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NEW ZEALAND ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT DIGEST May 19, 2004
ENERGY INDUSTRY
Dunedin-based Aurora bids $57m for Network Waitaki
NZPA 11/05/2004
Aurora Energy Ltd, a Dunedin-based lines company, has put in a $57 million bid to buy the North Otago power lines company Network Waitaki Ltd. More & http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2903339a13,00.html
Australia's pipeline trust eyes New Zealand's NGC
Reuters 12/05/2004
The Australian Pipeline Trust, Australi's biggest natural gas pipeline investor, is in talks with New Zealand energy distributor NGC Holdings over the possible acquisition of a majority stake, sources said. Sources said on Tuesday APT was looking to buy the Australian Gas Light Company's 66 per cent interest in NGC, in what would be the pipeline giant's first offshore acquisition. More & http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2904490a6026,00.html
Power profits keep rolling in
New Zealand Herald 17/05/2004
Trustpower, the Tauranga-based electricity generator and retailer, lifted net profit 32 per cent in the last March year despite having fewer customers. The company's customer numbers fell from 274,000 to 224,000, after it pulled out of its residential retail business in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. This caused a 5 per cent reduction in revenue for the year, but its expenses fell 8 per cent. More & http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/businessstorydisplay.cfm?storyID=3566707&thesection=business&thesubsection=energy&thesecondsubsection=electricity
CONSERVATION
Green plan to keep light foot on gas
New Zealand Herald 17/05/2004
Surging petrol and diesel prices, and looming vehicle pollution controls, will fuel the launch in Auckland tomorrow of a scheme for companies to boost transport efficiency. The Sustainable Business Network, with about 350 members ranging from self-employed contractors to big car brands and corporates such as IAG Insurance and Fuji Xerox, is exhorting businesses to enrol in its GreenFleet transport programme. More &. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3566769&thesection=news&thesubsection=general
Plant a tree at Long Bay
Scoop.co.nz 12/05/2004
As winter approaches, Aucklanders are being invited to pick up a spade to help Auckland Regional Council plant as many as 100,000 native trees in regional parks. More & http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0405/S00058.htm
Catastrophic loss of wild bamboo threatens pandas, mountain gorillas UN
Scoop.co.nz 12/05/2004
With such iconic wildlife species as the giant panda, mountain gorilla and lemur facing an even-greater struggle for survival because of the "catastrophic loss" of wild bamboo, the United Nations environmental agency today called for urgent action to halt the "massive forest destruction" threatening this vital habitat. More & http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0405/S00118.htm
GENETIC ENGINEERING
Government plays down discovery of contaminated seeds
New Zealand Herald 12/05/2004
The Government today played down a discovery of imported maize seed contaminated with genetically engineered (GE) material saying while New Zealand's zero tolerance law had been broken, contamination was "minuscule". Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) director of plant biosecurity Richard Ivess said today that a large quantity of the GE contaminated seed was likely to have been planted and harvested but the level of contamination was "extremely low". More & http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?reportID=53009
Nation's first GE farm sold for $3m
NZPA 15/05/2004
New Zealand's first and biggest farm for genetically-engineered (GE) livestock has been cleared of GE sheep, and sold for over $3 million. But a strong critic of farming GE livestock has questioned whether environmental agencies should be allowed to sign-off on the King Country property, effectively declaring it to be free of harmful organisms. More & http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2907808a7693,00.html
ECOLOGY
World landscape architect to tour NZ
Scoop.co.nz 13/05/2004
One of the worlds leading landscape architectural experts Robert Thayer is visiting New Zealand next month on a foundation scholarship. Thayer, from California, is the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects first Education Foundation scholar. He will speak in nine New Zealand cities and town between June 14 and July 9. Thayer is a world renowned landscape architect with particular expertise in and passion for ecology and cultural landscapes. More & http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0405/S00121.htm
RECYCLING
Disposable nappies mean babies dump two tonnes each
Scoop.co.nz 15/05/2004
Cloth nappies will be making a comeback if Green Party MP Mike Ward and Angela Dixon of Funkybumz have their way. The two waste campaigners will this weekend launch a nationwide campaign in Hamilton to persuade parents to get their babies out of disposable nappies. More &. http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0405/S00307.htm
Dell Targets 50 Percent Increase in Recovery Rate of Used Computer Products
Businesswire.com 13/05/2004
Dell has set the aggressive goal to increase recovery of used computer products by 50 percent over the amount collected in Dell's fiscal year 2004, which ended on Jan. 30. More &
GLOBAL WARMING
Impasse on global warming deepens
Sydney Morning Herald 17/05/2004
Big business has effectively ruled itself out of the climate change debate after failing to agree on central strategies or facts, including whether global warming exists. Coal and aluminium producers within the Business Council of Australia, which represents Australia's largest 100 companies, beat plans to back the Kyoto protocol on climate change last year. More & http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/16/1084646069551.html
Wetter World Counters Greenhouse Gases -Scientists
Reuters 12/05/2004
Australian scientists have found the Earth may be more resilient to global warming than first thought, and they say a warmer world means a wetter planet, encouraging more plants to grow and soak up greenhouse gases. More &
Inuit 'poisoned from afar' by climate change
New Zealand Herald 13/05/2004
The Inuit living in the Arctic region are being "poisoned from afar" as climate change takes its toll on the area and threatens their existence, the head of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference said on Wednesday. More & http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=3566174&thesection=news&thesubsection=world&thesecondsubsection=&reportid=57030
KYOTO PROTOCOL
Govt attacks Nats over Kyoto
NZPA 14/05/2004
The Government has attacked National for saying it would pull out of the Kyoto climate change protocol. National environment spokesman Nick Smith told a Federated Farmers meeting in Nelson that a National government would opt out of the agreement if the United States and Australia didn't sign up. More & http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2906757a7693,00.html
Japan says it may not meet Kyoto targets
The Associated Press 15/05/2004
Japan, a staunch advocate of the Kyoto protocol on global warming, may not meet its targets for cutting pollution unless it takes drastic action. Environmentalists criticize Tokyo for making renewable energy such as wind and solar power a low priority. More &. http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/lateststories/index.ssf?/base/international-6/1084613940241670.xml
EU sees Russia ratifying Kyoto
Reuters 16/05/2004
The European Union sees Russia ratifying the Kyoto Protocol on global warming soon in connection with its efforts to enter the World Trade Organisation, EU environment ministers said at the weekend. Though the ministers declined to draw a specific link between Russia's WTO entry and its support of Kyoto, they said the two issues were clearly important to Moscow. More & http://www.forbes.com/business/energy/newswire/2004/05/16/rtr1373103.html
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ACT
RMA review will waste time and money
Scoop.co.nz 14/05/2004
Forest and Bird today said that tinkering with the Resource Management Act (RMA) is not the way to improve its administration. Forest and Bird said that the Government should stop wasting money on yet another RMA amendment and instead get on with providing leadership to those councils that are struggling with its implementation. More & http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0405/S00127.htm
RMA 'Tune-Up' Set To Fail Farmers
Scoop.co.nz 13/05/2004
Farmers are disappointed at the narrow focus of the government's review of the Resource Management Act (RMA), said John Aspinall, a Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc) National Board member. Mr Aspinall said there was little in the detailed scope of the review programme, announced yesterday by Associate Environment Minister David Benson-Pope, that would give hope to farmers. More & http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0405/S00134.htm
BIOSECURITY
Aust orchardists 'frustrated' at meeting to discuss NZ apples
ABC 12/05/2004
Goulburn Valley orchardists have expressed frustration at the way a government quarantine body conducted a meeting to discuss a proposal to import New Zealand apples. Biosecurity Australia held the meeting at Shepparton, in north-east Victoria, last night to explain the plan to growers. More & http://www.abc.net.au/goulburnmurray/news/200405/s1106650.htm
PETROL PRICES
Congress probes soaring price of US petrol
Reuters 14/05/2004
United States oil refiners have no quick fix to ease record-high petrol prices during the northern summer's peak driving season, an industry trade group head has told Congress. The Energy Department is predicting the national pump price will peak this June at $US2.03 ($NZ3.32) a gallon, and average $US1.94 for April through September. More & http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2907597a6026,00.html
ELECTRICITY PRICES
Low inflows influence electricity price rises in April
Scoop.co.nz 15/05/2004
Total inflows for April were 70% of the average for the month. As a result, national storage levels decreased steadily from 3,851 GWh on 1 April to 3,331 GWh on 30 April. By month's end, storage was at 112% of average for the time of year, a 14% decrease from 31 March 2004. More & http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0405/S00151.htm
NUCLEAR POLLUTION
Russia wants faster aid for 'rotting' nuclear subs
Reuters 17/05/2004
Russia faces grave environmental and terrorist threats unless donors accelerate a slow trickle of international aid for dismantling its rusting nuclear submarines, a senior official said. Deputy Atomic Energy Minister Sergei Antipov said Russia would raise its concerns next month at a meeting of the Group of Eight (G8) leading nations in the United States. More & http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2909209a12,00.html
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