Apr 26 -  The energy sector is taking the lead in developing a model for its own future.

Fifteen years after New Zealand first proposed a carbon tax to address climate change, the country’s policy-makers have apparently learned nothing.

EMANZ is delighted to announce today that Jason Anderson, President and CEO of Cleantech San Diego, is confirmed as a second Keynote speaker for its low emissions conference in May.

Apr 12 - Banning new oil and gas exploration is a crude and unnecessary way to achieve emissions reduction goals and blights New Zealand’s entire energy sector, says the BusinessNZ Energy Council.

As part of a collaboration between Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (EDSM) with New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), the University of Auckland will host 23 Indonesians for a Geothermal Project Management Course for the next 4 weeks.

Mar 13, 2018  -   The new system will help in power production and extend the life of solar panels.  To help companies establish new energy sources for their operations, Thailand-based Siam Cement Group (SCG) has developed a solar energy generating system that will stay afloat in reservoirs. These reservoirs supply mostly to factories that are located in Thailand’s flat central region.

Feb 2, 2018  - The BusinessNZ Energy Council (BEC) is delighted with the appointment of Bennet Tucker from Transpower, a member of the New Zealand Young Energy Professionals Network, to the WEC board for global future energy leaders, the FEL-100.BEC Chair Hon David Caygill says the appointment to this exclusive group of 100 future global energy leaders is in recognition of Bennet’s outstanding contribution since his appointment to the FEL-100 last year and the value of New Zealand’s contribution to the WEC and its work programme.

Jan 18, 2018  -  Our future selves might look back and wonder how we ever handled having just plain old glass in our windows. Curtains or blinds might get the flick in favor of a variety of smart windows that can tint themselves or turn opaque on command, and now a team of German engineers has demonstrated a new design. Dubbed Large-Area Fluidic Windows (LaWin), the system uses iron particles suspended in liquid to block sunlight at different levels and harvest heat energy from the Sun.

Dec 20, 2017  - The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has today released a video calling for international action against the US$425 billion annual spend on fossil fuel subsidies.

“Many countries have made political commitments to reduce these harmful subsidies, but progress has been too slow,” warns Vangelis Vitalis, Deputy Secretary, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

“We believe that a solution for addressing this lack of action is to drive enforceable change through the World Trade Organisation (WTO).”

Last week New Zealand’s Minister for Trade and Export Growth, David Parker, presented this proposal to the WTO at its Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A total of 11 other WTO members also gave their support.

“The WTO is the one global institution that legally binds all of the major economies in the world. It's the only place where major economies can be held to account in an enforceable way,” says Mr Vitalis. “While most of the world’s biggest contributors to fossil fuel subsidies did not give their endorsement, and we know getting these WTO members over the line will be a challenge, we believe this is a challenge worth pursuing,” says Mr Vitalis.

View the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s short film entitled “425 billion reasons for change”, or read its long-form feature on the issue here.

425 billion reasons for change — video (external link)

425 billion reasons for change — long-form feature

| A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade release  || December 20, 2017   |||

Nov 29, 2017  - Executive Director of the Sustainable Business Council, Abbie Reynolds, says climate change could be the greatest economic disruption in our lifetimes and the largest driver of innovation since World War Two.  The Sustainable Business Council has this morning publicly released its submission to the Productivity Commission on the transition to a low emissions economy.

Abbie Reynolds says leading Kiwi businesses are increasingly putting climate change at the centre of their strategy and business models. They see the transition to a low emissions economy as one of the biggest business opportunity in the foreseeable future.

"International research estimates work to meet the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals could unlock new markets worth US $12 trillion and 380 million new jobs. We need to change the conversation - and talk about the innovations and opportunities emerging in New Zealand, like solar energy, battery storage and electric vehicles. We need to galvanise action and innovation, and the current narrative doesn’t inspire that."

"Many Sustainable Business Council members know there can be no more business as usual. Climate change is a global issue already affecting business in New Zealand directly through increasingly extreme weather events, and indirectly through divestment away from fossil fuels."

Our members want to see a national dialogue on the transition and what it will mean. SBC believes a successful transition is underpinned by cross-sector collaboration between businesses, government, academia and the community. Collaboration, open dialogue and transparent data and analysis will be critical to shaping a successful framework of policies, incentives, financing mechanisms and market initiatives.

The path to a low emissions economy needs to be co-designed and therefore co-owned by all New Zealanders.

Our members are also looking for policy predictability. They want to see the discussion de-politicised, beyond the election cycle, so they can make the right investment decisions and changes.

"We need to be thoughtful about how we manage the transition. Emissions intensive sectors risk losing their competitiveness offshore, if they have to internalise the cost of carbon before their competitors."

"If New Zealand gets the transition right we stand to gain a holistic outcome that is in everyone’s long-term interests. We need a positive narrative that inspires action."

| A SBC release  ||  November 29,  2017  |||