20/01/08
ETS Submissions Due
Submissions on the Emissions Trading Scheme are due on the 29th of
February. For more information go to here http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Legislation/Bills/c/0/4/00DBHOH_BILL8368_1-Climate-Change-Emissions-Trading-and-Renewable.htm
01/01/2008
Kyoto
Starts
The first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol has
started
10/ 2007
The
Emissions Trading Scheme is announced
The
government has announced a trading scheme (carbon market) which will
cover all sectors and all green house gasses in New Zealand. The Emissions
Trading Scheme is the Governments response to meet our Kyoto
commitments. For more information go to www.climatechange.govt.nz
01/12/2006
MAF Release third PFSI Bulletin
MAF have released the third PFSI Bulletin. It notes the Climate Change
Amendment Bill has been passed into law, and now draft regulations
are being drawn up for consultation in February 2007. It is expected
that these regulations will be approved in July next year, upon when
PFSI applications will be received.
7/11/2006
Climate Change Response
Amendment Bill
The Climate Change Response Amendment Bill has passed its second reading
and has been approved by parliament unopposed.It is a mere formality
until the legislation is passed. It is expected that the bill will
be passed by the end of the year.This bill will enable the Permanent
Forest Sink Initiative to go ahead and for the development of the
New Zealand Emission Unit Registry, which is encouraging for the developing
forest sink carbon market.
3/3/2006
Climate Change Policy Public
Engagement Meetings
At the end of February the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) held
three public engagement meetings in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
These meetings followed the release of the climate change policy review.
Their purpose was to inform the public of the status of climate change
policy and to get any feedback. The general consensus of the Christchurch
meeting was that it was a useful meeting and the government officials
were rather frank. There is still alot of detail missing from the
policy review and the government has requested officials to report
back on a number of issues. Most of these reports on the various sectors,
transport, forestry, agriculture, and energy are due soon. A prioity
has been placed on transport and forestry. The responsibility for
each of these sectors has been deligated to the various Ministers
of Agriculture, Forestry, Energy and Transport. In Christchurch there
were a number of good questions put to the MfE officials and these
were recorded and have been placed on the MfE website. The link to
the questions raised in the three meetings can be found at: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/climate/meetings-feb06/index.html
25/1/2006
Methane From Forests - What
a Load of Hot Air!
Well not a load of hot air exactly, but press reports on a recent
study showing methane is emitted from forests have been blown way
out of proportion. In a lesser reported press release by the authors
of the methane study states that the levels of methane released are
low and may only reduce the benefits of Kyoto reforestation projects
"by between 1 and 4 percent". This will not result in a
wide spread re-think of the role of Kyoto forests as some people have
suggested. The link to the more informative press release is: http://www.mpg.de/english/illustrationsDocumentation/documentation/pressReleases/2006/pressRelease200601131/
22/12/2005
Government Scraps Carbon
Tax
The Goverment has decided to scrap the proposed Carbon Tax of $15
per tonne of carbon dioxide emmitted by the consumption of fossil
fuels. This is only one decision, of many, that has come out of the
extensive interdepartmental Climate Change Policy Review. There are
a number of other crucial and influential decisions to be made by
Cabinet early in the new year.
1/11/2005
nzcarbon.com
is launched
nzcarbon.com website is offically launched today. While there is plenty
of work to be done, there is already some useful information on the
site. Of some interest could be the nzcarbon calculator© which
can give you an idea of the amount of carbon dioxide you are emitting
and what the likley impacts will be with the proposed carbon tax. Keep
an eye on this website as there will be ongoing developments.
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