Science Media Centre

Anthony Doesburg writes in the NZ Herald about soil carbon, and scientists’ efforts to measure just how much is contained in our ground and how to increase, rather than decrease, it. Soil contains more carbon than the atmosphere and plants combined, but as yet there’s no accurate way to measure just how much there is. [...]

The revised emissions trading scheme (ETS) passed into law last November comes into effect today, 1 July. The scheme represents a first attempt to price carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions into the economy, in a bid to reduce emissions growth. New Zealand emissions have grown by over 20% above 1990 levels, which are [...]

ONLINE MEDIA BRIEFING: Thurs 24 June, 10:30 am (NZT) Did you know that there’s more carbon in the dirt beneath our feet than in the air above our heads? Soils hold at least twice as much carbon as the atmosphere, and they also store more carbon than the world’s forests and other vegetation combined. Although [...]

In order to help farmers make the best greenhouse gas mitigation choices, NIWA scientists are travelling the country to learn more about how paddocks emit these gases. The study will include  looking at the effectiveness of chemical sprays currently used to decrease nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural land. An excerpt: (read in full here) “Farmer [...]

Last night, the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, gave a speech about climate change and the debate which continues to swirl around it. In the speech, entitled Integrity in Science: Implications from and for the Climate Change Debate, he spoke at length about why he believes anthropogenic climate change is happening, [...]

Paul Holmes talks about his experience filling in for Leighton Smith last week, and why he can’t understand why people think anthropogenic global warming is a conspiracy. He also discusses the ETS, and explains why it’s not necessarily as bad an idea as many people appear to think. An excerpt: (read in full here) “I [...]

There has been a great deal of debate over New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in recent months, with the controversy hotting up particularly over the last few days. Federated Farmers and the ACT party are in strenuous opposition to the Scheme, which they say will cost farmers (and New Zealanders as a whole) too [...]

Rod Oram writes in an opinion piece in the Sunday Star Times about Prime Minister John Key’s stance on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Oram argues that there are good reasons for persevering with an ETS, and that New Zealand has a chance to show that business and the environment do not have to have [...]

Colin James writes in an opinion piece in the Dominion Post about New Zealand’s controversial emissions trading scheme (ETS), which many groups are trying to have delayed due to lack of  international effort to develop such schemes. Climate change science is of importance not only to local business, but also to food production as the [...]

Adam Bennet writes in the New Zealand Herald about the mounting calls by business, farming and some political groups to delay or soften New Zealand’s planned emissions trading scheme (ETS). The move has come as involved groups note that Australia has yet to implement an ETS, with the worry being a local ETS not matched [...]