Govt belatedly backs ‘world class’ offshore wind farms

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The New Zealand government has recently endorsed the development of world-class offshore wind farms after initial delays, highlighting a critical step toward expanding renewable energy capacity, but also raising questions about the government's commitment to lower emissions. The government is also advocating for the removal of many environmentally beneficial procurement rules, which could reshape governmental contracts.  

Discussions on the possibility of an "anti-woke" banking law questions if such decisions are driven by culture or more by hard economic reality. Recent cuts to climate reporting requirements could harm businesses by undermining transparency and accountability while internationally, the trend is toward greater disclosure and trade agreements that often require such disclosures.  

Activism in the climate space has also taken a new turn, with some groups shifting from traditional protests to sabotage tactics, reflecting frustrations with climate change progress, and a more radical phase in environmental responses. There is for example, controversy surrounding a climate expert who was dismissed for refusing to fly, a decision that led to a legal and ethical debate and significant financial compensation, while in Japan a lack of government action and understanding is hampering momentum. 

Activism in cities toward car culture has also been a significant factor in the trend toward congestion pricing. Driver congestion pricing has been proposed as a tool to improve air quality and public health in cities, aligning environmental policy with urban development goals but current congestion pricing proposals are being rolled back in New York by the Trump administration, though there is plenty of evidence, of both the environmental and economic benefits. 

An inspiring transformation in Switzerland's waterways means what was once polluted water has now been revitalized into clean, swimmable rivers and lakes, setting a global example for environmental regeneration and the environmental and economic benefits, of progressive climate policy. 

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The New Zealand government has belatedly backed ‘world class offshore wind farms. On the downside one of the areas has also been fast tracked for seabed mining. So, what are the pros of having a wind farm versus a seabed mining operation? The jobs offered by seabed mining pale by comparison with 5000 to 30,000 jobs that PwC says will be generated by offshore wind, and the billions of dollars it’s worth to New Zealand. Another positive with a wind farm is environmental impact is kept to a minimum.  Read more…

Sticking with NZ, the government plans to scale back the number of rules agencies must follow when tendering contracts. Of course, there are winners and losers, Changes to that would reduce the use of battery or hybrid cars for government agencies and scraping the living wage for some staff (cleaning, security & catering) at Parliament. The winners, businesses that can provide services at a lower cost as they don’t have to pay a living wage and NZ taxpayers, hmm! Read more... 

A NZ First Bill promises to stop "woke ideology" in banking, after BNZ decided to pull back its lending to petrol stations. Does an anti-woke ideology trump good business sense when banks look at lending to businesses. NZ has signed a legally binding treaty to decarbonise its economy, it is committed to net zero by 2050. So, businesses such as banks act accordingly. If you require a bank to keep investing in, say petrol stations but the bank expects petrol to be phased out in say the next decade, you impose loss-making industries on banks! Read more... 

As Aotearoa – New Zealand debates the future of its climate disclosure regime, businesses are continuing to backtrack from their emissions targets and sustainability reporting. However, this poses risks to businesses, as investors and overseas banks will find it harder to assess climate-related risks, potentially leading to reduced investment confidence and higher financial volatility for firms. As international sustainability regulations tighten and investors demand higher transparency, the debate shouldn’t be centred around whether to dilute mandatory reporting requirements but should instead discuss how we can strengthen and support businesses to disclose. Read more… 

Businesses could also be at financial risk for not supporting their employees’ climate action, as displayed by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. A climate researcher was unfairly sacked by the company for sticking to his vow of never flying – instead, opting for slow-travel options such as public travel and ferries, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The researcher hopes that their case will encourage more employees and companies to actively support the transition from fossil fuel-based economies, pledging around $140,000 NZD of the payout to climate protection and activism. Read more… 

Youth climate activists in Japan, led by groups like Fridays for Future and Climate Youth Japan, are struggling to generate widespread momentum despite growing concerns about climate change. With insufficient government action and limited public engagement, their protests rarely exceed 100 participants. While many young people are worried about the climate crisis, apathy and a lack of understanding hinder mass involvement. Activists are working to increase youth engagement through community initiatives, protests, and legal actions, though progress remains slow.  Read more... 

With the climate breakdown continuing to worsen and fossil fuel emissions showing no sign of peaking, some climate activist groups are turning to sabotage key actors in the fossil fuel economy. Climate activists previously believed getting huge numbers of people on the streets could persuade the powerful to change course on climate change. But with increasing penalties and severe pushback against non-violent disruptive protest worldwide, escalating may be the only sustainable route for effective disruption. Damaging pipelines, organising roadblocks, full-scale riots – this could be the future of climate activism. Read more… 

In January, New York became the first city in the United States to introduce a congestion pricing zone. It is now under fire from the Trump Administration and its future is undecided. However, congestion pricing around the world, including in London, Stockholm, Milan, and Singapore, has seen net positive effects when combined with the provision of alternative public transit options: it has led to a reduction in traffic, greater uptake of cleaner private vehicles, an increased uptake of public transit options, higher air quality, and fewer on-road and pollution-linked deaths. Read more... 

In the 1960s, Switzerland had some of the dirtiest water in Europe, with raw sewage and industrial wastewater flowing directly into the water bodies. Thanks to a complex network of sewage plants that has been rolled out since the 1970s, Switzerland now has some of the cleanest water. There are, of course, monetary costs to such a transformative system, but it results in innumerable benefits including fewer human health issues, healthier ecosystems, and social connections formed over cold-water swims and shared beers on the water’s edge. Read more... 

Hydrology Report - 27th March 2025

Electricity Price Index - 27th March 2025

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