NZ Engine

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The House of Representatives on Monday passed the Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver Reauthorization (WILD) Act, which would reauthorize critical U.S. Fish and Wildlife conservation programs for five years, including the Multinational Species Conservation Funds to conserve some of the world’s most iconic species. In response, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) issued the following statement from Alejandro Pérez, senior vice president of policy and government affairs:

“Renewal of the Multinational Species Conservation Funds will ensure the U.S. continues to lead global efforts to protect endangered elephants, rhinos, tigers, great apes, and sea turtles in the wild. The strong bipartisan support for the WILD Act in today’s House vote is a testament to the effectiveness of these programs and the unifying power of efforts to conserve wildlife around the world. WWF thanks Reps. Dave Joyce and Debbie Dingell for their leadership to advance the WILD Act and urges the Senate to pass this important legislation without delay.”

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The Biden administration announced Friday a temporary pause on pending decisions on exports of liquid natural gas until the Department of Energy updates how it makes such authorizations. The revised approval process is expected to better account for the climate impacts of natural gas. In response, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) issued the following statement from Marcene Mitchell, senior vice president of climate:

“The administration’s decision to pause approving additional liquid natural gas export facilities is the right one, and an important step in the transition away from our reliance on fossil fuels. We would encourage the administration to work with private sector partners to further decrease liquid natural gas exports in order to support the global transition toward clean energy sources.”

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Today, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. To celebrate, WWF has released the following statement:

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, one of the nation’s bedrock environmental laws. Since 1973, the Endangered Species Act has prevented 99% of its listed species from extinction and has served as a global model for responsible wildlife protection. The Act represents one of the most significant innovations in conservation due to its comprehensive protection for species and their habitats, its science-based approach, its citizen engagement, interagency cooperation and the development of recovery plans and programs.

The Endangered Species Act plays a vital role in maintaining biodiversity which is crucial for ecosystem resilience and human health and wellbeing. It is increasingly important in the context of climate change, as shifting climates add additional stress on already struggling threatened and endangered wildlife.

World Wildlife Fund is deeply committed to amplifying the impact of the Endangered Species Act, and of the people whose lives and livelihoods depend upon its success. We work with local communities to implement conservation solutions that advance recovery of listed species like the black-footed ferret, one of North America’s most endangered mammals. The Endangered Species Act enabled the establishment of captive breeding programs and reintroductions to facilitate black-footed ferret recovery. Black-footed ferrets are on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and sylvatic plague, a non-native disease lethal to both ferrets and prairie dogs, their main prey. Currently, there are about 390 ferrets in the wild, which is far below the 3,000 needed to achieve recovery.

Novel techniques and tools, including thermal cameras to detect ferrets at night and plague-protecting baits and vaccines, are vital to safeguarding this species. Thanks to the Endangered Species Act and collective efforts of many partners and innovative interventions, this masked bandit of the prairie now has a second chance to survive and thrive. On this day, WWF thanks and celebrates our partnerships with Native Nations, federal, state, and private entities, who are guiding the work to restore black-footed ferrets.

This anniversary of the Endangered Species Act underscores the importance of continued commitment, innovative conservation strategies, and ambitious cooperation to ensure that endangered species are protected for future generations. The 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act is a chance to reflect on the progress made and strengthen our resolve to address the complex ecological issues of our time.

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Last week, the UNFCCC released the cover decision from COP28 in Dubai. In response, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) released the following statement from Marcene Mitchell, senior vice president of climate change:

For the first time, the final decision of the UNFCCC COP28 contains a commitment to transition away from fossil fuels. While this provides a long-awaited acknowledgment that the burning of coal, oil and gas is the main cause of global warming, the language falls short of a clear call for the phase out of all fossil fuels. The agreed upon language remains insufficient to meet the moment and requires further global action to keep 1.5°C alive in this decisive decade. We must persist with necessary urgency and not fall back on unrealistic promises that carbon capture technologies or “transition fuels” will solve the climate crisis.

We know from our lived experiences that floods, heat waves, storms and wildfires are threatening our way of living. Across the globe, 2 billion people are living through drought that threatens food and water security that can quickly become the source of political conflict and regional instability. We must put aside excuses and act on the need to leave our fossil fuel powered past behind.

The early decision at COP to operationalize the Loss and Damage fund for climate vulnerable nations was an important step in the right direction. So was the pledge by 130 countries to triple the amount of renewable energy deployed and double the rate of energy efficiency. This must be followed up by more ambition and funding to help countries adapt to rising temperatures and preserve nature as our main ally in the fight against climate change. As we leave Dubai and prepare for COP29 in Baku, we must move the needle on carbon pollution. The tide has turned on the era of fossil fuels and now is the time to secure a livable future for ourselves, our children and our planet.

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Today, World Wildlife Fund’s ReSource: Plastic program released its fourth annual public report, Transparent 2023, revealing how some of the world’s largest brands are tracking, measuring, and reporting on their respective plastic footprints. The data compiled in the report reveals insights and in-depth recommendations on tackling plastic waste within internal, corporate supply chains, and across wider multi-stakeholder efforts. The elimination of unnecessary, single-use plastic continues to be the most important action that companies can take to directly address the plastic pollution crisis through their own portfolios.

Transparent 2023 examines the plastic footprints of ReSource Members Amcor, Colgate-Palmolive, CVS Health, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Keurig Dr Pepper, McDonald’s Corporation, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, and The Coca-Cola Company. The report captures each company’s plastic by polymer type and form, their use of recycled content and sustainably sourced biobased content, and the likely waste management pathways for the aggregate portfolio. The comprehensive report includes progress made by each ReSource Member from 2021 to 2022 and compares year-over-year results for legacy Members.

“All companies should be reporting on their plastic footprint—something we are advocating for in the UN Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution,” said Erin Simon, vice president of plastic waste + business at World Wildlife Fund. “ReSource Member companies are ahead of the curve, demonstrating that plastic reporting is not an onerous or impossible task. Their transparency enables lessons to be learned and actions to be taken that will reverberate across supply chains and industries worldwide.”

For the first time, ReSource is collecting comprehensive data from its Members on reuse efforts with the hope of sharing learnings on the best ways to eliminate plastic waste. WWF sees reuse systems emerging as a key strategy, with all nine Members exploring reuse in some capacity. This year’s Transparent report also measured progress and captured invaluable insights across four areas, including: eliminating unnecessary plastic, doubling global recycling and composting, shifting to sustainable inputs for remaining plastic, and improving data harmonization.

As for the 2023 key findings, please see the below top-level highlights:

• Five ReSource
  Members saw an overall reduction in their virgin fossil-based plastic tonnage from 2021 to 2022.
• Of the nine Members, four have reduced and five have increased their absolute tonnage of plastic since their baseline.
• Despite progress in some areas, the total weight of plastic in the aggregate portfolio increased by 0.8% to 7.26 million metric tons in 2022 from 7.20 million metric tons in 2021.
• Overall, ReSource Members have made progress to reduce problematic plastics. In 2022, these products made up 1.2% of Member portfolios, which is less than half of the 3.2% in the 2018 baseline year.
• Among ReSource Members, the use of recycled content has increased to 12% in 2022 from 10.2% in 2021.
• The share of packaging that is recyclable has increased to 72.5% in 2022 from 70.4% in 2021.

Learn more about how ReSource measures and analyzes data through the ReSource Footprint Tracker here.

WWF recently joined the Steering Committee of the Scaling Plastics Disclosure initiative to inform and support the expansion of the CDP’s plastic questionnaire. As the CDP questionnaire becomes increasingly robust and comprehensive, our intent is for it to replace the mandatory annual reporting for ReSource Members that currently occurs through the ReSource Footprint Tracker. As part of the Scaling Plastics Disclosure initiative and ReSource: Plastic, the ReSource Footprint Tracker serves as a tool for companies wishing to understand not only the amount and the kinds of plastics they are releasing into the market, but also the waste and leakage being generated as a result. It also provides a common framework for companies to report on their plastic impact.

Understanding the scope of the problem through plastic reporting is the first step to addressing plastic pollution. ReSource
Members are demonstrating that plastic reporting is possible. However, voluntary corporate action is not sufficient to address the scale and urgency of the plastic waste crisis. National and international policy action, through a legally binding Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution and Extended Producer Responsibility legislation, is critical to ensuring a future free of plastic waste. Six out of nine Members are actively engaged in the Global Treaty process.

To view the full report, click here. To view the executive summary, click here.

About World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

WWF is one of the world’s leading conservation organizations, working in nearly 100 countries for over half a century to help people and nature thrive. With the support of more than 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat the climate crisis. Visit http://www.worldwildlife.org to learn more and keep up with the latest conservation news by following @WWFNews on Twitter and signing up for our newsletter and news alerts here.

ReSource: Plastic Member Quotes

Amcor

“In addition to doing our job of helping to deliver products safely, we also make our packaging more circular by designing for recyclability, lowering the demand for virgin resources and using more recycled content. We have increased our target on recycled content use across the Amcor portfolio to 30% by 2030 and were the first global packaging company to pledge to design all our products to be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025.” He added, “However, all of us in the packaging value chain need to work together to ensure that recycling infrastructure is in place, feasible reuse systems are introduced, and that consumers are engaged to use those systems to return used packages to be recycled or used over and over again.” — David Clark, Amcor’s Vice President of Sustainability.

Colgate

“At Colgate-Palmolive we are excited to continue our partnership with WWF’s ReSource program. WWF and our peer companies have worked hard to facilitate a key collaborative network that moves forward our sustainability ambition to Eliminate Plastic Waste. The WWF ReSource program is also supporting our collective work toward an ambitious UN Plastic Pollution Treaty.” -Ann Tracy, CSO

Keurig Dr Pepper

“Keurig Dr Pepper’s packaging strategy is centered on advancing the use of more sustainable packaging materials and designs that use less virgin plastic. We continue to make progress against our ambitious 2025 sustainable packaging goals, including the increase of post-consumer recycled content across our plastic packaging from 11% in 2021 to 18% in 2022. We appreciate the WWF’s ReSource: Plastic program with data-driven recommendations to help drive industry focus on high impact actions.” – Charlie Schwarze, Senior Director of Sustainability, Keurig Dr Pepper

The Coca Cola Company

“In partnership with others, we are addressing the critical issue of packaging waste. Our goal is to help create a circular economy by 2030 where we get every bottle back so that none of it ends up as litter or in the oceans. We’ve set ambitious packaging goals for our business to help eliminate waste and increase reuse across the Coca-Cola system. We have made progress and recognize we have much more to do. We know by partnering with other organizations and across sectors, we can achieve more. That’s why we support a global treaty on marine plastic pollution and well-designed Extended Producer Responsibility legislation. We believe these efforts will help drive a more consistent approach to recycling infrastructure planning, investment and implementation across the world.” — Michael Goltzman, Global Vice President, Public Policy, Environmental Sustainability and Social Impact

Starbucks

“At Starbucks, our environmental promise to give back more than we take from the planet underpins our efforts to cut our waste, water, and carbon footprints in half by 2030. To further our waste reduction, we’ve continued our shift toward reusables, with 20 reusable cup tests in markets around the world, as well as industry-leading single-use packaging solutions, like the recent roll out of our FSC-certified single-use cup made with 30% recycled material and 25% less plastic in the liner and our transition to 100% rPET Ethos water bottles in US and Canada. As we look to the future to meet our ambitious goals, programs like ReSource are key for collaboration across sectors to drive meaningful progress,” – Starbucks chief sustainability officer, Michael Kobori.

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BNZ today cut interest rates across a number of home loan terms, with a market-leading 18-month fixed rate of 4.95% p.a.*

BNZ’s rates include 5.49% p.a. for 6 months, 4.99% p.a. for 1 year, and 4.99% p.a. for 2 years. The new rates are available from today for both new customers and existing customers who are eligible to refix.

BNZ General Manager Home Lending James Leydon says these competitive rates respond to customers’ diverse home loan needs, giving customers more options as they navigate the current interest rate environment.

“We know many of our customers are looking beyond the very short-term fixed rates as the interest rate environment evolves. By offering a market-leading 18-month option, we’re giving customers more choice and the ability to lock in a competitive rate for a longer period,” he says.

“At the same time, we continue to compete hard for those New Zealanders who prefer the flexibility of our 6-month and 1-year fixed rate options. With fixed rates reduced across multiple terms, we’re providing solutions that work for a wide range of borrowers.

“It’s also a timely Easter bonus for homeowners, when household budgets can face a bit of extra pressure from those extra school holiday costs.”

The changes follow BNZ’s announcement last week that it will cut its floating home loan rates by 25 basis points, following the Reserve Bank’s OCR reduction.

BNZ lending criteria (including minimum equity requirements), and terms apply. Rates subject to change. Up to $150 establishment fee and early repayment charges may apply.

*As at 6.30am, 16 April 2025, BNZ has the market leading 18-month fixed rate of the five main banks.

The post BNZ cuts home loan rates, offers market-leading 18-month fixed rate appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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BNZ today announced an investment in New Zealand payments technology company Centrapay to enhance digital payments capabilities across both organisations.

It builds on the established partnership between the organisations, which has led to the development of Payap – New Zealand’s first digital wallet and Point of Sale app compatible with all New Zealand banks. Payap is due to be launched in March next year.

Centrapay CEO Greg Beehre will continue to lead the company.

“With BNZ’s support, we can go further, faster. This enables us to continue delivering for our clients and partners while accelerating growth and development,” Beehre says.

BNZ CEO Dan Huggins says the investment builds on BNZ’s existing payments and open banking infrastructure.

“Payment technology continues to evolve rapidly, and our partnership with Centrapay helps further position us to serve our customers’ changing needs.”

The post BNZ expands digital payments capability appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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BNZ is cutting its standard variable home loan rate, passing on the full OCR cut of 50-basis points.

This follows BNZ’s 50-basis point cut to its standard 6-month fixed home loan rate last week to 5.99%.

BNZ Executive Customer, Products and Services Karna Luke says while a 50-basis point cut to the OCR was widely expected, today’s announcement will be welcome news for many New Zealand households and businesses.

“With Christmas approaching and many households managing their budgets carefully, lower interest rates should help make a difference for New Zealanders.”

BNZ will also make changes to its Total Money, Rapid Repay and Mortgage One rates. BNZ’s Rapid Save rate will decrease by 45 basis points to 3.75% effective from 29 November 2024.

The changes to BNZ’s variable home loan rates will be effective from 11 December 2024 for both new and existing customers.

All home loans are subject to our lending criteria (including minimum equity requirements), terms and fees. An establishment fee of up to $150 may apply.

The post BNZ passes on full OCR cut to its standard variable home loan rate appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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One in four older New Zealanders are hesitant to go online due to fears of being scammed, BNZ research reveals.

Up from 13% three years ago, the growing hesitancy among over-65’s raises concerns about digital exclusion in an increasingly online world.

Released for Fraud Awareness Week, the research shows a stark generational divide in digital confidence, with only 10% of under-35s expressing hesitancy about going online due to scams. However, the findings show age doesn’t increase someone’s risk of becoming a scam victim, suggesting fear among older people may be creating an unnecessary barrier to digital participation.

BNZ Head of Financial Crime, Ashley Kai Fong, says this creates significant challenges as we increasingly manage our lives online.

“When older New Zealanders avoid going online out of fear, they miss out on everything from banking convenience to video calls with family. As our world becomes increasingly digital, we need to ensure everyone can participate with confidence,” says Kai Fong.

More positively, the research found strong engagement with education efforts, with 96% of respondents aged over 65 seeing scam prevention material recently.

“While it’s encouraging that older New Zealanders are engaging with scam education, we need to ensure this builds confidence rather than creates fear,” says Kai Fong.

“The goal isn’t to avoid technology – it’s to use it confidently and safely. This is particularly important as more essential services, from banking to government support, become digital-first.”

To help customers stay safer online, BNZ provides scam education resources through its Scam Savvy programme. Offering practical tips and updates on emerging scam trends, the programme equips customers with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the digital world safely.

This is in addition to other measures, including:

• Tools such as its new online banking lock feature in the BNZ app, which gives customers the ability to disable all online banking activity and lock access to their online banking if they suspect a scammer has gained access to their accounts.
• Enhanced verification processes for high-risk banking actions
• Two-factor authentication for greater security
• In-app identity verification when speaking with BNZ staff

“Digital inclusion is about more than just having internet access – it’s about having the confidence to use it safely. At BNZ, we’re doing our part to better educate New Zealanders about the risk of scams, what to look out for and how to keep yourself safer online,” says Kai Fong.

Keeping account details, passwords and pin numbers safe

• never click on links or attachments sent by someone you don’t know or that seem out of character for someone you do know
• keep your computer and phone security software up to date
• contact your bank immediately if you think you’ve been scammed

Top tips to get scam savvy – BNZ will never:

• email or text you links to online banking and ask you to log in
• send you a text message with a link to a website, or link to call us
• ask you for information about your PIN number, bank account number, or password
• ask you to verbally share the authentication codes sent to you by text or email, even with a BNZ staff member
• ask you to transfer money to help catch a scammer or a bank employee who is scamming customers send you a text message about account issues with a link to log in
• ask you to download software to access your Internet Banking remotely
• use international phone numbers to call or send you notifications.

The post A quarter of older NZers fear going online due to scam concerns appeared first on BNZ Debrief.