Alan Brent, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington and Catherine Iorns, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
The major benefit of agrivoltaics is that solar panels shelter crops and animals from the heat, while providing more warmth at night. Soils also retain more moisture and some crops grow better.
New Zealand is far from a tyranny. But there are signs its democratic institutions are not as robust as they might be – with the proposed ‘fast-track’ legislation bringing concerns to a head.
Jane Kelsey, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
If a future government wanted to block fast-tracked projects, it could trigger investor-state dispute settlement clauses built into existing trade agreements, with billions potentially at stake.
With submissions about to close on the government’s proposed fast-track consenting legislation, its possible impact on New Zealand’s diminished and delicate ecosystems demands proper scrutiny.