Gareth Renowden • Apr 12, 2012 •
New Zealand’s new Minister for Climate Change Issues and chief climate negotiator, Tim Groser, yesterday announced the government’s intended changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme following last years ETS Review. There will be a limited period for consultation (to May 11) on the proposals before legislation is put before Parliament. The consultation document (PDF) and [...] … Read More
Gareth Renowden • Apr 07, 2011 •
Dr Jan Wright, New Zealand’s parliamentary commissioner for the environment, today released her submission (pdf) to the Emissions Trading Review panel. It calls for a significant toughening up of the scheme that was so extensively watered down by the current government in 2009, in order to avoid a billion dollar per year cost to taxpayers. [...] … Read More
Gareth Renowden • Nov 25, 2009 •
The government’s amendments to the Emissions Trading Scheme became law this afternoon, thanks to support from the Maori Party [Stuff, Herald, Reuters]. Nick Smith called the changes “workable and affordable” and said that they struck “the right balance in protecting the future of our economy and our environment”, but Labour climate spokesman Charles Chauvel was [...] … Read More
Gareth Renowden • Nov 22, 2009 •
Fonterra and other big emitters have used their clout to silence the Business Council for Sustainable Development from commenting on National’s proposed changes to the emissions trading scheme, Rod Oram reveals in his Sunday Star Times column today. …on November 5 Barry Harris, Fonterra’s head of milk supply and sustainability, delivered a withering speech to the [...] … Read More
Gareth Renowden • Sep 21, 2009 •
Rod Oram’s column in yesterday’s Sunday Star Times so perfectly captures my own feelings on the government’s proposed watering down of the emissions trading scheme that I asked Rod if he would allow me to post it here as a guest blog. I’m glad to say he agreed… To understand how the government is destroying the [...] … Read More
Gareth Renowden • Sep 21, 2009 •
This is a guest post by associate professor Ralph Chapman, senior researcher Andy Reisinger, professor Jonathan Boston and senior associate Judy Lawrence from Victoria University of Wellington. It’s a succinct explanation of how and why the government’s climate policy is wrong-headed and ineffective, and is required reading for anyone following the policy debate in NZ. [...] … Read More
Gareth Renowden • Sep 14, 2009 •
Carbon News has a special update tonight with the gory details of the government’s snub to the Labour opposition on negotiations to amend the emissions trading scheme. CN has also made available the full text of Labour’s proposed memorandum of understanding with the government (PDF) — which reveals that substantial incentives for agriculture were on [...] … Read More
Gareth Renowden • Sep 14, 2009 •
Nick Smith announced this afternoon that National has cut a deal with the Maori Party to support an amended, watered-down emissions trading scheme. Key features (from the press release): Revised entry dates of 1 July 2010 for transport, energy and industrial sectors and 1 January 2015 for agriculture A transitional phase until 1 January 2013 with a [...] … Read More