What we’re vibing

David Norton says for Recloaking Papatūānuku to be successful, it needs to be driven from the bottom up, a ‘forest-roots’ initiative, led by the people on the ground, with support from local, regional and central government.

Feral ungulates (primarily deer, goats and pigs) are more abundant in Aotearoa today than they have been for many decades, or in some areas, ever. Ask a hill country farmer or anyone who goes into the backcountry and they will tell you that the anecdotal evidence is clear in terms of devastated forest understories and high numbers of animals seen on farmland.

Pure Advantage has made a submission in response to the Ministry for the Environment’s (MfE’s) Discussion Document on New Zealand’s Second Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP2).

Recloaking Papatūānuku is an ambitious initiative developed by Pure Advantage that aims to plant and restore 5 million ha of native forests and wetlands over the next few decades. These new and enhanced native forests and wetlands will increase landscape resilience, help conserve our unique native biodiversity and permanently sequester atmospheric CO2

In their recently released climate strategy, the Government signalled their support of Nature-based Solutions (NbS). While the Government is keen to see the private sector design and implement Nature-based solutions, ultimately we need the Government to act as a key enabling and implementing partner to deliver a programme like Recloaking Papatūānuku at the scale and with the urgency needed.

Pure Advantage recently submitted on the Climate Change Commission’s review of New Zealand’s 2050 emissions reduction target, including whether aviation and shipping emissions should be included, and recommendations on New Zealand’s fourth emissions budget.

Let’s call it “Fast Trash” an undemocratic and environmentally destructive approach to the consenting of infrastructure and development projects will materially undermine New Zealand’s international reputation and credibility in both respects. The Bill should be withdrawn.

In a London meeting room recently, the International Accounting Standards Board decided that corporate climate targets are not just about sustainability: they can create direct financial consequences for companies’ balance sheets

Discover the urgent call for a native forestry future in New Zealand, as professional foresters Adrian Loo and Sheridan Ashford advocate for sustainable practices and climate action. Explore their vision for resilient ecosystems and the vital role of indigenous forests in shaping a greener legacy for generations to come.

Explore the urgent call for personal responsibility in combating climate change along with the reflections of Emeritus professor David Norton as he confronts the realities of our collective inaction and offers insights on potential paths forward.

Pure Advantage and 16 other organisations have asked government for support in the vote for the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment to be introduced into the NZ Bill of Rights Act.

Paul Quinlan, a landscape architect based in Te Tai Tokerau, a key member of the Northland Tōtara Working Group and a trustee of Tāne’s Tree Trust, gives his views on what interwoven land use really means, and how it looks, and how it will work for Recloaking Papatūānuku.

Taking personal action on climate change is one of the best defences against a sense of despair and provide hope for the people of Aotearoa, writes Dr Fiona Carswell, GM Science at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research.

Bradley Case, Hannah Buckley, and Sarah Bürli, ecologists at the Auckland University of Technology, write about addressing the biodiversity crisis with a Nature-based Solution to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Pure Advantage were privileged to be involved in the 26th Annual BlueGreens Forum on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, presenting the Recloaking Papatūānuku as the keynote evening address.

With successive waves of human settlement, the area of native forests has contracted to the extent that mature native forests now only occupy 24% of the land area of Aotearoa. Emeritus Prof. David Norton writes on our unique and incredibly precious native forests.

A coalition of environment groups says New Zealand is breaching its free trade deal with the United Kingdom by rolling back environmental laws.

New Zealand’s climate and biodiversity solution, Recloaking Papatūānuku global launch at COP28 with Climate Change Minister Simon Watts, Greens Co-Leader James Shaw.

Founding trustee, Phillip Mills, shares his thoughts on how New Zealand can avoid being awarded “fossil” awards at future COPs.

Pure Advantage released a report on Recloaking Papatūānuku developed by McKinsey & Company and a collective of experts. The initiative is being presented to the world at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai in December.

Indigenous biodiversity in Aotearoa New Zealand is in a dire state. Pure Advantage have made a joint submission with the EDS and WWF-NZ on a Biodiversity Credit System for NZ.

Māori need the Government to urgently make better policy that will value native reforestation. Manu Caddie explains why it is the right thing to do.

Emertius Prof. David Norton and co-chair of Future Farmers NZ Finn Ross lay out four key areas the next government must urgently address if we’re to have any hope of tackling the climate crisis – this is their call to arms.

Climate delay and climate defeatism are just the latest manifestations of out-and-out climate denial, and they’re both morally reprehensible, writes Sir Jonathon Porritt.

New rules for exotic tree plantations released yesterday, have been welcomed by Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti, the group responsible for the Government commissioning a Ministerial inquiry into land use in Tairāwhiti.

Pure Advantage chairperson Rob Morrison discussed the broadstokes rationale and ambition for Recloaking Papatūānuku with RNZ’s climate change correspondent Eloise Gibson.

New Zealand’s response to climate change needs to shift from “Yeah but…” to “We are…”, writes Geoff Ross.

Pure Advantage, the Environmental Defence Society & WWF have filed a joint submission to strengthen ETS incentives for indigenous forests.

Pure Advantage, the Environmental Defence Society & WWF have filed a joint submission to urge Government to accelerate gross emissions reductions in Aotearoa.

Will ‘bread and butter’ solutions or a Ministry of Hunting and Fishing help save our children’s future?

Dame Anne Salmond argues the risks for NZ are too high to not fix our climate forestry policies now.

There is no evidence exotic tree monocultures will continue to sequester CO2 at high rates beyond the first few decades of their life and Papatūānuku continues to suffer.

Treasury needs to conduct a value chain analysis of forestry companies & ETS to ensure international sustainability standards are met, writes Dame Anne Salmond.

Pure Advantage & Environmental Defence Society have filed a joint submission and have called for sweeping changes to the regulations governing plantation forestry.

The inquiry into forestry slash destruction in Tairāwhiti, and review of the Emissions Trading Scheme, should prioritise the state of the planet not the balance sheets of global corporations.

Prof. David Norton on the Factum-Agri podcast says aspects of carbon farming with exotics are “ecologically fraudulent” and “parts of the ETS are flawed”.

Pure Advantage wants an immediate pause to all Government incentives for planting exotic trees like pinus radiata during its inquiry into slash.

During Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle the poor management of exotic plantations – primarily pine – has again led to extensive damage in Tairāwhiti.

Forestry practices need updating to meet acceptable environmental bottom lines. The cycle of environmental damage caused by plantation forestry operations must stop.

New Zealand urgently needs a sustainable carbon strategy focused on native forests to provide long-term carbon sequestration without the need to buy dubious offshore offsets.

Geoff Ross, The Lake Hawea Station owner  & Pure Advantage trustee, speaks on farming life, climate change and why Pure Advantage is calling for an urgent inquiry into the management of exotic plantations.

Poor forestry management practices again lead to extensive damage in Tairāwhiti and a ministerial inquiry is long overdue.

There should be no need for a flawed legal device attempting to ‘entrench’ our freshwater assets from possible privatisation – the waters are the life blood of the land, beyond ownership.

Pure Advantage and EDS have joined forces to draft a submission on the review of the National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry, seeking significant tightening of the rules governing exotic forest management in Aotearoa.