Politics & Society
Another day, another roadblock: how should NZ law deal with disruptive climate protests?
. Discover the legal challenges and rights at stake as we delve into the clash between environmental activism and the rule of law.
Are Labour and National Party Transport Policies Incompatible with NZ’s Emission Reduction Goals?
Navigate New Zealand’s transport challenges: emission reduction, road expansion vs. rail, light rail potential, and shifting freight for sustainability.
Is the meteoric rise of “buy now, pay later” a financial risk for Kiwi youth?
Is it time to treat ‘buy now, pay later’ schemes as real debt? Explore the hidden risks of these schemes in New Zealand as we delve into the need for stricter regulation.
Are Commercial Lobbyists Gaining the Upper Hand in New Zealand’s Public Health Discourse?
Navigate New Zealand’s public health landscape: industry resistance, government decisions, diverse voices. Boyd Swinburn’s analysis reveals challenges and promises.
Is Our Flood Protection Strategy Ready for Climate Change Challenges?
Explore the evolving challenges of flood protection in the face of climate change. Discover why traditional approaches may not suffice and learn about the critical concept of residual flood risk.
What Impact Could Smaller Parties Have on New Zealand’s Policy Reforms?
Dr. Luke Oldfield’s article delves into New Zealand’s 2023 election, highlighting the impact of smaller parties on policy, governance, and housing.
Science & Technology
Sustain: What can be done about invasive species?
Maria Armoudian discusses invasive species with ecological experts Jacqueline Beggs and Al Glen.
Can We Prevent the Extinction Crisis Driven by Invasive Species?
Explore the alarming impact of invasive alien species on global biodiversity and ecosystems.
Will Fukushima Nuclear Wastewater Disrupt The World’s Seafood Trade?
Computer modeling predicts turmoil in the global seafood market due to Fukushima wastewater discharge, impacting Japanese seafood and international trade.
Can Gene Mapping Help Save Critically Endangered Species?
Discover how gene mapping of New Zealand’s rare Kākāpō parrot population offers crucial insights for conservation.
With Future Diets Face Shortages of Micronutrients, Is it Time to Consider How We Feed People?
Discover the importance of reevaluating our approach to feeding people for a healthier tomorrow.
Is Targeted Protection the Key to Managing Endemic COVID?
Discover how targeted protection could prove more effective than blanket measures in managing endemic COVID-19. Expert insights and mathematical analysis provided.
Business & Economics
Can ‘Degrowth’ Economics Save our Ecosystems?
Unveil the potential inevitability of ‘degrowth’ economics from an ecologist’s perspective, addressing ecological overshoot and sustainable futures.
Are we two weeks away from the worst recession since the 1930s?
How banking executives prepare for chaos and financial disorder that might be just around the corner.
How can K-Pop Fans Navigate the Complexities of Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation?
Uncover how international K-Pop fans negotiate cultural appreciation and appropriation, exploring strategies and dilemmas in consuming Korean pop culture.
From Stagnation to Inspiration: How can companies better drive innovation?
Boards of directors play a crucial role in driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and aligning organizational structures for success, writes writes Rod McNaughton.
How Will New Zealand Embrace the Digital Money Revolution?
New Zealand prepares for cryptocurrency integration, addressing regulation, risks, and benefits, aiming for a balanced and innovative financial future.
How shall we reform our hump-shaped tax system?
Should New Zealand implement a flat income tax rate of 25% for all, including the top 2%? Economist Tim Hazledine thinks so.
Arts & Culture
Can NZ step up and address Earth system decline?
The Government of Aotearoa New Zealand has a unique opportunity to demonstrate leadership and action by changing its laws to conform with the laws of nature, writes Klaus Bosselmann. Can NZ step up and help lead?
What cultural values belong in science?
The University of Auckland’s Julie Rowland examines the notion that education should be secular and devoid of any form of spirituality.
The fall into the abyss
In April 1909, two waves of massacres shook the province of Adana, located in the southern Anatolia region of modern-day Turkey, killing more than 20,000 Armenians and 2,000 Muslims.
How did the U.S. come to collectively own over 600 million acres of land? How has that changed over time? 🔊
In this two-part special episode of the Scholars’ Circle, Doug Becker explores the history of public land in the United States.
Who are you calling a Nazi?
While it is all too easy and comfortable to indulge in our Nazi fascination to demonise our enemies, maybe we should still the media chaos just for a moment and reflect. Who are you calling a Nazi? And why?
Why did a record number of journalists get jailed in 2021?
Journalists’ Nobel Peace Prize casts a shadow on failures of our democracy.
Ngā Ara Whetū
What do you mean we are running out of sand?
Although the importance of water as a resource is well accepted, fewer people know that sand is the second most consumed resource globally.
West Papuan campaigners want a ‘green state’. Could it help the planet?
Independence activists want to combine the best parts of liberal democracy with indigenous traditions.
What would a Green Recovery from COVID-19 look like for Aotearoa New Zealand?
To arrest economic downturn, many governments have responded with massive fiscal packages to boost the economy, maintain employment, and stabilise core industries. However, there is deep concern that these economic responses will undermine the goals outlined in the Paris Climate Accords and cause a surge in greenhouse gas emissions.
Why is the UN calling for a gendered approach to climate – and how does Aotearoa stack up?
On November 14th, 2022, COP27 included the conference’s first-ever day devoted to gender. So what is Aotearoa New Zealand doing to address the intersection between climate and gender, and how do we stack up to Sima Bahous’s three asks?
Avoiding climate breakdown depends on protecting Earth’s biodiversity – can the COP15 summit deliver?
COP15 needs to mark a step change in how quickly and how seriously the international community responds to catastrophic nature loss. The focus is expected to be on 30×30, a push to protect 30% of land and sea for nature by the end of this decade.
How does COP27’s loss and damage deal really look to the Global South?
After two weeks of fractious discussions, at the very last minute COP27 came up with an agreement on ‘loss and damage’ – providing financial assistance to poorer nations who are already facing the catastrophic impacts of climate change. But how long will it take for these words to translate into actions?
Why do social ties matter to climate politics?
Policy-makers frequently fail to communicate scientific knowledge about climate change effectively, with the result that targeted groups often reject potentially useful advice. Our research addressed New Zealand dairy farmers’ perceptions of climate conditions and their perceptions of climate science.
From farming to fermentation: Could New Zealand ‘brew up’ new foods to reduce agricultural emissions?
Addressing the problem of New Zealand’s agricultural emissions has mainly focused on technical fixes aimed at reducing methane and nitrous oxide produced by livestock and fertiliser and relying on voluntary agreements with the industry. But these measures may not result in substantial emissions reductions any time soon.
COP27: Breakthrough? Or an inadequate response to the climate crisis?
For 30 years, developing nations have fought to establish an international fund to pay for the “loss and damage” they suffer as a result of climate change. As the COP27 climate summit in Egypt wrapped up over the weekend, they finally succeeded. While it’s a historic moment, the agreement of loss and damage financing left many details yet to be sorted out. What’s more, many critics have lamented the overall outcome of COP27, saying it falls well short of a sufficient response to the climate crisis.
The cow in the room… A problem of production or consumption?
Techno-scientific solutions have been thrown at the problem of farm-based greenhouse gas emissions. It’s an economy in and of itself.