Green World

Earlier this year, an Oxfam report revealed that once again, billionaire wealth increased in 2025 — three times faster than the previous five-year average.

In January, Oxfam also proclaimed ‘Pollutocrat Day’ on the 10th of January, on which the richest 1% have already exhausted their annual carbon budget.

Professor of Business & Society at the University of Technology in Sydney Carl Rhodes has delved into the ‘myth of the heroic billionaire’ and the problems generated for political processes and global inequality.

Wire Host Sara spoke to Rhodes about the influence of billionaires, in particular with regard to climate action, starting by asking what the myth of the heroic billionaire is, and how it is perpetuated.

As New Zealanders across the motu witness the fallout of extreme weather including landslips and flooding, climate experts reiterate the importance of connecting these events to a wider trend of increased frequency and intensity climate events. 

In particular, experts including Dr Kevin Trenberth and Sustainability lecturer Sasha Maher say that New Zealand’s existing infrastructure needs to be upgraded to account for how future natural disasters and climate events will impact Aotearoa.

For Green World this week, Wire host Sara spoke to both of these experts about the challenges New Zealand will face on this issue.

First, Sara spoke to University of Auckland affiliated climate scientist Dr Kevin Trenberth about the drivers of extreme weather conditions, starting by asking how they reflect a larger pattern of temperature change. 

Next, Sara spoke to University of Auckland lecturer Sasha Maher about the political response to these observable climate impacts.

In November last year, feral cats were added to the list of predators to be eliminated in the New Zealand wide ambition ‘Predator Free 2050’.

The decision recognises the long-held concerns of conservationists that the uncontrolled wild cat population is endangering native animals including birds.

Courtney Addision, a Senior Lecturer in Science in Society at the Victoria University of Wellington, published an article in the Conversation voicing concerns about the move — including the distinction between feral, stray and domestic cats, as well as how welfare considerations need to be visited in approaching this species.

For Green World this week, Wire Host Sara spoke to Addison about the issue, in the context of wider environmental and ethical implications going forward.

From today until the 4th of December, a conference will be held in Queenstown that will look into pest management and how best to protect native species.

The event not only brings experts in the sector from Aotearoa, but will also involve Australian experts as well.

Tuesday Wire Host Sara spoke to Dr Sze-Wing Yiu, a Wildlife Ecologist at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, about this week’s conference, and what to expect.