Emissions Trading Scheme Archive

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  MEUG complains $145m free money isn’t enough - by frog

  
  
  
  The Major Electricity Users Group (MEUG) is complaing that the $145 million cash dollars of taxpayer money that Nick Smith’s ETS will give them between now and the end of 2012 is simply not enough free money. read more
  September 3, 2010 2:23 pm - 15 Comments
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  A government at war with its own Treasury - by frog

  
  
  
  In all the time I’ve been hopping around Parliament I’ve never heard a statement more extraordinary than this one: The numbers from Treasury are nonsense. Treasury can’t tell us what the deficit is going to be in December let alone what’s happening in 2030 or 2040. Now, I’ll admit to having a go at Treasury [...] read more
  November 18, 2009 1:50 pm - 128 Comments
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  Burning the Mona Lisa to cook dinner - by frog

  
  
  
  Well known conservative commentator Thomas Friedman contends that destroying our biodiversity to fuel unregulated economic growth is like burning the Mona Lisa to cook dinner. The issue of how we should treat natural capital in our economy resurfaced today in a new economic think-tank report. read more
  November 3, 2009 3:49 pm - 11 Comments
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  George Orwell would be impressed with ETS minions - by frog

  
  
  
  In a classic case of doublethink, the minions at the Ministry for the Environment have withheld all the contents of an ETS cabinet document clearly labelled “Approved for Release”. read more
  October 13, 2009 3:59 pm - 66 Comments
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  One week left to submit on flawed ETS - by frog

  
  
  
  I’m using Nick Smith’s own words from last year because they are so suitable. This Government’s ETS legislation is so flawed and so rushed that it will require significant amendments after the election to make it workable. In the meantime, the rushed consultation period is coming to a close, hot on the heels of the [...] read more
  October 7, 2009 10:05 am - 19 Comments
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  ETS is sure to spur growth – but what kind? - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Now here’s a great idea for economic development. Extract lignite, the lowest quality coal, very wet and of low calorific value. Add copious water pollution, coal seam methane and land disturbance from open cast mining. read more
  October 1, 2009 6:45 am - 20 Comments
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  Now we see the hidden costs of the ETS - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Last night’s briefing on the ETS finally revealed the two missing columns from the curious page of numbers tabled in the House on Tuesday by Nick Smith. That table, to the extent it was comprehensible at all, showed there would be a $415m cost to the taxpayer from now to 2013; a saving between 2013 [...] read more
  September 24, 2009 10:32 am - 10 Comments
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  ETS makes us the seventh state - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  It is clear from the minister’s briefing last night that the main purpose of National’s changes to the ETS is to make us effectively the seventh state of Australia. The bill mimics exactly the bill the Rudd government has been trying (unsuccessfully) to get through the Australian senate. So a bill that has been twice [...] read more
  September 24, 2009 9:17 am - 8 Comments
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  Wild and perverse ETS disincentives - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  For the first six months of this year, wilding pine control cost DOC $811,000 in carbon liabilities – a large amount for a department that has already had its budget for this year cut by $13.5 million. That money could have saved some endangered species, increased the area of land under pest control, or – got rid of more wilding pines. read more
  September 22, 2009 1:27 pm - 39 Comments
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  Is Methanex poised to rort the taxpayer with National’s help? - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Methanex could get $87 million in free credits each year. Under the Labour scheme Methanex would have paid for their growth. Under National’s scheme, taxpayers do. read more
  September 20, 2009 10:09 am - 21 Comments
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  What’s wrong with the National-Maori Party ETS? - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Basically, it’s less obligation for everyone, and more delay. Taxpayers pick up the cost. It seriously weakens the scheme we have now, and will do little to reduce emissions. read more
  September 18, 2009 6:30 am - 41 Comments
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  The ETS, power prices and income compensation - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  The Maori Party seems to be having difficulty getting the National Party to agree to raising the core benefit to compensate for higher electricity and transport fuel prices under the ETS. read more
  September 16, 2009 12:35 pm - 16 Comments
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  Nick Smith: incompetent, negligent, or something else? - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s a very serious question which I don’t take lightly, but I am beginning to wonder why the media aren’t asking this question when it comes to the Minister’s handling of the Climate Change portfolio. Probably the most vexing issue is the Minister’s cynical use of a flawed NZIER/Infometrics report, which he commissioned, in order [...] read more
  August 24, 2009 6:46 am - 40 Comments
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  Recommended Sunday listening - by frog

  
  
  
  Some great listening and viewing this morning on NZ environmental issues. Podcasts and on-demand TV means those who slept in haven’t missed out – so enjoy. RadioNZ’s Insight doco at 8am was on carbon offsetting. Reporter Ian Telfer narrated a well-rounded look at the benefits and risks inherent in the largely-unregulated voluntary carbon market. Includes [...] read more
  July 26, 2009 12:15 pm - 23 Comments
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  Timber report shows need for ‘good wood’ Bill - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry released a fascinating new report today. The research project, Environmental Impacts of Multi-Story Buildings Using Different Construction Materials, modelled the life cycle energy use and carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent emissions of four similar office building designs that used different materials as their main structural element: concrete, steel, timber and [...] read more
  July 24, 2009 4:00 pm - 28 Comments
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  From little things, big things grow… - by frog

  
  
  
  There was a recurring riff behind National’s opposition to two very different Bills on Members’ Day Wednesday. One commonality was that both Bills were voted down by National, Act and United Future, and supported by Greens, Labour, Progressives and Maori Parties. But the riff I want to highlight is the idea that the problem is [...] read more
  June 19, 2009 11:33 am - 7 Comments
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  MP travel: offsetting the carbon cost - by frog

  
  
  
  A frog reader suggested we remind readers of the Green MPs carbon offsetting arrangements. Yesterday, they declared their travel spending since the beginning of the year, and committed to do it annually. Parliament is considering standardising such disclosure – great! In 2006 the MPs measured their emissions from air travel to create a baseline. Air [...] read more
  June 5, 2009 5:00 pm - 45 Comments
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  The ETS and Strings theory - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Hi Strings, you raised some really interesting questions in the comment section of this ETS post and I’m sorry I haven’t had time to answer them till now: We can’t “leave agriculture out of Kyoto” – it is already in, for all countries, and all countries have liabilities that include all their emissions above their [...] read more
  May 18, 2009 11:18 am - 18 Comments
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  The Emissions Trading Scheme hits the backburner - by frog

  
  
  
  There is some good commentary about the Emissions Trading Scheme going on hold at Pundit: Have we wasted the whole last decade debating climate change policy, if we need to go back and start from scratch with a select committee review of ETS? No party was happy with the scheme that was finally passed in [...] read more
  November 18, 2008 3:50 pm - 34 Comments
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  Negotiating with Act - by frog

  
  
  
  Act is entering its negotiations with National today talking about its campaign themes: “three strikes” law and order policy, cutting government spending and dumping the emissions trading scheme. All of which sends shivers down many Green spines.  Act does empty bluster and noise better than most parties so I guess we’ll have to wait and [...] read more
  November 10, 2008 1:56 pm - 87 Comments