David Farrar: Who have been the Paris Agreement Heros and Zeros

The Paris Agreement was done in 2015, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The latest data is for 2024, so I thought it would be interesting to see which countries have had the largest decreases and increases.

Roger Partridge: An affront to democracy?

Mike Smith, the climate activist suing six of New Zealand’s largest companies over greenhouse gas emissions, is unhappy. On Tuesday, the Government announced it will amend the Climate Change Response Act 2002 to stop cases like his and others like it. Smith calls the move “an affront to democracy.”

He has the wrong end of the stick.

David Farrar: The cost of turning off gas

Labour and Greens want us to run out of gas, having banned future exploration. They think the country can be powered by 100% renewables.

One problem is that many New Zealanders have gas powered heating and cooking. So what would be the cost of doing away with gas?

We now have an answer with this analysis by Castalia for the Gas Industry Company.

They find:

Clive Bibby: At last some common sense based on what is best for all New Zealanders

As a farmer, and conservative voter, having survived two climate events that almost wiped us out, I am relieved and grateful that finally, our Government has the balls to at least partially abandon a policy that would have destroyed our ability to pay our way.

And for what!

John Raine & Bryan Leyland: A Realistic Energy Future

The 23rd July 2025 USA Department of Energy (DoE) Report, “A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate” [1], authored by five eminent scientists, brought some balance back into the climate change debate, and outrage from many in the climate science community. The report exposed significant alarmism in the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) statements on anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) and climate change, projected temperature rise and extreme weather events. The DoE report is against apocalyptic projections, far more moderate in its findings, and underlines the fact that science is NEVER settled. In a recent article [2], it was noted that:

Centrist: Why is New Zealand sticking to UN climate rules when everyone else is walking away?

Nearly every major country ignored the UN’s February deadline to submit new emissions-reduction plans—except for New Zealand and a handful of others.

While global powers like China, India, and the EU delayed or outright ignored the requirement, New Zealand lined up with just nine other nations to comply.

Ian Bradford: It is most likely going to get colder not warmer

The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), is a scientific body under the auspices of the United Nations.  It was established in 1988. The IPCC produces reports that support the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).  IPCC reports contain a Summary for Policy Holders- the most cited documents. 

Owen Jennings: Now Here’s a Funny Thing

Airlines have trees to offset their CO2 Greenhouse Gas emissions. That’s recognised and acceptable. More than that it is encouraged and subsidised.

Farmers have grasses to offset their CH4 (methane) Greenhouse Gas emissions. That’s not recognised and it’s not acceptable. More than that, they are heavily criticised and are threatened with severe penalties.

Dr Eric Crampton: Consenting, Carbon, and Councils

Policy problems should be dealt with by the level and part of government best placed to deal with them.

Good public policy should recognise subsidiarity. Local problems should be dealt with locally. But not all problems are local. A council issuing its own currency to address perceived failures in national-level monetary policy would not be a great idea.

Ele Ludemann: At last some science

Is getting rid of plastic really good for the environment?

Substituting plastics with alternative materials is likely to result in increased GHG emissions, according to research from the University of Sheffield.

The study by Dr. Fanran Meng from Sheffield’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Cambridge and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, has revealed the emissions associated with plastic products compared to their alternatives.

Guest Post: NZ Cannot Afford a Generous NDC Gesture

Posted on BFD by J M White

There is no New Zealand left for anyone to aspire to. Most NZ citizens couldn’t even tell you now what a New Zealander is since the very definition of the nation was destroyed by replacing identity with ideology.

Once a government starts distributing national resources to groups and foreign countries, everyone on both sides of the ideological divide realises that there is no more national interest and little point in working toward anything but gaining a maximum economic distribution to their own identity groups.

David Farrar: 100,000 people flying to climate conference!

This is astonishing. Over 100,000 people are attending (and almost all flying) to the latest annual climate change conference. The numbers attending used to be 5,000 or so which was reasonable for a conference with 150+ countries represented, but now you have 100,000 people going.

Michael John Schmidt: The intransigent and failed policies of the Greens and Labour re - oil and gas development in Taranaki

Intransigent Policies

In April 2018, the New Zealand Government announced that it would no longer issue new offshore oil and gas exploration permits in order to “transition toward a low-carbon economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions”.

I have just finished reading the Greens’ 2023 election policies which affirm a continued ban on oil and gas exploration in Taranaki.

Peter Williams: Don't tell Greta

Or Mr Guterres either

Don’t tell the climate alarmists.

Don’t tell the Secretary General of the United Nations.

The world is using more oil than ever.

Oh, and more coal than ever as well.