Robert McLachlan
@robertmclachlan.bsky.social
New Zealand mathematician, writing on climate & the environment at http://planetaryecology.org
After making some progress between 2019 and 2023, New Zealand's transport emissions are creeping up again. Transport is a big chunk (about half) of our fossil fuel emissions and of course it should be going down, not up.
November 24, 2025 at 10:26 PM
After making some progress between 2019 and 2023, New Zealand's transport emissions are creeping up again. Transport is a big chunk (about half) of our fossil fuel emissions and of course it should be going down, not up.
Behold the awesome 2021 Cook Islands $3 banknote
November 21, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Behold the awesome 2021 Cook Islands $3 banknote
"Government to raise cost and damage of driving".
First they weakened the fuel efficiency standards, now they're gutting the penalties for not meeting them. Basically a voluntary standard now. Penalty rates Aus: A$100/gCO2; EU: E95/gCO2; NZ: NZ$15/gCO2.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
First they weakened the fuel efficiency standards, now they're gutting the penalties for not meeting them. Basically a voluntary standard now. Penalty rates Aus: A$100/gCO2; EU: E95/gCO2; NZ: NZ$15/gCO2.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
November 17, 2025 at 7:54 AM
"Government to raise cost and damage of driving".
First they weakened the fuel efficiency standards, now they're gutting the penalties for not meeting them. Basically a voluntary standard now. Penalty rates Aus: A$100/gCO2; EU: E95/gCO2; NZ: NZ$15/gCO2.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
First they weakened the fuel efficiency standards, now they're gutting the penalties for not meeting them. Basically a voluntary standard now. Penalty rates Aus: A$100/gCO2; EU: E95/gCO2; NZ: NZ$15/gCO2.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
The NZ car industry has made no progress towards meeting the 2025 emissions standards. Are they even trying?
November 6, 2025 at 10:55 PM
The NZ car industry has made no progress towards meeting the 2025 emissions standards. Are they even trying?
Wow, the NZ carbon market hates the Government's proposed changes to the ETS and Zero Carbon Act. Carbon price which had already dropped to $51.50 yesterday now down to $41 in intra-day trading. Just keep repeating "The ETS is our key tool to control emissions".
November 4, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Wow, the NZ carbon market hates the Government's proposed changes to the ETS and Zero Carbon Act. Carbon price which had already dropped to $51.50 yesterday now down to $41 in intra-day trading. Just keep repeating "The ETS is our key tool to control emissions".
The designers are probably stamping and talking to themselves like William Morris. (Ref: The Last Utopians)
November 4, 2025 at 10:16 PM
The designers are probably stamping and talking to themselves like William Morris. (Ref: The Last Utopians)
3 November 2025 saw two new NZ electricity records set: highest daily utility solar power generation (1.6 GWh, enough to make 50 million cups of tea), and the last day of an unprecedented 25-day run of zero coal power.
There will be a lot more records like this to come.
There will be a lot more records like this to come.
November 4, 2025 at 2:25 AM
3 November 2025 saw two new NZ electricity records set: highest daily utility solar power generation (1.6 GWh, enough to make 50 million cups of tea), and the last day of an unprecedented 25-day run of zero coal power.
There will be a lot more records like this to come.
There will be a lot more records like this to come.
Already there mate. 9 January 1982
October 31, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Already there mate. 9 January 1982
NZ electricity reached 99.9% renewable on 25 October, I believe that is a record. And that's despite a tenth of geothermal capacity appearing to be out of action (maintenance?) since the start of October. Source: em6
October 31, 2025 at 3:46 AM
NZ electricity reached 99.9% renewable on 25 October, I believe that is a record. And that's despite a tenth of geothermal capacity appearing to be out of action (maintenance?) since the start of October. Source: em6
Shane Jones vs Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on
Environmental Defenders. "Unicorn kissing green drivel from doomers and malcontents" vs "Do not depict environmental defenders as criminals or extremists or as posing a threat to public order, security, national interest and economic prosperity."
Environmental Defenders. "Unicorn kissing green drivel from doomers and malcontents" vs "Do not depict environmental defenders as criminals or extremists or as posing a threat to public order, security, national interest and economic prosperity."
October 28, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Shane Jones vs Michel Forst, UN Special Rapporteur on
Environmental Defenders. "Unicorn kissing green drivel from doomers and malcontents" vs "Do not depict environmental defenders as criminals or extremists or as posing a threat to public order, security, national interest and economic prosperity."
Environmental Defenders. "Unicorn kissing green drivel from doomers and malcontents" vs "Do not depict environmental defenders as criminals or extremists or as posing a threat to public order, security, national interest and economic prosperity."
It works like this in NZ too. But there's an open question how long this system can/should persist as eventually prices fall so far it discourages construction of renewables.
October 27, 2025 at 7:20 PM
It works like this in NZ too. But there's an open question how long this system can/should persist as eventually prices fall so far it discourages construction of renewables.
No coal has been burned for electricity for 17 days in a row. I think that is a record. Fossil power < 2% EVERY DAY in October, I think that is also a record. Image: Daily coal power generation in MWh, from em6
October 25, 2025 at 8:29 PM
No coal has been burned for electricity for 17 days in a row. I think that is a record. Fossil power < 2% EVERY DAY in October, I think that is also a record. Image: Daily coal power generation in MWh, from em6
@slanecartoon.bsky.social is a national treasure! (In New Zealand.)
October 21, 2025 at 6:06 PM
@slanecartoon.bsky.social is a national treasure! (In New Zealand.)
Here is Esk Valley after a storm in 1938 that brought down up to 3 metres of silt. That year was particularly warm at +1.15 ºC above pre-industrial, a level which was not reached again on average until the 2000s. See:
blog.planetaryecology.org/2024/08/28/g...
blog.planetaryecology.org/2024/08/28/g...
October 17, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Here is Esk Valley after a storm in 1938 that brought down up to 3 metres of silt. That year was particularly warm at +1.15 ºC above pre-industrial, a level which was not reached again on average until the 2000s. See:
blog.planetaryecology.org/2024/08/28/g...
blog.planetaryecology.org/2024/08/28/g...
It's a combination of a normal seasonal shift plus more wind and solar being completed in the past few years. Q4 normally has the least fossil generation, 2022 & 2024 were both under 6% and this year could go even lower.
October 13, 2025 at 9:24 PM
It's a combination of a normal seasonal shift plus more wind and solar being completed in the past few years. Q4 normally has the least fossil generation, 2022 & 2024 were both under 6% and this year could go even lower.
No country has a transport emissions policy that meets the Paris Agreement. But the EU has at least strengthened fuel efficiency standards, taxed jet fuel (a little), and included international aviation and shipping.
October 9, 2025 at 9:42 PM
No country has a transport emissions policy that meets the Paris Agreement. But the EU has at least strengthened fuel efficiency standards, taxed jet fuel (a little), and included international aviation and shipping.
Dr Isaac Henderson from the NZ drone industry says, "The drone doesn’t know if it’s being flown for military or civilian purposes".
Reminds me of Tom Lehrer's Wernher von Braun...
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
Reminds me of Tom Lehrer's Wernher von Braun...
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
October 8, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Dr Isaac Henderson from the NZ drone industry says, "The drone doesn’t know if it’s being flown for military or civilian purposes".
Reminds me of Tom Lehrer's Wernher von Braun...
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
Reminds me of Tom Lehrer's Wernher von Braun...
www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3608...
Governor General Lord Plunket's farewell to Palmerston North, 23 May 1910: "we will watch when you are going to put the trams here, or how bridges you are going to have at Hokowhitu." My answer, 115 years later: it's too soon to tell.
October 7, 2025 at 4:47 AM
Governor General Lord Plunket's farewell to Palmerston North, 23 May 1910: "we will watch when you are going to put the trams here, or how bridges you are going to have at Hokowhitu." My answer, 115 years later: it's too soon to tell.
New Zealand says – hold my beer
October 4, 2025 at 7:15 PM
New Zealand says – hold my beer
New Zealand ranks 30th in the world for share of low-carbon electricity.
October 4, 2025 at 7:08 AM
New Zealand ranks 30th in the world for share of low-carbon electricity.
A reminder that more fossil generation = higher prices
September 30, 2025 at 10:47 PM
A reminder that more fossil generation = higher prices
Today (30 Sep 2025) an all-time record was set for solar power generation in New Zealand – 1200 MWh from solar farms. (Distributed solar, not shown, likely also a record.) Alas, it earned only 0.08 c/kWh for its owners. Not a great incentive to build more. What will tomorrow's announcement bring?
September 30, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Today (30 Sep 2025) an all-time record was set for solar power generation in New Zealand – 1200 MWh from solar farms. (Distributed solar, not shown, likely also a record.) Alas, it earned only 0.08 c/kWh for its owners. Not a great incentive to build more. What will tomorrow's announcement bring?