Our emissions plan hopeless, says renowned academic
New Zealand has no chance of meeting its 2020 emissions reduction target under current policies, says a leading scientist involved in the latest IPCC report. Professor Ralph Sims, of Massey University, is recognised around the world for his expertise on climate change and renewable energy, but is never consulted by our own Government.
Leaders must act, says UN after dire climate report
If left unchecked, climate change will increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems, says a United Nations report. Echoing the dire warning, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that if the world maintains its “business as usual” attitude about climate change, the opportunity to keep temperature rise below the internationally target of 2degC “will slip away within the next decade”.
What the politicians said …
All three of New Zealand’s major political parties say that the IPCC’s latest call on climate change is important.
Climate refugees? we’ll think of something …
New Zealand still has no plan to help climate change refugees — despite acknowledging that many Pacific Islands people might need to be relocated.
State miner rethinks environment liabilities
The State coal-miner says its future environmental liabilities are not as great as it thought.
At last, there’s a glimpse of an ETS in Australia
With the passage of the Emissions Reduction Fund through the Senate last week, Australia’s federal government has taken a step toward achieving the country’s minimum target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 5 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020.
Tararua turbines set power-output record
Two New Zealand wind turbines have set a world record for output.
Southern winery wins green award … again
A Marlborough winery that uses miniature sheep to tidy around its vines has won another sustainability award.
Business network names sustainability finalists
Finalists for this year’s Sustainable Business Network Awards have been named.
Denmark wants to be coal-free by 2025
Denmark is looking into how the country can stop using coal as an energy supply by 2025, says Climate and Energy Minister Rasmus Helveg Pesen.
Actually, a high oil price might be a good thing for the world
Oil prices have fallen dramatically since August — and, rather counter-intuitively, this could be a bad thing.
On the web: we can continue to burn coal, says Australia
- Germany may cut coal-fired energy to protect climate
- Banks invest record €66bn in coal sector
- Airport solar farm will be world’s largest
- Scotland to open remanufacturing hub to cash in on waste
Booming cities need sustainable urban planning
Growing urban areas will need better planned and better managed environments or risk exacerbating negative trends, the United Nations has warned.
China-US links could spark emissions breakthrough
Tentative steps have been taken by China and the United States towards co-operating on climate change — mainly focusing on relatively modest technological schemes connected with more efficient and less polluting power generation.
Insurance industry sleeps through climate alarm calls
Insurance is all about assessing risk, so you might expect companies in the sector to be intimately involved with one of the most potent risks facing the world — the possibility of catastrophic climate change.
Salt-poisoning a growing threat to crops
Salt is poisoning around 2000 hectares of irrigated farm land every day — and has been doing so for the past 20 years, according to new research.
Why uncontrolled climate change might limit growth
By Jack Pezzey. “But who do you think’s right, Prof? The optimists or the pessimists?” At the end of my sustainability economics course in 2007, students were challenging me to end 20 years of professional fence-sitting.
Business leaders praise EU emissions deal
A group of influential business leaders is welcoming Europe’s new climate and energy deal.
NZUs hold
NZUs traded back to $4.35 on Friday on about 35k, OMFinancial reports.
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Re NZ’s emissions targets, our silly little Prime Minister gave the following silly little reply in Question Time last week:
Gareth Hughes : Well, when the Prime Minister of New Zealand stated that the country was on the right track, was the Prime Minister aware of this briefing to his Minister for Climate Change Issues, released under the Official Information Act, which clearly states: “The gap is growing wider between our climate change targets and the reality.”?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY : Yes.
Gareth Hughes : Is New Zealand on the right track regarding climate change when it is ranked in the top 10 countries, according to the Fraser Institute, for policies that support fossil fuels and the oil and gas industry, yet has dropped below Saudi Arabia in the rankings of support mechanisms for renewables?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY : Yes, the country is on the right track. The member can play games with all sorts of silly little numbers if wants to, but the reality is that this is one of the few countries in the world that actually have an emissions trading scheme…
http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/business/qoa/51HansQ_20141104_00000006/6-prime-minister%E2%80%94statements
Rob … Key’s answer supports my view that the ETS is meant as a placebo at best.
I suppose everyone caught the news that Contact and Meridion changed their residential rates for solar energy to 7c/kwh in summer and 10 c in Winter for new installations? All providers are now at the same point with it being solely up to government to provide incentives if any. Of course this government’s policy is to consent renewables only for new demand so mitigation is out and our ETS maskerades as a universal fix.