environment Archive

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  Toxic agenda bad for farmers - by Steffan Browning

  
  
  
  I recently had an opinion piece published in the Straight Furrow newspaper. Here is what I wrote. (note: corrected from earlier post) Toxic agenda erodes green brand Our clean green brand is something we need to fiercely protect, but this Government is effectively eroding it instead. National has gutted the Emissions Trading Scheme and is [...] read more
  April 26, 2013 2:23 pm - 2 Comments
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  Farrar wrong on renewables - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  As you might have caught we have (alongside Labour) announced a plan to cut excessive profits from the Electricity Sector and return the money to households. David Farrar over on Kiwiblog yesterday posted about the total cost of Electricity Production claiming that renewable options – which we prefer are more expensive than coal and gas. [...] read more
  April 18, 2013 4:35 pm - 154 Comments
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  Akaroa Harbour marine reserve welcome news - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  Gareth has previously posted about the Dan Rogers marine reserve in Akaroa Harbour.  Living on Banks Peninsula and having helped promote the reserve I wanted to share my thoughts and thank and congratulate the reserve applicants, Kathleen and Brian Reid and the Akaroa Harbour Marine Protection Society who When the Government is opening up conservation [...] read more
  April 18, 2013 4:28 pm - 1 Comment
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  Before we fix water quality we need to stop allowing more pollution - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  The Prime Minister bragged about how much money his Government is spending on water clean-ups today, but he failed to admit that the money required for clean-up of our rivers and lakes will increase because of his policies. Nearly every study on water quality shows that land use intensification leads to water pollution. Yet the [...] read more
  April 17, 2013 4:13 pm - 4 Comments
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  Low flows on the Rangitaiki River - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  Even before the summer’s drought began in earnest, the Rangitaiki River in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, has been victim to low flows, thanks to the TrustPower operated Matahina Dam upstream of Te Teko. On my February trip on the river our safety boat had only been in the water five minutes when it grounded [...] read more
  April 16, 2013 11:46 am - 2 Comments
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  Akaroa marine reserve - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  The Dan Rogers marine reserve in Akaroa Harbour has recently been approved by Conservation Minister Nick Smith which is a good step for marine conservation but raises many wider issues and questions. It’s good to see another marine reserve created, even if it was shrunk by Smith, because it’s only the second on the east [...] read more
  April 16, 2013 10:39 am - 3 Comments
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  Schedule 4 open for drilling! - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Many of the Frogblog readers would have supported the fantastic campaign in 2010 to love and protect the Schedule 4 areas of our beautiful country from mining. You will not be impressed by the news that the Government which promised to protect Schedule 4 is now eroding the promise. You will not be impressed by [...] read more
  April 12, 2013 3:22 pm - 105 Comments
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  Denniston too precious to mine - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  I am concerned that the interim decision of the Environment Court does not rule out the mining of the Denniston Plateau. The interim decision of the Environment Court acknowledges that the Denniston Plateau has high biodiversity values which would be impacted by mining and that the situation is too close to call. However the decision [...] read more
  March 28, 2013 2:53 pm - 9 Comments
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  Urban trees please - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  The fate of trees in urban areas will be before select committee this week when hearings start on National’s Resource Management Act Reform Bill 2012. (The Bill is the second stage of Government’s efforts to weaken the RMA. The third phase changes are set out in the RMA discussion document out for public comment at [...] read more
  March 18, 2013 10:26 am - 18 Comments
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  Is Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bill English a climate change denier? - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Is the Deputy Prime Minister of our country a climate change denier? It may well be the case. During question time in Parliament yesterday I wanted to get into the lack of focus and inaction from this Government on climate change which is starkly highlighted by the suffering our drought-stricken farmers are going through. I [...] read more
  March 14, 2013 12:30 pm - 142 Comments
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  The rapid roadshow – is this consultation? - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  Monday saw the start of the Government’s rapid fire roadshow on its proposals to weaken the RMA and allow increased exploitation of our water. I’ve previously covered some of the Minister’s attempt to shut down debate on the proposals. I  just wanted to point out that that the timing of consultation meetings is important. If [...] read more
  March 13, 2013 10:43 am - 2 Comments
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  Minister brooks no dissent on RMA changes - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  Hard on the heels of  its 2012 “RMA Reform Bill” and the 2009 changes, National wants to overturn other core aspects of the Resource Management Act (RMA) as a key plank in its pro development, anti-environment agenda. EDS described the proposals as “deeply troubling” and potentially lowering environmental standards in New Zealand. So shortly after [...] read more
  March 9, 2013 10:54 am - 2 Comments
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  Mourning local democracy in Canterbury - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  National’s distaste for democracy and intolerance of dissenting views is increasing. Pre ‘quakes Cathedral Square was the heart of Christchurch. Two years later the public are still fenced out and kept behind the cordon. The Government’s Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) decides who can get access beyond the Army guards and security fence. CERA allows [...] read more
  March 8, 2013 3:26 pm - 7 Comments
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  Don’t get shut out, make your voice heard on the RMA - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  Environment Minister, Amy Adams recently launched a “discussion document” on National’s latest proposals to weaken the Resource Management Act (RMA).  She then sought to shut down any discussion by attacking environmental groups and the Greens by claiming we were “out of touch” and “scaremongering” with our criticisms of National’s proposed changes to the RMA. The [...] read more
  March 8, 2013 11:06 am - 10 Comments
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  Dirty Water Tour – the Waitara - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  Taranaki’s Waitara River ranked dead last on the Ministry for the Environment recreational river water quality league table. So it was an obvious candidate for our Dirty Water Tour, highlighting community initiatives to clean up our rivers, lakes and estuaries. read more
  February 5, 2013 1:23 pm - 3 Comments
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  January water woes - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  Summer should be about lazy days at the beach, picnics on the riverbank and swimming. But increasingly we have a new summer ritual of warnings in newspapers around the country; warnings telling you to stay out of the local beaches, lakes and many of the rivers where families and friends have traditionally gathered each summer. [...] read more
  February 1, 2013 1:12 pm - 4 Comments
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  In defence of science - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  While universities are primarily charged with promoting learning they also have a vital role as the critic and conscience of society.  Scientists ask questions, investigate, research, analyse the data and report on the results. Their work informs the public debate.  How then are we to interpret repeated attacks on university scientists such as Massey University’s [...] read more
  December 4, 2012 4:46 pm - 168 Comments
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  If New Zealand was a banana, would we be getting sued? - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  There is a bit of a David and Goliath battle shaping up in the intellectual property domain, with NGO Fairtrade New Zealand and Australia taking on one of the world’s largest fruit suppliers, Dole bananas. Dole has been on notice that its so-called ‘ethical choice’  label is misleading.  A consumer might reasonably believe that it [...] read more
  November 28, 2012 9:58 am - 3 Comments
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  Fourth Dirty Water Tour starts in Southland - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  I launched our fourth “Dirty Water Tour” this week at Invercargill’s New River Estuary, with Southland Green Party member Dave Kennedy, and Maurice Rodway of Fish and Game.  Invercargill could potentially overtake Oamaru as the heritage capital of the south  – distinctive and attractive heritage buildings abound. Natural heritage at the nearby New River Estuary, [...] read more
  November 21, 2012 5:49 pm - 3 Comments
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  Death of an ETS - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  The ETS Amendment Bill went through the House Thursday afternoon, at the end of the 3rd reading. The NZ Parliament, I said, was enacting an iniquity.  With a bare majority, it was amending the ETS and guaranteeing dangerous climate change. I levelled the charge of moral ecocide at two Government leaders – John Key and [...] read more
  November 9, 2012 1:32 pm - 62 Comments
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  Fair hearing for Denniston in Environment Court - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  Forest and Bird deserves every success in its Environment Court case to protect the distinctive coal measures ecosystems and landscapes of the Denniston Plateau. This week the Court began hearing the Society’s appeal against West Coast councils granting resource consents under the RMA to Australian miner, Bathurst Resources’ destructive plans for an open cast coal [...] read more
  October 30, 2012 2:04 pm - 1 Comment
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  Descendants of Sir James Clark Ross talk about Ross Sea - by frog

  
  
  
  What would Ross think of NZ’s treatment of the Ross Sea? We asked his descendants. Descendants of Sir James Clark Ross talk about Ross Sea protection, from Green Party of Aotearoa NZ on Vimeo. read more
  October 3, 2012 10:51 am - 1 Comment
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  Dilution is not the solution to pollution - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  I was in Napier earlier last week trying to discourage the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) from proceeding with its mega dam, mega risky, $233 million Ruataniwha irrigation and hydro scheme. The scheme involves an 83 metre high concrete and rock dam and a 5 km long reservoir flooding the upper reaches of the Makaroro [...] read more
  October 1, 2012 9:59 am - 7 Comments
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  Love Our Parks, Save Our Parks - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  I visited Te Anau and Glenorchy recently to meet with representatives of Save Fiordland and Stop the Tunnel.  They are working to protect Fiordland from Milford Dart Ltd’s preposterous proposal to mine a 11.3 km long, 430m deep tunnel from the start of the Routeburn Track to the Hollyford Valley and its destructive twin – [...] read more
  September 18, 2012 4:21 pm - 7 Comments
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  Gluckman on science and the environment - by frog

  
  
  
  Professor Peter Gluckman, the Prime Minister’s science advisor, delivered a speech today about “Bringing science and policy together for good environmental outcomes”. While he touches on many issues some positive others not so much I wanted to focus on a particular issue he addresses. Part way through his speech he highlights that “[s]cience and technology [...] read more
  August 22, 2012 3:41 pm - 50 Comments
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  Locking the gates to fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Next week renowned Australian environmental campaigner, Drew Hutton is touring NZ talking about the risks of coal seam gas and fracking. read more
  August 17, 2012 1:23 pm - 3 Comments
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  Smith gets it wrong on fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Former Environment Minister Nick Smith has been peddling a pro-fracking article across the country’s newspapers but he can’t even get his facts straight. read more
  August 16, 2012 4:53 pm - 78 Comments
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  Newmont versus the vulnerable – my week in court - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  This week I spent 4 days in the Environment Court with some Waihi residents opposing the expansion of the mining activities in the Martha pit. It is a small variation on the 1987 Mining Licence but it could lead a new large scale underground gold mine. At the hearing, the manawhenua Ngati Hako were raising [...] read more
  August 4, 2012 2:15 pm - 8 Comments
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  Fracking without consents in Waikato - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Last night the Green Party revealed that state-owned coal miner Solid Energy in 2007 used the controversial fracking process in its Waikato coal seam gas operations without a consent. Waikato Regional Council has since said it should have been consented. read more
  July 26, 2012 11:23 am - 2 Comments
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  For farming to be in the black we need to go green - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  With only the most backward openly saying that we can keep trashing the planet to grow the economy it can be harder to distinguish between the rhetoric of genuine environmental commitment and greenwash. The language of “balance” has reappeared.   In a speech to Federated Farmers’ conference in Auckland president Bruce Wills talked about the need [...] read more
  July 6, 2012 10:30 am - 4 Comments
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  More fracking good news - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Two positive developments out of the Hawkes Bay this week: Hastings District council has voted unanimously to take a precautionary approach when it comes to fracking, and a whānau has ‘locked their gates’ barring Tag Oil from fracking on their land; resulting in TAG Oil backing away from the proposed exploratory fracking well in the area. read more
  June 8, 2012 2:41 pm - 38 Comments
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  Growing the Greens – AGM weekend - by frog

  
  
  
  This Queen’s Birthday weekend, the Green Party held its AGM at Upper Hutt’s native bush-surrounded Silverstream retreat with ‘Growing the Greens’ the appropriate theme. The largest Green Party AGM yet kicked off on Friday 1st June by celebrating the founding of the Values Party some 40 years ago. This was the party from which the [...] read more
  June 5, 2012 4:55 pm - 6 Comments
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  State owned enterprises shouldn’t be fracking - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Stuff reports that Solid Energy says it has discovered significant coal seam gas reserves in Taranaki, and acknowledges that it could face opposition from environmentalists if the methane gas is extracted using hydraulic fracturing – or fracking. It would be reckless for Solid Energy to commence fracking for coal seam gas given numerous overseas studies which have linked fracking to drinking water contamination, human health problems and earthquakes. read more
  May 31, 2012 1:12 pm - 2 Comments
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  Planet Economy lives on Planet Earth not in some distant galaxy - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  For National, Planet Economy is somewhere distant from Planet Earth. Bill English’s Budget speech didn’t even mention the environment or conservation. National demonstrated once again that it doesn’t understand that a healthy economy depends on a healthy environment. Instead of investing in biodiversity protection National produced a zero sum budget for our native plants and [...] read more
  May 25, 2012 1:27 pm - 11 Comments
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  Claiming “Fascination of Plants Day” from GE peddlers - by Steffan Browning

  
  
  
  Tomorrow has been declared “Fascination of Plants Day”. We find plants very fascinating.  New Zealand is a biodiversity hotspot; we‘re responsible for one of the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant life on Earth. The native plants we love need protection. This is why we have a Members Bill to have plants included in [...] read more
  May 17, 2012 12:51 pm - 5 Comments
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  Regional councils launch new water website - by Eugenie Sage

  
  
  
  Check out a new website on water quality information launched this week. It’s a co-operative effort by regional and unitary councils to provide accessible water quality information for each of New Zealand‘s 16 regions in one place. A useful feature of the site is that it focuses on river catchments and that it provides information [...] read more
  May 5, 2012 10:00 am - 2 Comments
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  Monitoring of GE: a reason for mistrust - by Steffan Browning

  
  
  
  During the Easter break, the 375 genetically engineered pine trees at the Scion field trial site were destroyed. The current experiments were for herbicide resistance and reproductive alterations, both with potential environmental and human health implications. read more
  April 17, 2012 4:55 pm - 20 Comments
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  Breaking the consensus – marine farming - by Steffan Browning

  
  
  
  A major reason I became politically active was aquaculture in the Marlborough Sounds. I could see new farms popping up all over the place with no overall plan. My first Environment Court appeal (which was successful), Browning vs Marlborough District Council (W20/97), made case law in terms of protection of areas of high natural character, [...] read more
  April 10, 2012 4:19 pm - No Comments
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  The link between environmentalism and social justice - by Holly Walker

  
  
  
  I’ve been doing some thinking about the links between the environment, the economy, and social justice. So have Ban Ki-moon and Tim Flannery. read more
  March 24, 2012 10:30 am - 26 Comments
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  Don’t frack up our health - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Yesterday new research was released by the Colorado School of Public Health in the US linking air pollution from fracking with serious health problems for those who live near wells. read more
  March 22, 2012 4:51 pm - 1 Comment