Latest news and updates
WSP testing supports Te Ara Tupua build
May 2026: Over the past several years, a new resilient coastline, seawall and shared path has taken shape on the western side of Wellington Harbour. Due to open on 16 May, WSP played a role in the Ngauranga to Petone (Ngā Ūranga ki Pito One) section of Te Ara Tupua - testing the project's concrete for strength and durability.
WSP's testing has happened a stone's throw from the project site - at its Petone research and innovation facility.
At regular intervals, cylindrical specimens of wet concrete used on the project were delivered to WSP technicians. On average, samples came from every third truck of concrete.
After 28 and 56 days' conditioning in a purpose-built fog room, specialist equipment was used to compress the samples until they broke. They all had to meet certain standards of rated strength, ranging from twenty-five to fifty megapascals.
WSP has tested the project's bridge components, kerbing, and interlocking units that make up parts of the seawall.
WSP team leader for asset performance Jonty Glen says it's pleasingly unusual to be testing samples from a major civil engineering job located right on WSP's doorstep.
Te Ara Tupua. Photo: WSP.
Motu: 2026 update - Guide to the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme
May 2026: Motu has recently released their 2026 edition of A Guide to the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, updating the 2022 version of this resource.
The New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) sits at the centre of Aotearoa New Zealand's climate change mitigation strategy. The guide describes how the scheme works, outlines its core design features, and traces how and why those features have changed over time. It references government policy changes announced as of March 2026, and includes figures illustrating trends in key data.
Since the 2022 edition, the NZ ETS has seen significant changes. The guide covers the rise and fall of efforts to price agricultural emissions from livestock and fertilisers; steps to reduce overallocation of free New Zealand Units to emissions-intensive and trade-exposed industries; new standard and permanent classifications for post-1989 forests; restrictions on registering exotic post-1989 forests on productive agricultural land; the decoupling of unit supply and price control settings from New Zealand's Paris Agreement commitments; and plans to introduce new sources of emissions removals.
New Zealand from the International Space Station. Photo: Nasa.