Articles

Swimming at our picturesque beaches, rivers and lakes is a Kiwi summer staple as many of us have time off in the summer months. Sometimes our favourite swimming spots can become contaminated with unsafe levels of organisms such as E.

Infometrics has recently added a number of environmental indicators to the Regional Economic Profile and Quarterly Economic Monitor, including estimates of carbon emissions. This article explores how we have constructed our estimates, and what insights can be gained from our analysis.

Electric vehicle (EV) uptake in New Zealand has been accelerating over the last few years. Uptake was helped along with financial incentives including the Clean Car Discount scheme and the exemption of EVs from paying road user charges (RUC). With the discount scheme gone and EV owners about to start paying RUC, the trajectory is likely to change.

New Zealand’s greenhouse gas reduction targets are a critical part of moving towards a more resilient and sustainable model of production. An important, and underdiscussed part of this conversation, is the notion of emissions intensity: the level of emissions in relation to GDP.

In this article we look at how a price on agricultural emissions that is lower than that paid elsewhere in the economy imposes a cost on New Zealand citizens that could reach an average of $1,000 per person by 2030.

Between April and December last year, Clean Car Discount fees totalled $105m and rebates totalled $203m, which means the scheme distributed nearly double the revenue it brought in. The Discount scheme was designed to be self-funding, so the gap between fees and rebates needs to be addressed. To close the funding gap, the most straightforward approach would be to either lower the level of rebates, increase the level of fees, or a combination of the two.

New Zealand has a price on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily carbon dioxide emissions. This pricing mechanism is the essence of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The scheme will over time, given a cap on total emissions, lead to lower gross emissions and lower net emissions (gross emissions less sequestration by forestry).

Inflation is currently giving businesses and households headaches. Price rises are burning bigger and bigger holes in our wallets, and energy prices are a key area where inflation has been rampant. These fuel price rises are not unique to New Zealand at the moment, but are a global trend caused by global events. This article looks at what is happening to global energy markets, as well as regulatory changes in retail fuel markets, and what these factors means for fuel prices in New Zealand.

The government now has a raft of policies designed specifically to influence the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) and phase out internal combustion engines (ICEs). We have previously discussed how effective the Clean Car Standard on imports is likely to be, which is expected to grow the supply of low or zero emissions vehicles starting in 2023. More currently, the Clean Car Discount is aimed at influencing consumer behaviour through a rebate and fee scheme. The Clean Car Discount will apply to first time registrations of new and used vehicles, including cars, SUVs, vans, utes and light trucks weighing 3.5 tonnes or less.

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) has published its advice to government. Delving into the supporting evidence, here I look at the CCC’s forecasts of job losses and job gains across different industries.