National, ACT and NZF in total denial about the reality off climate change

This Government is in total denial about climate change and it’s impact on our environment…

New Zealand oceans warming 34% faster than global average, putting homes and industry at risk, report finds

New Zealand’s oceans are warming 34% faster than the global average, with NZ$180bn (US$104bn) worth of housing at risk of flooding, a new report about the nation’s marine environment has revealed.

The ministry of the environment and Stats NZ’s three-yearly update, Our Environment 2025, collates statistics, data and research across five domains – air, atmosphere and climate, freshwater, land, and marine – to paint a picture of the state of New Zealand’s marine environment.

The latest in the series, Our Marine Environment 2025, painted a sobering picture for the country’s oceans and coasts – one defined by warming and rising seas, intensifying marine heatwaves and ocean acidification, brought about by global heating.

…this Government is beholden to Intensive Dairy Farming and Polluters, they have done everything to water down all environmental legislation…

It noted 219,000 homes worth $180bn were located in coastal inundation and inland flood zones, while more than $26bn worth of infrastructure was vulnerable to damage. About 1,300 coastal homes could face significant damage from extreme weather.

…hilariously the Government’s response is do nothing and pretend you won’t notice…

New Zealand is bearing the brunt of these warming seas because of its position in the ocean, which makes it more vulnerable to atmospheric circulation and changes in ocean currents.

Between 1982 and 2023, New Zealand’s sea-surface temperatures in its four ocean regions increased, on average, 0.16 to 0.26 degrees Celsius per decade, and its rate of ocean warming outstripped global averages by 34%.

Coastal waters are also warming faster than the global average, it said.

Meanwhile, the Subtropical Front – the boundary between cold subantarctic water and warmer subtropical water that is biologically and economically significant – has moved 120km west, the report said, noting it was the first time a shift in large-scale ocean circulation around New Zealand had been observed.

The shift, which is driven by warming water, will have “huge impacts” on ecosystems, the food-web and on species such as corals, sponges, kelp and fish, Collins said.

Ocean acidification and warming are also affecting the country’s fishing and aquaculture industries – which contribute $1.1bn to the economy – and can lead to toxic algae bloom in shellfish. Marine heatwaves, meanwhile, are becoming more intense, longer lasting and more frequent.

New Zealand has been hit with unprecedented marine heatwaves in recent years, which have been linked to mass sea sponge bleaching, die-offs of southern bull kelp, large scale fish strandings and penguin deaths.

…just consider the manner in which Corporate Dairy have seized control of NZ’s political right…

The Climate Change Commission recommends methane cuts of 35-47%. However, under pressure from lobby groups like Federated Farmers – whose ex-President Andrew Hoggard is now an ACT Party MP – the Government established a separate panel to review the methane target in line with this controversial tool. That panel landed on a much weaker methane target.

Documents released under the Official Information Act show that the methane panel was established because the Climate Commission’s independence meant the Government could not direct it to use “no additional warming”. Ministry for the Environment officials advised at the time that “no additional warming” was not in fact a matter of science, but a political decision.

Larsson says, “The Luxon Government chose to sideline its independent, science-based climate advisory body by setting up a separate review panel with the very narrow task of giving it the answers it wanted. No wonder international climate scientists are raising the alarm.”

Further OIA documents show that the Methane Review Panel only met with agribusiness stakeholders, including a Groundswell-linked lobby group.

Greenpeace says this is just the tip of the iceberg. The organisation has unveiled documents showing the startling level of influence that groups like Federated Farmers, Dairy NZ and Beef+Lamb NZ have had over government policy. This includes writing draft policy and communications plans for Ministers. 

…consider the criticisms of Professor MacCulloch…

Perhaps the most under-explored aspect of MacCulloch’s critique is his consistent condemnation of corporate New Zealand’s underperformance. He argues that the real drag on New Zealand’s productivity isn’t just government bureaucracy, but the incompetence of private sector leadership.

Business is too focused on getting either special legislative deals from the government of the day, or else corporate subsidies from the taxpayer. According to MacCulloch, the last Government’s Covid Wage Subsidy Scheme was a giant transfer of $18bn to some of the wealthiest businesses in the country, most of whom didn’t need it.

Pointing to the stagnation of the NZX50 and the dismal share performance of dominant companies like Fletcher Building and Air New Zealand, he suggests that cushy directorships and an old boys’ club mentality have entrenched mediocrity.

…this total policy capture by polluter interests is the reason we are being attacked on the global stage by International Climate Scientists…

Scientists accuse New Zealand and Ireland of trying to cover up livestock emissions

Leading climate scientists have accused politicians in New Zealand and Ireland of using an “accounting trick” to back their sheep and cattle industries, warning their support for methane-emitting livestock could undermine global efforts to fight climate change. In an open letter shared with the Financial Times, 26 climate scientists from around the world warned that New Zealand’s proposed new methane targets risk setting a dangerous precedent. 

…that’s right!

The Corporate Dairy industry has spent millions donating to National and putting dark money into Right Wing astroturf organisations to shut down any meaningful climate emissions targets that the rest of the world has noticed the policy corruption and are now calling us out.

We are being attacked internationally for being a climate criminal all because National refuse to stand up to their Corporate Dairy interests.

The Carbon Capture ‘technology’ that National have banked all our emission offsets on doesn’t work…

Carbon capture: Pivotal project for cutting greenhouse gas emissions looks shaky

A critical part of the government’s plan for cutting greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years appears to have fallen over.

…and in the last budget National cut 50% to climate finance, barely any cuts to emissions, all while slashing foreign aid for our Pacific brothers and sisters by cutting climate aid by $100m!

Bryce Edwards makes the point that Local Elections are utterly dominated by the polluter industry using astroturf organisations to trick you into voting for them…

…look at the list of environmental roll backs to appease the polluter class…

Fast-track Approvals Act (2024) — established a permanent minister-led fast-track approvals regime that lets ministers green-light (or fast-track) major projects — including mining, ports and other infrastructure — with reduced public and environmental scrutiny. Critics say it weakens protections, limits Treaty obligations and risks approving projects previously refused for environmental reasons.

Repeal of the Clean Car Discount (2023) — the Clean Car Discount (aka Clean Vehicle Discount) was removed by statute at the end of 2023, removing a key demand-side policy designed to accelerate uptake of lower-emission vehicles. Environmental groups say this reduces incentives to electrify the vehicle fleet

Water Services Acts Repeal / “Local Water” changes (2024) — the coalition repealed the Water Services Entities Act / Three Waters framework and replaced it with localised arrangements. Critics argued repeal undermined some water-quality and regulatory improvements intended under the previous reform and reduced centralised capacity to manage freshwater outcomes (though supporters framed it as returning control to local councils).

Crown Minerals Amendment / Repeal of 2018 offshore exploration ban (2025) — Parliament voted to reverse the 2018 ban on new offshore oil & gas exploration, reopening New Zealand waters to petroleum exploration and changing the Crown Minerals rules to enable permits. This is a major policy reversal from the previous government’s climate-aligned commitment.

Changes weakening decommissioning / trailing liability rules — amendments to the Crown Minerals regime (and associated ministerial practice) have narrowed or made discretionary the previous automatic trailing-liability rules for oil & gas decommissioning — critics say this increases the risk taxpayers will shoulder cleanup costs if operators fail.

$200 million co-investment contingency for new gas fields (Budget 2025) — the Government explicitly tagged NZ$200m over several years as a Crown co-investment fund to “de-risk” new gas field investment. Environment groups say this is effectively a fossil-fuel subsidy. The move also prompted NZ’s exit from the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance.

Withdrawal from the Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA) (June 2025) — NZ left the international coalition dedicated to phasing out oil & gas production after indicating it would reopen exploration. The withdrawal was widely criticised internationally and domestically as abandoning a phase-out commitment

Budget 2025: cuts and reprioritisations critics say undermine climate action / conservation — environmental NGOs and climate analysts flagged the Budget as deprioritising climate mitigation and conservation: cuts to some climate programmes, reductions in policy capacity at DOC, proposed staff cuts in conservation and limited new funding for emissions reductions programmes. NGOs described the package as a step back for climate policy.

Legal challenge over the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (2025) — lawyers’ groups and NGOs have taken legal action arguing the government’s updated emissions reduction plan is legally inadequate and “dangerously” unambitious under NZ’s Zero Carbon Act—an indication that independent legal opinion sees the plan as backsliding.

This Government is a Climate Denial Government who are refusing to do anything about the coming adaptation because they are paid by the polluters.

At some stage you are going realise you have been played.

Increasingly having independent opinion in a mainstream media environment which mostly echo one another has become more important than ever, so if you value having an independent voice – please donate here.