Show me the climate action New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, December 15th, 2020 - 67 comments
Categories: climate change, james shaw - Tags:

Climate activist Greta Thunberg called us out,

New Zealand Minister for Climate, Green Party’ James Shaw responded by saying,

“Greta Thunberg is essentially pointing out what we already know: that we have a long way to go to narrow the gap between what our emissions are right now, and what they need to be in the future.

“We are working on this as quickly as we can and the declaration of a climate emergency is actually helping – because now every part of government is clear that action to cut emissions is a priority.

“This is what climate emergency declaration should do. It is not an end in itself, rather it signals our intent to do everything we can to tackle the climate crisis and build a better, safer future for our kids and grandkids.

I bolded that because of the tendency to ignore or dismiss things that are helpful when they’re not in themselves sufficient. Thunberg is still right.

It’s worth pointing out there that Shaw is agreeing with Thunberg. They are on the same side.

New Zealand Prime Minister, Labour’s Jacinda Ardern,

“Globally, we have entered an age of action,” she said, before calling on MPs to get on the “right side of history”.

New Zealand is the 33rd country in the world to declare a climate change emergency – it joins the likes of the UK and Ireland.

“It is up to us to make sure we demonstrate a plan for action, and a reason for hope,” Ardern said.

In contemporary parlance, I’d call that performative. Demonstrating a plan for action isn’t the same as acting, and while I appreciate Ardern’s skill at rhetoric in bringing the nation with her, I’m way too dark at this stage to give that appreciation more than a passing glance.

Point being, we don’t need Ardern to bring the nation with her, we need Ardern to catch up with Shaw and Thunberg, and open the door for the nation to get on board with the need to act now.

Because if there is one key message we need to understand right now, it’s that the actions we take today that matter. Yes, forward planning, but if we don’t act now to drop GHGs fast, then we are basically signing ourselves, future generations and all of life to a very grim future. It’s the fossil fuels we are burning today that are going to cause problems in the future.

I have no idea if Ardern gets this and is being pragmatic and strategic in a system that is unwieldy and resistant to acting with intetrity. Labour’s handling of covid, rising to the challenge of the emergency suggests  it’s more likely that she and the Labour caucus have varying degrees of cognitive dissonance and denial that prevent getting ahead of the curve.

And not that they would be alone in that. For the first time, this year New Zealand had the chance to elect a government that would really step up on climate, one that would do what Labour did for us with the covid pandemic, and instead we chose to give a majority to a safe, BAU, steady as she goes government.

Again, not to diminish or ignore what is being done. Shifting the government fleet to EVs, and replacing school coal-fired boilers with renewables, are solid actions in and of themselves. We need such actions across all sectors. But this is not going to get us over the line. Ardern might be talking about a plan, but I don’t see it.

Here’s a short list from the green perspective,

For those despairing about lack of government action and leadership, take heart from the activist and regenerative movements who both understand the urgency and are acting. I’m hoping there will be a resurgence of both in 2021. Take to the streets, put in a garden, talk to our neighbours, partners, kids, colleagues about the timing and urgency. Whatever we do, we have to do it now.

67 comments on “Show me the climate action New Zealand ”

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  1. Robert Guyton 1
    15 December 2020 at 9:50 am

    The most effective actions will not be technical ones, per se, but adjustments that foster a change of thinking in people. When I see what the regenerative agriculture farmers are doing, I see technical changes, sure, but it's the stimulation of their thinking, their renewed curiosity, that brings on further, more significant changes; the sowing of mixed-species pastures where there was a monoculture, for example, fosters closer observation, a relationship with more of nature's complexity and an opportunity to break-free from the tyranny of simplification that has warped farming and human thinking.

    • weka 1.1
      15 December 2020 at 10:30 am

      Indeed. Which brings me to the question of how that might happen in different parts of the community.

      • WeTheBleeple 1.1.1
        15 December 2020 at 3:56 pm

        Oh absolutely. So many among that group are now open to extensive tree planting. By allowing farmers to lead farmers while academics there have largely sat back only chiming in where they're useful to the flow… hearts and minds are being changed. I love that group.

  2. Roy Cartland 2
    15 December 2020 at 10:36 am

    I like the idea of the $1B regenag fund. There is still too much of lumping any green, eco-minded farmers in with the greenwashing river-shitters:

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/115734506/farmers-feel-new-zealand-has-turned-its-back-on-them

    The idea needs to change from the top – sack the industrialists and the corporate mega-farmers, support those who really want to be clean.

    • Robert Guyton 2.1
      15 December 2020 at 11:06 am

      And even then, "cleanliness" isn't everything, by any means. The owner of a farm is, in my opinion, naturally obliged to do much better than, "not pollute the waterways". Because they have so much land under their management, they should make sure that they are fairly contributing to the the wider ecosystem health and planetary future; their farms should brim with biodiversity; there should be woodlands and so on. The same should apply to *home-owners with even small sections; biodiversity and vegetation; we owe it to everybody and every "thing" else.

      Big call, I know.

      * Councils too, and roading boards, railways, cycleways…

      • bwaghorn 2.1.1
        15 December 2020 at 3:34 pm

        You will be pleased to know that both the farm I live on and the one I work on have woods and biodiversity all over the show .

        • WeTheBleeple 2.1.1.1
          15 December 2020 at 4:00 pm

          I'm having the arborist in! But really, taking down some privet to extend the food forest to be of a size so I might better educate when touring people through it. And better add resilience to my street. Late to the party, but you know the saying… better late than national.

        • Robert Guyton 2.1.1.2
          15 December 2020 at 4:40 pm

          Pleased?

          More than that – absolutely delighted and grateful!

          Thanks, bwaghorn.

  3. Stuart Munro 3
    15 December 2020 at 11:34 am

    Seed libraries would be a good place to start.

    Government action though? Once there were a bunch of bright but naive progressive MPs. Someone told them a Friedmanite fairytale about investment lifting all boats. They became yuppies, and decided, like Gordon Gecko, that greed was good. Long and bitter experience has utterly debunked the fairytale however. Not even the most utterly corrupt believes that boats will be lifted by the property investment ponzi scheme. But the no-longer progressive MPs have property investments, and do not mean to return to a productive economy, consigning their constituents to massive and growing poverty.

    That wretched pack of self-serving vermin will never do anything for the environment.

    • Leaps 3.1
      15 December 2020 at 12:11 pm

      Sadly I tend to agree with you Stuart. The short election cycle in NZ does not help either. Regardless I think MPs are still talking about rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic rather than actually trying to stop the ship from sinking in the first place. We need some real leadership here to take us to places that many in the populous don't actually want to go to. Having the MSM mindlessly and repetitively repeat all the naysaying from National also does not help.

  4. Adrian Thornton 4
    15 December 2020 at 12:34 pm

    Of course the biggest problem we and the planet face is that most people have been propagandised into such a narrow view of the world, that many can no longer vison a world existing outside the paradigm of the ideology of free market liberalism…and as Ardern is so aptly showing us, even the most well meaning liberal can't operate outside of their ideological framework..and therefore by logical extension can and will never solve climate change.

    The centre (liberals) is an ideology and has proved itself to be as extreme and as brutal as any other that has existed (apart from a couple of obvious outliers)…unfortunately for us and the planet it is also probably one of the most short sighted and selfish and non visionary ideologies to have this much power on the world stage for a long time….even one of architects of that shit concept admitted his dumb ideology was full of serious flaws….

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQFq97ljy3k

    Turn Labour Left!

    • Louis 4.1
      15 December 2020 at 1:01 pm

      "Turn Labour Left!"

      Join the party and work actively within it.

      • Chris 4.1.1
        15 December 2020 at 1:22 pm

        "Join the party and work actively within it."

        I agree with the theory but the thought of doing it turns my stomach.

        • Adrian Thornton 4.1.1.1
          15 December 2020 at 1:40 pm

          "Turn Labour Left!"…Join the party and work actively within it."

          Yeah right…didn't you just see what happened to Corbyn when he tried turning the UK Labour party Left…though at least now we all know who is who and exactly where they stand in UK Left politics/media now I guess….good example is The Guardian, who proved that they are a extreme centre neo liberal media outlet who would rather the Tories in power than a actual Socialist Labour party.

          The NZ Labour party has no interest in Leftist being anywhere near that party today.

        • Louis 4.1.1.2
          15 December 2020 at 1:53 pm

          No one is forcing you, but yelling behind the fence isnt going to do a damn thing.

          • Adrian Thornton 4.1.1.2.1
            15 December 2020 at 2:05 pm

            Don't you worry I do enough to sleep with a clear conscious…

            • Louis 4.1.1.2.1.1
              15 December 2020 at 5:13 pm

              But it wasnt about your conscience though. You end a lot of your comments with "Turn Labour left" but there appears to be no action behind those words.

              • Adrian Thornton …
                15 December 2020 at 5:41 pm

                Well I guess because you don't know me you have no idea what actions I do take…, but as you are on a roll, you just go right ahead and make whatever assumptions about me that take your fancy.

                • Louis …
                  15 December 2020 at 6:14 pm

                  Rather not make assumptions, so how are you turning Labour left?

                  • weka …
                    15 December 2020 at 6:16 pm

                    I'm curious too.

                  • Adrian Thornton …
                    15 December 2020 at 9:37 pm

                    Well seeming as you and weka seem so interested, I guess I can outline some of the things I do to help 'Turn Labour Left!'

                    Firstly I never (well over past twenty years) been interested in being in the Labour Party, mainly because I have much to much of a checkered past to want to have even the slightest chance of being seen as even being a minor player in the progressive movement in NZ. As we all have seen quite clearly, anyone who threatens the Liberal hegemony gets pretty hammered by all sides and by all media, so I could quickly become a liability to the movement if that were to have happened (unlikely though it may have been). Which is a shame as I would love to get in an do battle…but there you go.

                    So I do something more important these days and have been doing so for many years..I plant seeds.

                    I have over the years been in various bands and still am, so of course many tunes and/or shows I am involved in are political…the current bands are The Revolutionary Arts Ensemble and The Anti Art Quartet both of which have done some good political work. The Arts Ensemble has a great show planned for next year called 'Propaganda' celebrating NZ revolutionaries, dissidents and rabble rousers…should be fun and informative.

                    Political poster design and poster runs are something that I have done for many many years…quite effective I think.

                    Stencils and graffitti are also something I have been heavily involved with my whole life (though not as much now as I used too)…generally political.

                    I (with my wife) have a second hand book shop which is of course always well stocked with Left wing books, we actively seek out and buy these Left wing books from around the country and direct all curious youngsters to that section…also the shop itself is known in certain circles as quite a central spot in Hastings for political debate and activity.

                    We have our own Riso printer on site for making the forementioned political posters, I also print t-shirts out the back of the shop ( I am actually here now and should be printing!) so of course print many political t-shirts etc….in fact I have just finished printing a pretty cool 'New Zealand Workers Union' t-shirt based in the old (1940's) Union membership card….got a nice 'The Socialist John A Lee' design just about finished too.

                    Probably plenty of other stuff that I can't remember right now, people are always reminding me of the crazy political ( and other) missions we have done in the past but unfortunately all those years of spray painting and screenprinting and the associated chemicals have ruined my memory ..anyway hope that satisfies your curiosity.

                    • Louis …
                      16 December 2020 at 2:13 pm

                      Thank you for your response. Very impressive work that you do. There's no doubt you're a committed activist doing your bit, but I dont see how that would turn Labour left though and I mean no disrespect in saying that.

          • Chris 4.1.1.2.2
            15 December 2020 at 3:15 pm

            Yeah, and everyone joining the Labour party will?

  5. gsays 5
    15 December 2020 at 12:59 pm

    At an individual level, have a think about one food item that you currently buy from supermarket. Can that be bought from another source, the primary producer perhaps?
    Maybe milk, lots of farm gate sales around the place.

    Once that becomes a habit, try eggs, then bread….

    Supermarkets are not much more than a convenience. Convenience at what cost?

    The diesel miles imbedded in all those food items is unnecessary.

    • Andre 5.1
      15 December 2020 at 1:07 pm

      For those of us that live in cities, how much diesel miles do you think might be involved in buying milk, or strawberries, or eggs, from the farm gate?

      How much more diesel miles might be involved in all of us traipsing around all those different places, compared to the single trip to the supermarket with a stop at the greengrocer on the way?

      Or better yet from an emissions perspective, getting it all delivered by one supermarket vehicle making multiple deliveries in your area on the one trip, rather than making a dedicated trip of your own to the supermarket?

      • Robert Guyton 5.1.1
        15 December 2020 at 1:13 pm

        Send an agent.

      • weka 5.1.2
        15 December 2020 at 2:18 pm

        Think that through Andre. People who are trying to do the right thing find ways to do the right thing.

        People who have acccess to farm gate sales buy from there as they are already driving past or they plan the trip in conjunction with other things. People in cities can shop at the farmers market, organic outlets and such that know where their produce comes from and priorities local. The key point here is to buy local as much as possible (if one can). Local growers will shift more easily to regenag as well.

        What we should be heading for is lots of food grown in neighbourhoods and decentralised markets for food that can't, and long haul for essentials that can't be had any other way and small luxuries.

        Supermarkets are fragile, both with supply chains and reliance on big ag is both polluting and that will fail under climate change. This isn't only about reducing GHG emissions from transport, but also ag, and future proofing food supplies. Monocropped grains are already expected to fail, best we support local growers now so they have time to adapt to the changing climate.

        It's all connected.

        • Andre 5.1.2.1
          15 December 2020 at 2:49 pm

          I'm not sure which I find more gobsmacking: the ignorance of the practical realities of food sourcing and distribution for the majority of NZers shown by commenters from the wops of Otago, Southland and Manawatu, or the smugly superior tone in the Dunning-Kruger that comes through while displaying that ignorance.

          Yes, I do have extended family members involved in small-scale diversified farming with gate sales for the local community. Past and present, here and overseas. They're all privileged to not need to make a living from it, it's what they enjoy doing to pass the time while they live off their wealth.

          I also have friends that need to make a living from their farming activities. The kind of low return on their time that they would get from gate sales is a luxury they can't afford to waste their time on.

          • weka 5.1.2.1.1
            15 December 2020 at 3:05 pm

            Imagine how much money they're going to make when climate change destroys their livelihood.

            There's nothing here saying that everyone has to do this one thing. But there is solid climate action rationale for NZ shifting to relocalised food as much as we can, and those that can do that now are helping a *lot because it changes the market so that small/med growers can make a living from it. The big growers will in time get govt and industry support, but it's the people already setting up those systems that we can support now.

            • WeTheBleeple 5.1.2.1.1.1
              15 December 2020 at 4:12 pm

              Back in the day I worked on a food cooperative that made up boxes of produce for sale to people in our neighborhood. We undercut supermarkets simply by replacing them as middle man. This was voluntary and local Police, hard cases, Maori Wardens and ladies from various community groups all popped in to help on various days.

              The supermarket, as a produce store, was then relatively useless. Cooperative buying is easy. Just build the co-op.

              • Ad …
                15 December 2020 at 4:36 pm

                Market forces like MyFoodBag etc are better.

                There are a few oily-rag volunteer things but they dont last

                • Robert Guyton …
                  15 December 2020 at 4:44 pm

                  Why should they "last"?

                • Andre …
                  15 December 2020 at 4:45 pm

                  Different target audiences.

                  Co-operative efforts like WTB was involved in are mostly aimed at helping those that are struggling.

                  The likes of My Food Bag is aimed at cash-flush time-poor hipsters and yuppies.

                  • WeTheBleeple …
                    15 December 2020 at 5:19 pm

                    On the money. We were working in a poor hood and the idea was to make fresh food cheaper and more accessible. Trimming cost was the goal. Hence volunteers. It's a good social model.

                    My food bag and similar make fresh food/cooking more accessible, they sell time by doing the shopping, thinking and some of the food prep for you, it's a good business model.

                  • Ad …
                    15 December 2020 at 9:47 pm

                    The more useful distinction is that MyFoodBag, Woop, HelloFresh, and SmartFood, and the US Blue Apron all have the heft to go head to head for buying power against the oligopolistic supermarkets.

                    https://www.myfoodbag.co.nz/sustainability

                    Whereas your small scale food co-op will be good for just a few locals. Supermarkets retain all their consumer dominance.

                    If you want to go further up the virtue-spiral you go for EatMyLunch, which is where you really harness the power of the consumer towards delivering free meals to those in need.

          • Robert Guyton 5.1.2.1.2
            15 December 2020 at 4:43 pm

            Nice flurry of personal attacks, Andre!

            Feeling the Christmas spirit, I see.

        • gsays 5.1.2.2
          15 December 2020 at 6:54 pm

          The stance the duopoly takes in their contracts with primary producers is another undesirable aspect of their business model.

          My in-laws grew yams. When they traded with the supermarket, they were verbotten to sell at the local market. They made a recipes and a photo card to go on the plastic 'bread- bag tag'. Advertising or promoting the tubers was similarly a no-no.

          This is as much about weaning off convenience as forming different habits.

          Habits that, I hope, get us supporting smaller local suppliers should we go through a disruption akin to Level4.

          Hopefully there is a bright spark somewhere developing the Pandemic Preparedness Plan (snazzy title) as part of the Food Control Plan for small businesses.

          • weka 5.1.2.2.1
            15 December 2020 at 8:39 pm

            Interesting re the pandemic. We were all happy to go out and support NZ tourism and hospo businesses to make those small businesses work. The main difference between covid and climate change is the timeframes and scales, but I don't see a huge difference between making an effort to support local in one sector and the other.

      • gsays 5.1.3
        15 December 2020 at 7:03 pm

        "For those of us that live in cities, how much diesel miles do you think might be involved in buying milk, or strawberries, or eggs, from the farm gate?"

        Well there are a lot of you, maybe one could go on behalf of several of y'all.

        "How much more diesel miles might be involved in all of us traipsing around all those different places, compared to the single trip to the supermarket with a stop at the greengrocer on the way?"

        I think that is the same question asked a different way.

        "Or better yet from an emissions perspective, getting it all delivered by one supermarket vehicle making multiple deliveries in your area on the one trip, rather than making a dedicated trip of your own to the supermarket?"

        With your emissions calculations you seem to have left out the stuff that occurs before the sale of the goods.

        • Andre 5.1.3.1
          15 December 2020 at 7:34 pm

          I have no desire to faff around with my neighbours organising shared trips to the countryside to buy food, when going to a supermarket is a tiny fraction of the time and distance. Nor do they have that desire, either. We don't do shared laundry either. Or share any of the other myriad routine chores in ordinary life that are quicker and easier done on an individual basis, when needed.

          The calculations for emissions before the sale of goods goes something like this:

          A truck with an empty weight of 20 tons can carry a payload of 20,000kg. Fully loaded, it gets around 2km/litre. A milk truck runs an efficient route minimising distance travelled for maximum collection of milk from the farms on their route, to collect from farms to deliver to the factory. Same for other forms of of food.

          A car travelling to a farm (or supermarket) to collect produce weighs 1.5 tons, to collect just a few kilos of payload, and gets 10 km/litre.

          The entire food distribution system gets food to people in trucks carrying quantities of food sufficient for thousands of families, at a fuel use rate only five times more than cars driving around getting food for one family. That's better efficiency by a factor in the hundreds.

          The supermarket delivery van might deliver to ten families on its route, while maybe using only twice the fuel of an individual family trip to the supermarket. That's an efficiency improvement by a factor of around five. And the supermarket ordering and delivery system does the collating of orders into an efficient delivery run, instead of the multiple going around and around in circles involved in individuals trying to organise a shared run out to get some milk from a farm.

          • Ad 5.1.3.1.1
            15 December 2020 at 9:39 pm

            You cash-rich time-poor hipsters will just have to slum it with the rest of the haute-bourgeoisie.

            If only we could all band together and get the people with no money and need to buy food, together with the people who want food prepared for them and have lots of money and no time ………….. that would very scarily be called a business model.

            • WeTheBleeple 5.1.3.1.1.1
              16 December 2020 at 11:34 am

              A big part of the issue is obviously food miles. Where we can cut down on these a perceived environmental benefit is there. But this also enhances business models with less time and energy required to get goods to their stores. Goods are goods, where they came from should not matter to a business model provided they've goods to sell.

              I'm a big fan of producing as much as we can locally, and encouraging seasonal eating via celebrity chefs and PR aimed at doing exactly that. But some people fancy themselves as civilised by demanding whatever they want whenever they want it. Maybe some should get over themselves and their selfish pursuit of crappiness.

              This is not about business vs social models, I don't know why each social model is met with fierce resistance and deemed some kind of looney left scenario. Life should be based around community, work around serving the community – not this sad and soulless search for profits. Society without society is just a big boring wankfest of glass skyscrapers.

              "And, in the death, as the last few corpses lay rotting on the slimy thoroughfare, shutters lifted an inch or two in Temperance building, high on Poacher's Hill, and red mutant eyes gazed down on Hunger City. No more big wheels. Fleas the size of rats sucked on rats the size of cats and ten thousand peoploids split into small tribes coveting the highest of the sterile skyscrapers." – David Bowie.

  6. Bob – [a different Bob] 6
    15 December 2020 at 2:25 pm

    Folk in this country won't do anything until their home or holiday batch falls into the sea – then they might realise all the warnings are grounded. NZ has many properties situation close to the sea so we won't have to wait long for this issue to raise it's head. It has already done so in terms of Insurance companies warning that soon many NZ properties will not be insurable – due to rising sea levels.

    The government are to electrify their entire fleet – but this seems unrealistic because there is still a massive shortfall in charging venues around the country – especially the South Island. To enact some of these policies requires spending – that filthy word for the neo-libs – to ensure adequate infrastructure to keep the fleet actually on the road.

    [This user handle is already in use here. Could you please use a different one to help distinguishing between different commenters? This is the third time I’ve asked you this question – Incognito]

    • weka 6.1
      15 December 2020 at 3:10 pm

      My problem with the EV BAU thing is the GHGs emitted to build all the new vehicles, now and going forward. Way better for NZ to support some EV transition and put major effort (funding, infrastructure and education) into public and active transport. And for NZers to change how and when they travel.

  7. Ad 7
    15 December 2020 at 3:54 pm

    At some point they are going to have to wrestle Waka Kotahi NZTA to be a climate friend. Dropping $1.1billion on highway construction overruns in just 1 year kinda puts any rehab fund in context.

    After that there's Transpower.

    Then a foundational look at the electricity regulator and EECA.

    Even the most active consumers can't resist these government entities for climate damage.

  8. Scud 8
    15 December 2020 at 4:09 pm

    I think this yrs Cyclone Season is going to wake everyone up across our Sth Pacific Region and in particular NZ & Oz. It will be interesting to see how both countries responded not within each other respective countries, but how it responds in the Sth Pacific while try to mount two concurrent Humanitarian And Disaster Relief (HADR) operations be it on the home front or in the Sth Pacific.

    The other would be that the resilience of our own infrastructure within Australia and New Zealand when we have had political parties/ politicians who seem to think that run down public service infrastructure including Government departments such as Health, CD, KiwiRail, Defence etc and deferred maintenance is saving money, when in fact it doesn’t save any money in the long run.

  9. Robert Guyton 9
    15 December 2020 at 9:53 pm

    “We are trying to recreate that movement of the bison and the birds across our fields. We never till. Our motto is carbon down, carbon down, carbon down. But, I find it widely inadequate to measure our success by the amount of carbon in the soil.”

    https://greendreamer.com/podcast/jesse-mcdougall-studio-hill-farm

  10. Robert Guyton 10
    15 December 2020 at 10:13 pm

    "I have no doubt that we will be successful in harnessing the sun's energy… If sunbeams were weapons of war, we would have had solar energy centuries ago."

    – George Porter

    (As quoted in The Observer, 26 August 1973)

  11. Scud 11
    15 December 2020 at 11:33 pm

    I found this over at the Wings Over New Zealand (WONZ) forum site. The incoming briefing for the new Defence Minister a brief and found this on CC. But I’m reading this brief and dot brief point 72.

    RESPONDING TO THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
    Climate change will be one of the greatest security challenges in the coming decades – the risk of concurrent and more extreme weather events is increasing. The links between climate change and conflict are indirect but demonstrable. When the effects of climate change intersect with a complex array of environmental and social issues, these can be significant contributors to both low-level and more violent conflict.
    In support of the wider New Zealand Government work programme on climate change, Defence has taken a proactive approach to promoting global recognition of climate change as a security risk and to integrate climate change into Defence activities and decision-making processes. Since 2018, Defence has recognised climate change as a major driver of military operations and capability decisions going forward.
    The impacts of climate change will require more humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, stability operations, and search and rescue missions.
    The NZDF may be faced with more frequent and concurrent operational commitments that will stretch resources and may reduce readiness for other requirements.
    Defence has made a commitment to make sustainable changes to our operations as part of our commitment to identifying, addressing and minimising the
    impacts of climate change to our communities and international partners.

  13. Phillip ure 13
    16 December 2020 at 1:07 pm

    group-buying-locally will achieve s.f.a…as far as the big picture is concerned..

    and I know most of you find it impossible to even countenance this..

    that it makes most of you deeply uncomfortable..

    but stopping the enslaving/eating of animals will see serious 'climate-action'..

    the environmental and moral pressures will have to merge..for this to happen..

    but it will happen..

    much as human slavery was on the wrong side of history..

    ..so is animal-slavery..

    • The Al1en 13.1
      16 December 2020 at 1:18 pm

      Deeply uncomfortable to a few, animals are a food source to many, so no moral pressure there to worry about.

      Changing some animal husbandry practices and farming for local markets will substantially reduce carbon emissions. That is serious climate action.

  14. Sanctuary 14
    16 December 2020 at 1:54 pm

    Did you know that if in the USA just pet food was replaced by GE engineered lab grown meat it would reduce US meat consumption by 25-30% , and have an even bigger impact on the carbon footprint of that level of production (because lab meat in grown in situ, not shipped and processed and shipped again)?

    https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170802142835.htm

    Makes you wonder why the Greens keep insisting on keeping their utterly ridiculous stance on GE research, if they were serious about climate change they'd embrace GE meat for pets and humans (because good luck telling the developing world they can't have a protein rich diet like yours) as soon as possible. But the won't because anti-science as as much core belief of a lot of Greens as it is of a lot of anti-science Evangelicals.

    In fact a strong, science led Green response to climate change would embrace nuclear power as an interim solution where practical, GE engineering as a way to reduce carbon output from agriculture and champion government funding for things like fusion power research.

    • Robert Guyton 14.1
      16 December 2020 at 2:28 pm

      It's possible to be serious about both climate change and GE.

      In fact, a responsible political party would be careful not to compromise itself by sacrificing one important issue in favour of another.

    • WeTheBleeple 14.2
      16 December 2020 at 3:19 pm

      Nukes and GE and blame the Greens.

      great plan.

    • Robert Guyton 14.3
      16 December 2020 at 3:50 pm

      "In fact a strong, science led Green response to" everything is what we've come to expect and get from The Greens.

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  • Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    35 mins ago

  • Melissa Lee and the media: ending the quest
    Chris Trotter writes –  MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 hours ago

  • The Hoon around the week to April 19
    TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 hours ago

  • The ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
    Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 hours ago

  • Nicola's Salad Days.
    I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 hours ago

  • Study sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
    TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 hours ago

  • Weekly Roundup 19-April-2024
    It’s Friday again. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week on Greater Auckland On Tuesday Matt covered at the government looking into a long tunnel for Wellington. On Wednesday we ran a post from Oscar Simms on some lessons from Texas. AT’s ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    5 hours ago

  • Jack Vowles: Stop the panic – we’ve been here before
    New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’.  The data is from February this ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 hours ago

  • Clearing up confusion (or trying to)
    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    8 hours ago

  • How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log iPhone Without Computer
    How to Retrieve Deleted Call Log on iPhone Without a Computer: A Step–by–Step Guide Losing your iPhone call history can be frustrating, especially when you need to find a specific number or recall an important conversation. But before you panic, know that there are ways to retrieve deleted call logs on your iPhone, even without a computer. This guide will explore various methods, ranging from simple checks to utilizing iCloud backups and third–party applications. So, let‘s dive in and recover those lost calls! 1. Check Recently Deleted Folder: Apple understands that accidental deletions happen. That‘s why they introduced the “Recently Deleted“ folder for various apps, including the Phone app. This folder acts as a safety net, storing deleted call logs for up to 30 days before permanently erasing them. Here‘s how to check it: Open the Phone app on your iPhone. Tap on the “Recents“ tab at the bottom. Scroll to the top and tap on “Edit“. Select “Show Recently Deleted“. Browse the list to find the call logs you want to recover. Tap on the desired call log and choose “Recover“ to restore it to your call history. 2. Restore from iCloud Backup: If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you might be able to retrieve your deleted call log from a previous backup. However, keep in mind that this process will restore your entire phone to the state it was in at the time of the backup, potentially erasing any data added since then. Here‘s how to restore from an iCloud backup: Go to Settings > General > Reset. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings“. Follow the on–screen instructions. Your iPhone will restart and show the initial setup screen. Choose “Restore from iCloud Backup“ during the setup process. Select the relevant backup that contains your deleted call log. Wait for the restoration process to complete. 3. Explore Third–Party Apps (with Caution): ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    10 hours ago

  • How to Factory Reset iPhone without Computer: A Comprehensive Guide to Restoring your Device
    Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    16 hours ago

  • How to Call Someone on a Computer: A Guide to Voice and Video Communication in the Digital Age
    Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    17 hours ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #16 2024
    Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications: Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
    Skeptical Science
    17 hours ago

  • Where on a Computer is the Operating System Generally Stored? Delving into the Digital Home of your ...
    The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    18 hours ago

  • How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Understanding Power Consumption and Efficiency
    Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    18 hours ago

  • How to Screen Record on a Dell Laptop A Guide to Capturing Your Screen with Ease
    Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    18 hours ago

  • How Much Does it Cost to Fix a Laptop Screen? Navigating Repair Options and Costs
    A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    18 hours ago

  • How Long Do Gaming Laptops Last? Demystifying Lifespan and Maximizing Longevity
    Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    18 hours ago

  • Climate Change: Turning the tide
    The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    19 hours ago

  • How to Unlock Your Computer A Comprehensive Guide to Regaining Access
    Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    20 hours ago

  • Faxing from Your Computer A Modern Guide to Sending Documents Digitally
    While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    20 hours ago

  • Protecting Your Home Computer A Guide to Cyber Awareness
    In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    20 hours ago

  • Server-Based Computing Powering the Modern Digital Landscape
    In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    20 hours ago

  • Vroom vroom go the big red trucks
    The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    20 hours ago

  • Jones finds $410,000 to help the government muscle in on a spat project
    Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    21 hours ago

  • Again, hate crimes are not necessarily terrorism.
    Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    1 day ago

  • Despair – construction consenting edition
    Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Coalition promises – will the Govt keep the commitment to keep Kiwis equal before the law?
    Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • An impermanent public service is a guarantee of very little else but failure
    Chris Trotter writes –  The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • What happens after the war – Mariupol
    Mariupol, on the Azov Sea coast, was one of the first cities to suffer almost complete destruction after the start of the Ukraine War started in late February 2022. We remember the scenes of absolute destruction of the houses and city structures. The deaths of innocent civilians – many of ...
    Open ParachuteBy Ken
    1 day ago

  • Babies and benefits – no good news
    Lindsay Mitchell writes – Ten years ago, I wrote the following in a Listener column: Every year around one in five new-born babies will be reliant on their caregivers benefit by Christmas. This pattern has persisted from at least 1993. For Maori the number jumps to over one in three.  ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    1 day ago

  • Should the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
    Climate change is expected to generate more and more extreme events, delivering a sort of structural shock to inflation that central banks will have to react to as if they were short-term cyclical issues. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours, as of 9:16 am on Thursday, April 18 are:Housing: Tauranga residents living in boats, vans RNZ Checkpoint Louise TernouthHousing: Waikato councillor says wastewater plant issues could hold up Sleepyhead building a massive company town Waikato Times Stephen ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the public sector carnage, and misogyny as terrorism
    It’s a simple deal. We pay taxes in order to finance the social services we want and need. The carnage now occurring across the public sector though, is breaking that contract. Over 3,000 jobs have been lost so far. Many are in crucial areas like Education where the impact of ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    1 day ago

  • Meeting the Master Baiters
    Hi,A friend had their 40th over the weekend and decided to theme it after Curb Your Enthusiasm fashion icon Susie Greene. Captured in my tiny kitchen before I left the house, I ending up evoking a mix of old lesbian and Hillary Clinton — both unintentional.Me vs Hillary ClintonIf you’re ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • How extreme was the Earth's temperature in 2023
    This is a re-post from Andrew Dessler at the Climate Brink blog In 2023, the Earth reached temperature levels unprecedented in modern times. Given that, it’s reasonable to ask: What’s going on? There’s been lots of discussions by scientists about whether this is just the normal progression of global warming or if something ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 day ago

  • Backbone, revisited
    The schools are on holiday and the sun is shining in the seaside village and all day long I have been seeing bunches of bikes; Mums, Dads, teens and toddlers chattering, laughing, happy, having a bloody great time together. Cheers, AT, for the bits of lane you’ve added lately around the ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Ministers are not above the law
    Today in our National-led authoritarian nightmare: Shane Jones thinks Ministers should be above the law: New Zealand First MP Shane Jones is accusing the Waitangi Tribunal of over-stepping its mandate by subpoenaing a minister for its urgent hearing on the Oranga Tamariki claim. The tribunal is looking into the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 days ago

  • What’s the outfit you can hear going down the gurgler? Probably it’s David Parker’s Oceans Sec...
    Buzz from the Beehive Point  of Order first heard of the Oceans Secretariat in June 2021, when David Parker (remember him?) announced a multi-agency approach to protecting New Zealand’s marine ecosystems and fisheries. Parker (holding the Environment, and Oceans and Fisheries portfolios) broke the news at the annual Forest & ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    2 days ago

  • Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Bryce Edwards writes  – Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • Matt Doocey doubles down on trans “healthcare”
    Citizen Science writes –  Last week saw two significant developments in the debate over the treatment of trans-identifying children and young people – the release in Britain of the final report of Dr Hilary Cass’s review into gender healthcare, and here in New Zealand, the news that the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    2 days ago

  • A TikTok Prime Minister.
    One night while sleeping in my bed I had a beautiful dreamThat all the people of the world got together on the same wavelengthAnd began helping one anotherNow in this dream, universal love was the theme of the dayPeace and understanding and it happened this wayAfter such an eventful day ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • Texas Lessons
    This is a guest post by Oscar Simms who is a housing activist, volunteer for the Coalition for More Homes, and was the Labour Party candidate for Auckland Central at the last election. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's pick 'n' mix of the news links at 6:06 am
    The top six news links I’ve seen elsewhere in the last 24 hours as of 6:06 am on Wednesday, April 17 are:Must read: Secrecy shrouds which projects might be fast-tracked RNZ Farah HancockScoop: Revealed: Luxon has seven staffers working on social media content - partly paid for by taxpayer Newshub ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago

  • Fighting poverty on the holiday highway
    Turning what Labour called the “holiday highway” into a four-lane expressway from Auckland to Whangarei could bring at least an economic benefit of nearly two billion a year for Northland each year. And it could help bring an end to poverty in one of New Zealand’s most deprived regions. The ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    2 days ago

  • Bernard's six-stack of substacks at 6:26 pm
    Tonight’s six-stack includes: launching his substack with a bunch of his previous documentaries, including this 1992 interview with Dame Whina Cooper. and here crew give climate activists plenty to do, including this call to submit against the Fast Track Approvals bill. writes brilliantly here on his substack ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • At a glance – Is the science settled?
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Apposite Quotations.
    How Long Is Long Enough? Gaza under Israeli bombardment, July 2014. This posting is exclusive to Bowalley Road. ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • What’s a life worth now?
    You're in the mall when you hear it: some kind of popping sound in the distance, kids with fireworks, maybe. But then a moment of eerie stillness is followed by more of the fireworks sound and there’s also screaming and shrieking and now here come people running for their lives.Does ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago

  • Howling at the Moon
    Karl du Fresne writes –  There’s a crisis in the news media and the media are blaming it on everyone except themselves. Culpability is being deflected elsewhere – mainly to the hapless Minister of Communications, Melissa Lee, and the big social media platforms that are accused of hoovering ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Newshub is Dead.
    I don’t normally send out two newsletters in a day but I figured I’d say something about… the news. If two newsletters is a bit much then maybe just skip one, I don’t want to overload people. Alternatively if you’d be interested in sometimes receiving multiple, smaller updates from me, ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • Seymour is chuffed about cutting early-learning red tape – but we hear, too, that Jones has loose...
    Buzz from the Beehive David Seymour and Winston Peters today signalled that at least two ministers of the Crown might be in Wellington today. Seymour (as Associate Minister of Education) announced the removal of more red tape, this time to make it easier for new early learning services to be ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    3 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Will politicians let democracy die in the darkness?
    Politicians across the political spectrum are implicated in the New Zealand media’s failing health. Either through neglect or incompetent interventions, successive governments have failed to regulate, foster, and allow a healthy Fourth Estate that can adequately hold politicians and the powerful to account. Our political system is suffering from the ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Was Hawkesby entirely wrong?
    David Farrar  writes –  The Broadcasting Standards Authority ruled: Comments by radio host Kate Hawkesby suggesting Māori and Pacific patients were being prioritised for surgery due to their ethnicity were misleading and discriminatory, the Broadcasting Standards Authority has found. It is a fact such patients are prioritised. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • PRC shadow looms as the Solomons head for election
    PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans. Cleo Paskall writes – On April 17th the Solomon Islands, a country of ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Criminal ecocide
    We are in the middle of a climate crisis. Last year was (again) the hottest year on record. NOAA has just announced another global coral bleaching event. Floods are threatening UK food security. So naturally, Shane Jones wants to make it easier to mine coal: Resources Minister Shane Jones ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Is saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
    Is speeding up the trip to and from Wellington airport by 12 minutes worth spending up more than $10 billion? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are:The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • Long Tunnel or Long Con?
    Yesterday it was revealed that Transport Minister had asked Waka Kotahi to look at the options for a long tunnel through Wellington. State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    3 days ago

  • Smoke And Mirrors.
    You're a fraud, and you know itBut it's too good to throw it all awayAnyone would do the sameYou've got 'em goingAnd you're careful not to show itSometimes you even fool yourself a bitIt's like magicBut it's always been a smoke and mirrors gameAnyone would do the sameForty six billion ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago

  • What is Mexico doing about climate change?
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections The June general election in Mexico could mark a turning point in ensuring that the country’s climate policies better reflect the desire of its citizens to address the climate crisis, with both leading presidential candidates expressing support for renewable energy. Mexico is the ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • State of humanity, 2024
    2024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?When I say 2024 I really mean the state of humanity in 2024.Saturday night, we watched Civil War because that is one terrifying cliff we've ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    4 days ago

  • Govt’s Wellington tunnel vision aims to ease the way to the airport (but zealous promoters of cycl...
    Buzz from the Beehive A pet project and governmental tunnel vision jump out from the latest batch of ministerial announcements. The government is keen to assure us of its concern for the wellbeing of our pets. It will be introducing pet bonds in a change to the Residential Tenancies Act ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The case for cultural connectedness
    A recent report generated from a Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) survey of 1,224 rangatahi Māori aged 11-12 found: Cultural connectedness was associated with fewer depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and better quality of life. That sounds cut and dry. But further into the report the following appears: Cultural connectedness is ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Useful context on public sector job cuts
    David Farrar writes –    The Herald reports: From the gory details of job-cuts news, you’d think the public service was being eviscerated.   While the media’s view of the cuts is incomplete, it’s also true that departments have been leaking the particulars faster than a Wellington ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell On When Racism Comes Disguised As Anti-racism
    Remember the good old days, back when New Zealand had a PM who could think and speak calmly and intelligently in whole sentences without blustering? Even while Iran’s drones and missiles were still being launched, Helen Clark was live on TVNZ expertly summing up the latest crisis in the Middle ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Govt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
    Costello did not pass on analysis of the benefits of the smokefree reforms to Cabinet, emphasising instead the extra tax revenues of repealing them. Photo: Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are:The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • True Blue.
    True loveYou're the one I'm dreaming ofYour heart fits me like a gloveAnd I'm gonna be true blueBaby, I love youI’ve written about the job cuts in our news media last week. The impact on individuals, and the loss to Aotearoa of voices covering our news from different angles.That by ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Who is running New Zealand’s foreign policy?
    While commentators, including former Prime Minister Helen Clark, are noting a subtle shift in New Zealand’s foreign policy, which now places more emphasis on the United States, many have missed a key element of the shift. What National said before the election is not what the government is doing now. ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #15
    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 7, 2024 thru Sat, April 13, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week is about adults in the room setting terms and conditions of ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Feline Friends and Fragile Fauna The Complexities of Cats in New Zealand’s Conservation Efforts

    Cats, with their independent spirit and beguiling purrs, have captured the hearts of humans for millennia. In New Zealand, felines are no exception, boasting the highest national cat ownership rate globally [definition cat nz cat foundation]. An estimated 1.134 million pet cats grace Kiwi households, compared to 683,000 dogs ...

    Gareth’s WorldBy admin
    5 days ago

  • Or is that just they want us to think?
    Nice guy, that Peter Williams. Amiable, a calm air of no-nonsense capability, a winning smile. Everything you look for in a TV presenter and newsreader.I used to see him sometimes when I went to TVNZ to be a talking head or a panellist and we would yarn. Nice guy, that ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • Fact Brief – Did global warming stop in 1998?
    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Did global warming stop in ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • Arguing over a moot point.
    I have been following recent debates in the corporate and social media about whether it is a good idea for NZ to join what is known as “AUKUS Pillar Two.” AUKUS is the Australian-UK-US nuclear submarine building agreement in which … Continue reading → ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    6 days ago

  • No Longer Trusted: Ageing Boomers, Laurie & Les, Talk Politics.
    Turning Point: “What has turned me away from the mainstream news media is the very strong message that its been sending out for the last few years.” “And what message might that be?” “That the people who own it, the people who run it, and the people who provide its content, really don’t ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Mortgage rates at 10% anyone?
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  • Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visit
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  • Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the Philippines
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  • Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic Partnership
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  • Prime Minister Luxon acknowledges legacy of Singapore Prime Minister Lee
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  • Antarctica New Zealand Board appointments
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