Stories by Kate Gudsell

Alpine plants are at risk of extinction as climate change and tourism spread weeds to higher altitudes, according to new research.

It has been the worst year on record for sea ice in Antarctica and a climate scientist suspects warmer ocean waters could be behind it.

A renewable energy expert says the decision to de-electrify KiwiRail will more than negate all the emissions reductions from all the electrical vehicles in New Zealand.

District health boards have been "slammed" by the combative nature of the Ministry of Health's senior leadership, according to one board member. Audio

Irrigation, resource consent management and drinking water supplies will all be subjected to the spotlight of the Office of the Auditor General in the coming year.

A cross-sector group says successive governments' inaction on degraded waterways has spurred them to come together to forge a new plan. Audio

The Department of Conservation is being accused of failing in its conservation role after it made a neutral submission on a proposed West Coast coal mine.

Eighty percent of the country's native bird species are in bad shape, and the environment watchdog is recommending genetic engineering and tourist taxes. Video

The fingers were poised over the buzzers, flags ready to be waved in the air to signal they had the answers on the tip of their tongues.

New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions in 2015 were 24.1 percent higher than 1990 levels - a far cry from its commitment under the Paris climate change agreement.

A microbiologist is crowdfunding her research on the growing problem of antibiotic resistance after being turned down five times for government funding.

It's not too late to eradicate Myrtle Rust from New Zealand but the time window to get rid of the disease is running out, a scientist says.

Farmers still have a long way to go to meet some water clean-up targets, but the work done so far should be acknowledged, Dairy NZ says.

A plan to put artificial moas and light shows into an ancient cave system has critics accusing DOC of forgetting about the environment as it focuses on tourism.

The government's plan to make New Zealand's rivers more swimmable is not tougher than the old standards, according to an official report.

The government has outlined its plan to deal with New Zealand's "unenviable record of extinction". Audio

The government will give scientists extra time to respond to its proposed 'swimmability' standards after it failed to provide them with evidence the new standards will be tougher.

New Zealand cannot afford to wait to address problems with fresh water, the head of the Ministry for the Environment says. Audio

Nitrogen levels have got worse in more than half the rivers monitored by environment officials, the government's first dedicated freshwater report shows.

The government's proposed standards to make waterways swimmable are too confusing for even an experienced freshwater scientist to understand, he says.

A new intensive farming practice in the Rangitikei known as spray and pray is an environmental disaster waiting to happen, according to Fish and Game.

Teachers who offer counsel, friendship or act in a parental role for students would breach ethical boundaries under a proposed code of conduct, raising concerns with unions.

Some waterways are significantly compromised and may take more than 50 years to recover, a report from the Prime Minister's chief scientist says.

Freshwater pollution and increasing greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture are among the biggest challenges New Zealand's environment faces, says the OECD. Audio

A Central Otago property with the rights to extract 236 million litres of water each year is on the market, as thousands call for bottled water exports to stop.