Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rhiannon Mackie @rhiannonm.bsky.social · 19h

This very likely breaks the NZ-EU Free Trading Act which requires us to act in line with Paris and 1.5 degrees.
It has also all been done at the request of agribusiness lobbyists like Federated Farmers (who somehow were able to respond to the changes 40 minutes before they were publicly available).

5 18

Rhiannon Mackie @rhiannonm.bsky.social · 19h

Your summary of the shitfuckery this Government has just announced:
- Big Dairy doesn't have to pay for its emissions, despite being the country's worst climate polluter
- Ambition on methane emissions reductions has been slashed in favour of business as usual.
#nzpol

1 8 19

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Greenpeace Aotearoa @greenpeace.org.nz · 20h

PRESS RELEASE: Luxon “goes full Trump” with climate-denying methane backdown www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/pre... #nzpol #climate

Luxon “goes full Trump” with climate-denying methane backdown - Greenpeace Aotearoa

The NZ Government will rewrite NZ's once bipartisan climate change law to weaken methane targets and exclude agriculture from the ETS.

www.greenpeace.org

2 14 31

Rhiannon Mackie @rhiannonm.bsky.social · 19h

This is disgusting. The Luxon government has effectively taken a dump on climate policy in Aotearoa, and they should be ashamed.

#climatechange #nzpol #methane

1 1 8

Rhiannon Mackie @rhiannonm.bsky.social · 19h

They've also permanently excluded agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme.

While New Zealanders are already paying through the nose for a block of butter, the dairy industry has been given a free pass to pollute the climate without any responsibility for the consequences of their actions.

1 2

Rhiannon Mackie @rhiannonm.bsky.social · 19h

Today the government has significantly weakened New Zealand's methane reduction targets, from 24-47% by 2050 (old target) to 14-24% by 2050.

They've done this because they're using a controversial accounting trick, called 'no additional warming', to sweep current methane emissions under the rug.

1 2

Rhiannon Mackie @rhiannonm.bsky.social · 19h

In what can only be described as an act of Trumpian stupidity and outright climate denial, NZ's government has weakened our 2050 climate change targets and permanently excluded the country's biggest climate polluter from paying for their pollution.
#nzpol #climate
More info in thread 🧵

1 2 8

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 16d

Excellent reporting from Heated and Atmos.

It looks like some of the biggest investors in the anti-trans movement are fossil fuel billionaires who are trying to use trans issues to ensure that Republicans pass policies favorable to their industry.

heated.world/p/fossil-fue...

Fossil fuel billionaires are bankrolling the anti-trans movement

An investigation shared exclusively with Atmos and HEATED finds that 80% of anti-trans organizations receive fossil fuel funding.

heated.world

62 1.3K 2.8K

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Andreas Sieber @andreassieber.bsky.social · 26d

Official UN finding:
#Israel has committed #genocide in the #Gaza Strip

www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...

Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission finds

GENEVA – Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, a...

www.ohchr.org

1 40 68

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Marc Daalder @marcdaalder.bsky.social · Sep 10

Simon Watts is pre-emptively turning the blame for lack of climate action onto Fonterra and the dairy industry, ahead of announcing a new agricultural methane target that is widely expected to be *weaker* than the existing one.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/09/10/c...

Climate minister calls out dairy industry

Simon Watts is pre-emptively turning the blame for lack of climate action onto Fonterra and the dairy industry, ahead of announcing a new methane target.

newsroom.co.nz

2 11 21

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Elise Thomas @elisethomas.bsky.social · Sep 11

Unless it's literally your job, you never need to watch videos of people being killed. It harms you and doesn't help them.

Drew Harwell @drewharwell.com · Sep 11

By the way, you don't have to watch murder videos, and there is a real cost to all the "brutal voyeurism" the internet inflicts on us, as I wrote (and talked with @henryhenryhenry.com about) in 2023. drewharwell.com/stories/what...

What these violent videos do to us

The "golden age of brutal voyeurism" is bringing the horrors of war back home.

drewharwell.com

11 17

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Greenpeace Aotearoa @greenpeace.org.nz · Sep 5

Unbox the materials for our Vote Clean Drinking Water campaign with us!

We're calling on all Environment Canterbury election candidates to defend fresh water - and we need your help! To order flyers, posters, stickers, and fence signs, head to our website 👉 greenpeace.nz/votewater

#cleanwater

2 3

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Hannah Daly @hannahdaly.ie · Aug 12

Our new journal paper has hit the front pages and got wide coverage on the airwaves this morning.

The paper critically assesses “temperature neutrality” as a basis for Ireland’s long-term climate target. We find it amounts to backsliding on climate ambition and locks in food system unfairness.

4 61 230

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Eloise Gibson @eloisegibson.bsky.social · Aug 21

The climate advice they didn't want you to see.

[finally, six days before I finish up, I get to use that headline formula 😅]

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Officials warn of damage to diplomatic relations in secret climate change memo

Officials raise concerns on government's climate change stance in mistakenly released advice.

www.rnz.co.nz

7 57 120

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Greenpeace Aotearoa @greenpeace.org.nz · Aug 15

PRESS RELEASE: ECAN study confirms Canterbury nitrate issue escalating www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/pre... #nzpol #water

Environment Canterbury study shows nitrate pollution worsening - Greenpeace Aotearoa

Greenpeace Aotearoa is calling on Environment Canterbury (ECan) to put an end to dairy expansion on the plains to protect drinking water.

www.greenpeace.org

5 9

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Greenpeace Aotearoa @greenpeace.org.nz · Aug 15

Meat and dairy companies are cooking the climate - but now, the Government has let them off the hook for reporting their emissions 🤦

These climate polluters can try to hide the numbers, but they can't hide the consequences of their climate emissions.

Take action now: greenpeace.nz/b95joo #nzpol

5 11

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Eloise Gibson @eloisegibson.bsky.social · Aug 14

Agricultural companies never had to pay for their methane emissions in NZ, but they used to be required to report the totals to the EPA.

No longer.

For some companies, it was the only way to get even a crude estimate.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

Three of New Zealand's biggest emitters no longer have to reveal their climate impact

It comes after the government ended compulsory reporting for the farming sector.

www.rnz.co.nz

5 41 77

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Greenpeace Aotearoa @greenpeace.org.nz · Aug 12

PRESS RELEASE: Academics warn Luxon’s approach to climate targets risks worsening global hunger www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/pre... #nzpol #climate

Academics warn Luxon’s approach to climate targets risks worsening global hunger - Greenpeace Aotearoa

Academics warn 'no additional warming' approach to climate targets will worsen global hunger and cause catastrophic climate change.

www.greenpeace.org

1 8 26

Rhiannon Mackie @rhiannonm.bsky.social · Aug 12

More here: www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/pre...

Academics warn Luxon’s approach to climate targets risks worsening global hunger - Greenpeace Aotearoa

Academics warn 'no additional warming' approach to climate targets will worsen global hunger and cause catastrophic climate change.

www.greenpeace.org

Rhiannon Mackie @rhiannonm.bsky.social · Aug 12

As if cutting funding for kids' lunches and worsening the cost of living so you've got to pay $12 for a block of butter wasn't enough, academics today warned that NZ PM Chris Luxon's approach to setting climate targets risks worsening global hunger!

#nzpol #climatechange

1 2

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Amanda Larsson @amandalarsson.bsky.social · Jul 15

When Fed Farmers say: We want NZ to stay in the Paris Agreement but we'll fight methane targets & emissions pricing...

What they mean is: We want the economic benefits of being seen to be pro-climate but we won't do anything to contribute to climate action.

www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/r...

Federated Farmers reject call to leave Paris Agreement

Federated Farmers joins other industry groups in opposing a remit to exit the Paris Agreement, citing economic risk and trade consequences for NZ farm...

www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz

1 5 20

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

Greenpeace Aotearoa @greenpeace.org.nz · Jul 2

PRESS RELEASE: Wildly inaccurate figures used to justify Shane Jones' $200 million fossil fuel slush fund www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/pre... #nzpol #climate

Wildly inaccurate figures used to justify ‘Shane’s $200 million fossil fuel slush fund’ - Greenpeace Aotearoa

A Cabinet paper justifying the Government’s $200 million subsidy for new gas fields used wildly inflated and inaccurate gas price figures.

www.greenpeace.org

9 28

Rhiannon Mackie @rhiannonm.bsky.social · Jun 22

Ever wondered why coral is so important? Here's a blog I wrote which conveniently answers that exact question! www.greenpeace.org/aotearoa/sto... #nzpol #oceans #environment

Why is coral important? Find out more here - Greenpeace Aotearoa

Why is coral so important? Find out more about these unique species - the backbone of the oceans - and learn how you can help protect coral.

www.greenpeace.org

3 3

Rhiannon Mackie @rhiannonm.bsky.social · Jun 12

Shane Jones told the energy industry this week in Singapore that he will open up the ENTIRETY of NZ's oceans and land to oil and gas exploration. This is blatant climate denial. #nzpol #climate

4 1 9

Reposted by Rhiannon Mackie

RNZ News Feeds @rnzrss.bsky.social · Jun 9

Scientists hit back over Prime Minister's 'worthies' insult

Scientists have raised concerns about plans to lower the country's methane emissions target.

www.rnz.co.nz

2 7 20