Radiata pine forests are commonly used in New Zealand to help remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, however, the tree’s growth rate and ability to sequester carbon drops after 30 years echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); Carbon uptake by rapid planting of new forests is currently the only way New Zealand has to remove CO2 from the atmosphere at the speed required to meet our net-zero target by 2050. Continue →

Nearly 200 countries have passed a resolution at the United Nations to address the full lifecycle of plastic, including production, design and disposal echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); Water New Zealand has welcomed the global agreement to develop a legally-binding treaty by 2024 to tackle plastic pollution. Continue →

NIWA statistics report 2021 as the warmest year since records began and despite concern about climate change, most New Zealanders do not think it can be avoided, Horizon Research finds echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); Concern about climate change is at its highest for nearly a decade, yet 78% of Kiwis don’t believe enough will be done in the next 10 years to avoid damaging temperature rises. Continue →

The official COP26 outcome – the 10-page Glasgow Pact, outlining non-binding ambitions with no tangible milestones or deadlines, is not a prescriptive roadmap for infrastructure, but it does re-affirm four key infrastructure related themes to deliver on a net zero future Sadek Wahba, Chairman and Managing Partner of I Squared Capital – Global Infrastructure Hub echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); The relationship between sustainable and resilient infrastructure and climate mitigation is clear. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);A highly ambitious pledge to cut emissions could cripple New Zealand’s agricultural sector and see billions of taxpayer dollars spent overseas It is unclear how New Zealand will meet its new emissions targets without investing heavily into international carbon markets. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);In the past year alone, Canterbury, Westport, Napier, Taranaki and now Auckland have been hit with severe floods, something experts say will only become more common as global warming starts to take effect Over 200mm of rain fell in some areas of Auckland overnight this week, causing fifty homes to be evacuated, with people trapped, and cars being swept away due to flooding. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);New Zealand has warmed up by 1.1cdeg and annual temperature changes have emerged above natural variability over the country in the last 110 years, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report released today Scientists are observing changes in the Earth’s climate in every part of the world region across the whole climate system, the report states. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);The government has released a draft of the first of three bills to replace the Resource Management Act 1991 The exposure draft of the Natural and BuiltEnvironments Bill will be followed by the Strategic Planning Act and the Climate Change Adaptation Act. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);Net-zero is a lofty goal for many businesses, but there are actions you can take right now to get closer to achieving this, according to emissions management experts at SINAI   Net-zero (short for net-zero emissions) means achieving a balance between the greenhouse gases you put into the atmosphere and those you take out. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);A tax on high-polluting vehicles has already been announced and more is yet to come, but will these measures really help reduce our emissions and at what cost? Continue →

The COVID-19 pandemic has had short-term positive effects on the environment, but the production, consumption and disposal of additional single-use plastics will have had a greater impact on the environment and climate, the European Environment Agency reports Since the pandemic, air quality has improved in many countries due in part to fewer cars on the roads. Continue →

If you are ready to join the many businesses reducing their emissions, the key to getting started is to establish a carbon baseline – an inventory of sources of carbon emissions from business activities Upon surveying the landscape of organizational climate commitments, it is not uncommon to hear about attention grabbing goals like committing to 100% renewable energy, setting a science-based target, going carbon neutral or even climate positive. Continue →

The Government has announced its intention to repeal the Resource Management Act 1991(RMA) and replace it with three new pieces of legislation The Minister for the Environment, David Parker, has today signalled the next big steps in reform of New Zealand’s environmental management legislation. Continue →

Tree planting is becoming an important part of climate change mitigation strategies, however the wrong trees in the wrong places can do more harm than good Urgent solutions to global climate change are needed. Continue →

The independent Climate Change Commission has released its draft package of advice to Government on the steps Aotearoa must take to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change Commission Chair Dr Rod Carr says the advice is ambitious but realistic and makes a clear case for taking immediate and decisive action on climate change. Continue →

Earth’s ability to absorb carbon emissions through plants will likely cross a major tipping point within just two decades at the current rate of warming, according to a new study from the University of Waikato and US researchers Earth’s ability to absorb carbon emissions through plants could be halved within the next two decades at the current rate of warming, according to a new study from the University of Waikato and Northern Arizona University, USA. Continue →

To address global warming, innovation in both cement production and carbon utilization are absolutely essential, says Solidia Technologies Chief Executive, Tom Schuler A new technology that enables concrete to become a carbon sink is currently being tested for infrastructure applications. Continue →

Climate change is already happening in New Zealand and could have a profound impact on future generations of New Zealanders, a new report from the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ says Our atmosphere and climate 2020, released Thursday 15th October, includes analysis of temperature data from 30 sites around New Zealand that shows our climate is warming. Continue →

At least one billion people worldwide would be needed to take part in a global clean-up to reduce plastic waste, according to an international group of researchers including The University of Western Australia Scientists studying plastic pollution in waterways around the world are concerned after measuring the scale of human response needed to reduce future emissions. Continue →