Science Media Centre

In the early hours of Saturday morning the UN’s climate change body will release a report that has been described in leaked versions as saying extreme weather events such as downpours and storm surges may make parts of the planet “marginal” for inhabitants. Average global temperatures last year were tied with 2005 for the warmest [...]

The Government’s emissions trading legislation – the Clean Energy Future package – was passed the Australian Lower House of Representatives by 74 votes to 72 after weeks of debate. Although the legislation still has to be approved by the senate, the majority held by the current Government and the Green party in the senate suggest [...]

The issue of coal mining and production  in the South Island is of growing concern to certain groups. Recent developments have led to the Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimmons calling for coal processing to become an election issue. Wednesday the 20th of April was marked as a day of protest by the Coal Action Network Aotearoa [...]

Radio New Zealand’s Morning Report looks at the ETS, which is still causing concern amongst many of the country’s farmers. However climate change campaigners say that  not including farmers in the ETS could harm New Zealand’s competitive edge, and Climate Change Minister Nick Smith responds to critics of the Scheme.  Government has, however, said that [...]

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. [...]

David Williams writes in The Press about a local academic’s view that Prime Minister John Key may have unrealistic expectations for technology’s ability to mitigate emissions in New Zealand. Geoff Bertram says that international oil and gas prices will have a far greater effect on New Zealand’s emissions than the ETS. An excerpt: (read in [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]