Wellington, June 4 NZPA - The Government's new environmental protection agency (EPA) -- which will take over the nation's genetic-engineering regulator and be expected to protect our oceans from seabed mining catastrophes -- may turn out to be a toothless tiger, critics say.

Wellington, May 31 NZPA - Research commissioned by Forest and Bird shows the economics of mining in conservation areas does not stack up.

Wellington, Sept 28 NZPA - A lignite-to-urea fertiliser plant which Government coal miner Solid Energy is considering for Southland would qualify for millions of dollars a year in taxpayer-subsidies of its carbon debt, according to a Wellington think tank.

Wellington, April 2 NZPA - More than 13 percent of New Zealand agriculture's greenhouse gas emissions can be cut at an overall profit to farmers, the Sustainability Council told MPs today.

Health Minister David Cunliffe has approved a clinical trial involving the transplantation of pig cells into humans.