Our native forests and the creatures that live in them are in retreat, says the PCE; commerce is a lesser evil than rats, stoats and possums. Barbeque sacred cows, says DOC. Just uphold the law, says Green MP Kevin Hague
Read MoreParliamentary Commissioner for the Environment
Deepwater protection - too little, too late
Environment Minister Nick Smith has finally confirmed that
PCE and Groser: fix the ETS
In which expert advisory work from the PCE illustrates why the ETS in its present form risks a massive lignite subsidy, and Tim Groser — quite rightly — observes that this would be “ridiculous” and “incoherent”
Read MoreHigh country accord: save the Mackenzie country
Farmers and conservationists agree, the Mackenzie must be saved. In simple terms, the question is: should it stay brown, or turn green? Farmer Richard Peacocke and Forest & Bird discuss
Read MoreZeroing in on the high country problem
In which, after two months chasing High Country Ministers and their officials round in a circle, I realise they’re telling me something after all
Read MoreCrown pastoral land: LINZ explains everything
Land Information New Zealand is a bit of a misnomer: the information, when I asked them for it, seemed in short supply. But inadvertently, they explained quite a lot
Read MoreJust dirty, not sexy: lignite to liquid fuel
Coal-to-liquid fuel feasibility studies are underway for lignite, the dirtiest coal, as the coal industry tries to dig itself out of a hole
Read MoreGrass stains on the Mackenzie, part II: tenure review
In which policy makers try to grow the economic cake, but end up eating it instead, leaving us with some little brown crumbs …
Read MoreGrass stains on the Mackenzie, part I
Intensive farming development of the Mackenzie district is a failure of law and policy, and ecological disaster on a colonial scale
Read MoreState of the environment: reports urge NZ to act
‘Clean, green’ New Zealand is the only OECD country without an Act requiring environment health checks. What will we do about it, asks the Parliamentary Commissioner?
Read MoreNick Smith tells two stories
The government’s made a liar out of Dr Smith in recent weeks. Is his lopsided mask slipping, or is he just a casualty, like the rest of us, of his more cynical conservative colleagues?
Read MoreBiofuels revisited
Jeanette Fitzsimons’ Sustainable Biofuel Bill has been drawn from the Member’s ballot. It’s sustainable, all right—defying repeal—and the first real test of this Government’s green credentials
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