Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Tax break for oil rigs raises subsidy questions, crackdown by police against Ihumātao occupation, and Boris Johnson set to become UK PM. A story about tax breaks for oil rigs has shown how difficult disentangling from the fossil fuels industry will be. Writing on Stuff, Henry Cooke … Read more
To give the Pacific a fighting chance Australia and NZ need to take a stand, writes a Fijian litigator and activist. Climate change is now an everyday reality for the Pacific. Its impact on our countries is undeniable. To remain within our own borders in years to come, we need radical global and collective transitions. … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Many claim leadership positions around farming emissions, concerns rise about deported gang members in small towns, and superyacht predictions panned. Now apologies if you feel like this is repetition – we did have a Bulletin last week about the plan to phase agriculture into the emissions … Read more
Six things councils can do right now to make the ’emergency’ worth more than the paper it’s written on. Councils are declaring climate emergencies across the country, but with only a decade to cut carbon emissions in half, it’s time for them to act like this is an emergency. So, what can our cities be … Read more
The newsreader turned talkback host Peter Williams (not Peter Williams) is furious about the mainstream refusal to acknowledge the cheesiness of the moon. I’m sorry but my head still hurts. Yesterday I blew to smithereens the so-called “consensus” on the “science” around “climate change”. I put forward my doubts about “climate” “change”, posing the question, … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Union to take legal action against Novopay, building site sediment damaging waterways, and the govt’s road safety strategy explained. Teachers are taking legal action against Novopay, amidst the news their payrise won’t come in for another two months, reports Newshub. The one-off $1500 bonus promised to teachers … Read more
For generations, women have done the heavy lifting in the fight for social change. What will it take to get more men to give a fuck about their children’s future? At every question and answer session I attend, I get a variation of the same question. If it’s not asked by the chair, it’s asked … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Options for getting agriculture into ETS unveiled, leading academic savages billion trees programme, and OIO approves Westland Milk sale. A historic day for climate change policy in New Zealand, with agriculture set to become part of the emissions trading scheme. However, the mechanism by which that … Read more
Eating vegan, buying less plastic and cycling are all useful things you can do for the environment, but not everyone can manage that. Generation Zero’s Alexandra McNeill has something that everyone can do, right now. Biking to work makes me angry. I’m constantly aware of car drivers, especially when they’re in my lane, or cutting … Read more
Will we ever really adopt electric vehicles? Should we believe oil companies that say they want to help? Clean energy expert Michael Liebreich gives his two cents. Not that long ago, the concept of “clean energy” seemed like a wildly radical idea. Few people cared or even knew about the dangers of climate change and … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Government releases proposals around medicinal cannabis, oxycontin takes hold in NZ despite US epidemic, and vaping pushed at Māori women. Just quickly, apologies if today’s Bulletin has a few errors, I haven’t slept because of the cricket. The Black Caps are heading to the World Cup … Read more
Scientists have been pleading the world to take action on climate change, yet a sizable chunk of the population still denies or downplays its reality. Gareth Shute runs down the most popular arguments for ignoring climate change and finds them wanting. There’s been consensus in the scientific community about climate change for at least a … Read more
Out of all of the people responsible for global inaction on climate change, why on earth would you point the finger at environmental NGOs, asks Danyl Mclauchlan. Medical students often succumb to a form of hypochondria called ‘intern’s syndrome’ in which they convince themselves they’re infected with the diseases they’re studying. If they’re tired and … Read more
I have worked for the last 15 years or so as a professional in various parts of the environmental movement. And I’m sorry. I was one of the people who told you changing your light bulbs or buying organic couscous would make things OK. I was wrong and I knew I was wrong at the … Read more
Welcome to the Bulletin World Weekly. Normally, this will be an email exclusively for and supported by Spinoff Members, but just this once it’ll be free for all. If you want to sign up for membership, all the details are here. One of the most fascinating things about weather reports is the use of context. … Read more
As part of the Deep South National Science Challenge, the small coastal town of Omaio is placing mātauranga Māori and climate science at the centre of their food and water management. Photos by Sylvie Winray I meet Peter Insley on a low promontory that rests above the Hāparapara River. Kids have built a rickety jumping platform in the pūriri … Read more
If you want to do something to reduce your carbon footprint, you’ll probably consider both an electric vehicle and installing rooftop solar panels. But which is more effective? With overseas research often inapplicable to New Zealand, one man ran the Aotearoa-specific numbers. Phil Jones is not your average greenie. He’s worked in the sustainability sector … Read more
With the release of the Zero Carbon Bill, Flick CEO Steve O’Connor worries that our zero carbon ambitions will be impeded by an electricity market that’s not working as it should. Right now, we’re sandwiched between two pieces of policy work that have the potential to shape fundamental outcomes in the electricity industry: the recently-announced … Read more
Climate change and a warming ocean are putting immense stress on coral reefs in the Pacific. But some locals are refusing to passively accept the death of such vital ecosystems, reports Radio NZ Pacific’s Jamie Tahana. Listen to more on this story on Dateline Pacific here. When Kristine Zipfel jumped into the sea off Mo’orea, … Read more
This week’s emergency declaration by Auckland Council is a welcome development in the fight to save the planet, says 17 year old Rebecca Kerr. But there’s still so much to be done. On May 24th, thousands of students marched down Queen St to call for New Zealand to wake up and declare a climate emergency. … Read more
Auckland Council declared a ‘climate emergency’ yesterday, but campaigners say there are legal impediments to it making truly impactful decisions. Josie Adams speaks to those wrestling with New Zealand’s sometimes bizarre environmental legislation. Yesterday Auckland Council joined counterparts in Canterbury, Kāpiti and Nelson in unanimously declaring a climate emergency. The resolution has little power on … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Auckland Council the latest to declare a climate emergency, money runs out on Fox River cleanup, and taking of children into state care in focus. If you live in Auckland, you now live in a city where a ‘climate emergency’ has been declared. The motion was passed … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Forum puts insurance costs into focus, two new polls show opinion turning against cannabis legalisation, and Makhlouf saga likely to be aired in parliament today. A major forum in Wellington has highlighted problems faced by the insurance industry and those wanting to buy their services. It’s a … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Two polls released showing bizarrely different scenarios, Murupara runs out of cash, and report finds racism embedded in the justice system. In the space of a single evening, two wildly different poll results came out. Each tells an entirely different story of the voting preferences of the … Read more
Climate change will affect us all, but it already affects women and other marginalised genders differently. The United States is in the midst of a battle over reproductive freedom. Seizing on the conservative political fervour of the moment, politicians are attempting to strip back women’s rights to abortion, contraception and other reproductive health care. Women’s … Read more
Cheer up, at least it’ll all soon be over. So scientists have helpfully let us know that come 2050 we will all be burnt alive slash drown slash muslide slash rocks falling on your head. Climate change they say could become an “existential threat to human civilisation” that can never be undone. If that doesn’t … Read more
Climate treaties, sustainability goals and energy commitments are proliferating around the world. The answers to these targets must involve new materials and research in this area is happening in New Zealand, writes Dr Geoff Willmott. Last Friday, students across the country walked out of school for the second time this year in protest against climate … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Govt gives and takes with first Wellbeing Budget, Treasury Secretary under immense pressure, and dozens of kākāpō sick from fungus. The question was asked in yesterday’s Bulletin – what does this government value enough to put real money towards? In the end, the Budget that was delivered wasn’t … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Another major day of climate protests puts pressure on politicians, PMs fall in dramatic political weekend, and calls to stop use of remand for young people. If activism in 2019 so far has been defined by any one movement, it is climate change. And there’s every reason … Read more