Govt process to change climate plan ‘fundamentally flawed’, says judge
Wed 18 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The government’s 2024 changes to New Zealand’s first Emissions Reduction Plan was “as fundamentally flawed a process as I think I have ever seen”, the judge presiding in a case challenging climate change decision-making has said.
Disestablishing Environment Ministry 'too risky', say environmental advocates
Wed 18 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government's plan to fold the Ministry for the Environment into a 'mega ministry' is fraught with risk, according to separate submissions from the Environmental Defence Society, Forest & Bird and Environment Network Manawatū.
Iran oil crisis: why NZ’s car dependence is now a strategic liability
Wed 18 Mar 2026
By Timothy Welch, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau | The war in Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have sent oil prices past US$100 a barrel – and Kiwis flocking to fill up. Petrol just hit NZ$3 a litre and some stations have reported running dry.
Close questioning over ‘ministerial latitude’ at climate hearing
Tue 17 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Lawyers challenging the legality of the government’s emissions reduction plans faced close questioning on the limits of ministerial foresight in the first of three days of hearings at the Wellington High Court yesterday.
Keep environment out of merger, says Upton
Tue 17 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton is calling on the Government to keep the Ministry for the Environment out of a mega-ministry merger, saying it needs its own ministry to protect transparency and contestable decision-making under the new resource management system.
CARBON PRICE
Wed 18 Mar 2026
Exclusively for subscribers, the Carbon News NZU Index tracks daily movements in the compliance carbon market across multiple trading platforms.
NZ urged to grab a slice of burgeoning $35 billion market for nature credits
Fri 13 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand could unlock strong domestic and international demand for high-integrity nature-based credits, if government, investors and restoration groups work together to scale supply, a new report says.
Unusual scarcity drives early 2026 NZU rally
5 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The New Zealand carbon price has recovered since its late 2025 collapse, although the rally is driven by scarcity rather than confidence in market settings.
Bidders no-show at carbon auction – again
3 Mar 2026
By Liz Kivi | As predicted, today’s carbon auction yet again failed to attract any bidders, with NZUs currently trading hands on the secondary market at a 35% discount on this year’s auction floor price.
Carbon auction set to be another non-event
2 Mar 2026
By Liz Kivi | Tomorrow’s Emissions Trading Scheme auction – the first for 2026 – is set to be a non-event, with secondary market prices more than $25 below this year’s $71 auction floor price.
IEA to consider release of more oil reserves as Iran war keeps prices high
Wed 18 Mar 2026
The world’s energy watchdog will consider releasing further emergency crude stocks into the global market to cool rising oil prices after warning that it will take time for markets to recover from the ongoing crisis in the strait of Hormuz.
US National Academies of Sciences says no to demands it remove climate info
Wed 18 Mar 2026
State attorneys general won't get climate chapter removed from a legal manual.
Spring, climate change, jet stream serves up buffet of wild weather hitting US
Wed 18 Mar 2026
Nearly every type of wild weather hit some part of the United States on Monday as the normal changing seasons clash of cold and warm air collided with a jet stream gone crazy and a possible dash of climate change, meteorologists and scientist said.
Iran war should trigger faster exit from fossil fuel dependence, UN climate chief says
Wed 18 Mar 2026
The disruption to energy markets caused by the Iran war is a lesson on the risks of relying on fossil fuels which should drive governments to wean their economies off oil and gas faster, the U.N. climate secretary told Reuters on Monday.
Fossil fuel propaganda is evolving
Wed 18 Mar 2026
A new analysis of nearly 2,000 fossil fuel ads finds Big Oil has moved from green promises to insisting oil and gas are inevitable. (They're not).
CLIMATE CALENDAR
Wed 18 Mar 2026
The Carbon News calendar of talks, events, conferences, consultations, and petitions related to climate change.
Climate in the courtroom – where to from here?
Tue 17 Mar 2026
Media release: University of Auckland | Around the world, climate lawsuits are reshaping environmental law. Experts in Auckland are examining what this means for New Zealand.
Inquiry into fatal landslides in Tauranga
Tue 17 Mar 2026
Media release | Cabinet has agreed the Terms of Reference and membership for a Government Inquiry into the Fatal Landslides in Tauranga, Emergency Management and Recovery Associate Minister Chris Penk has announced.
Mountain Clubs speak out against draft approval of Waitaha Hydro Scheme
Mon 16 Mar 2026
Media release | The Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand (FMC) is deeply disappointed by the Fast Track Panel's draft decision to approve Westpower's application for the Waitaha Hydro Scheme.
Expert Panel invites EDS to comment on Bendigo goldmine
Fri 13 Mar 2026
Media release | The Environmental Defence Society has been invited to provide comment on the Bendigo-Ophir gold mine by the expert Panel tasked with deciding the fast-track project.
