assets and projects Auckland Council intends to be the first council in New Zealand to establish a Green Bond framework and to consider the issue of NZD Green Bonds later in 2018 as it looks to significantly invest in infrastructure to lower emissions and adapt to climate change. Continue →

New Zealand’s economy grew faster than the country’s greenhouse gases over the past 25 years, according to a new report Statistics New Zealand has released the first System of Environmental-Economic Accounts, which is intended to be an annual report that feeds into Treasury’s investment statements. Continue →

Water quality and availability, rapid urbanisation, and the impact of natural hazards and climate change are the top three planning issues affecting New Zealand in 2018 and beyond, according to the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI) These challenges will be among those addressed at NZPI’s annual conference Breaking New Ground held in Tauranga from 21 to 23 March 2018. Continue →