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Environment Commissioner’s Zero Carbon Act recommendations – Expert reaction
The new Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, has released his first report, containing advice for the Government on how to implement a Zero Carbon Act and establish an independent Climate Commission. The report follows…
The two things you should know about methane
In New Zealand, as in the rest of the world, the climate change conversation tends to focus on fossil fuels and renewable energy. But, asks Kieran Martin, when methane in the atmosphere can do far…
NZ's Greenhouse emissions growing and carbon sinks contracting
New Zealand's first environmental accounts show greenhouse gas emissions rose slower than economic growth in the last 25 years, but the planting of forests to absorb carbon has slowed dramatically since 2013. Thomas Coughlan from…
Migrants, Productivity, and the Construction Sector
With plans for building 100,000 new homes over the next ten years, construction is a sector at the heart of questions about New Zealand’s productivity. New research from Motu Economic and Public Policy Research finds that…
Many firms failing to catch the leader
Great article from Brian Fallow at the NZ Herald reporting on research by Motu's Trinh Le and the Productivity Commission with Richard Harris from Durham University "It is fundamental to our success as a species that…
How do firms learn and become more effective?
Being able to learn is a large part of becoming more innovative, especially for businesses. Up until now however, it’s been hard to understand how firms learn and the impact that has on their productivity. Now…
Weather extremes: Is it the new normal?
Scientists are pushing for a better understanding of what climate change will entail for New Zealand and the measures to adapt. RNZ Science and Innovation reporter Charlie Dreaver explains in an audio story. From record-breaking heat…
Coastal properties may lose insurance
There may come a day when your coastal property is refused insurance because of the high-risk of storm damage and erosion due to rising sea-levels. Belinda Storey is a climate economist who works with Motu…
The risks of living near the ocean
Would you buy a house that might flood in the future, and how much would you pay for it? Eloise Gibson of Newsroom talks to the researchers working out the effect of sea level rise…
What drives the gender pay gap?
The earnings differential between men and women is a recurring topic in academic research and policy debates. While the gender pay gap is sometimes interpreted as a blatant sign of discrimination that calls for stricter…
