4 April,
2008 - Agencies in the core public service
today released their carbon emissions inventories
and carbon reduction plans as the first
step in New Zealand's internationally ground-breaking
Carbon Neutral Public Service programme,
Environment Minister Trevor Mallard announced
today.
"Responsibility
for developing a more sustainable nation
needs to be shared by everyone. That is
why the Labour-led government, through its
innovative Carbon Neutral Public Service
programme, is leading by example – showing
how emissions can be measured and the sorts
of reduction plans or offset plans that
businesses and other organisations can put
in place to reduce their own carbon emissions,"
Trevor Mallard said.
The aim of the programme
is for the six lead agencies (Ministry for
the Environment, the Department of Conservation,
the Ministry of Health, The Treasury, Inland
Revenue, and the Ministry of Economic Development)
to be carbon neutral by 2012 with the other
28 agencies being on the path to carbon
neutrality by 2012.
"The first step
in this innovative Carbon Neutral Public
Service programme has been to calculate
each department's emissions inventory –
and agencies are releasing these emissions
inventories and their carbon reduction plans
today.
"This is a huge
achievement to have calculated the carbon
footprint of the 34 agencies in core public
service, equivalent to 159,000 tCO2e (tonnes
of carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2006/07.
We are not expecting carbon neutrality overnight
– this inventory provides an excellent baseline
from which to track and manage emissions
and secure changes in behaviour as we build
a pathway to long-term sustainability. Agencies
will also be required to report on their
emissions and reduction plans annually from
now on.
"The 34 core government
agencies have over 300 planned activities
between them to reduce their emissions.
It’s the many small actions that together
achieve a big step towards achieving carbon
neutrality," said Trevor Mallard.
Having recorded their
carbon emissions, most of the 34 core government
agencies have already finalised or are close
to finalising their plans to reduce them.
Reduction planning involves implementing
a range of activities from installing waste
recycling systems and buying energy-efficient
vehicles to using recycled paper in photocopiers,
and educating staff about sustainable practices.
For example, the Department
of Conservation plans to reduce its emissions
from energy use by replacing diesel generators
at remote sites with renewable energy, such
as wind and solar power. And The Treasury
is working on more energy-efficient travel
practices and computer equipment, and making
greater use of videoconferencing for meetings.
Among its planned reduction activities,
Inland Revenue is upgrading to new generation
energy-efficient lighting and educating
its drivers about maximising fuel efficiency.
To achieve carbon neutrality,
the emissions that remain following reduction
activities will be offset by investment
in New Zealand-based offset projects, such
as indigenous forest regeneration.
More information on
the Carbon Neutral Public Service programme
is at http://www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/sustainability/carbon-neutrality.html.
Background: Carbon Neutral
Public Service programme
The Carbon Neutral Public
Service is coordinated and administered
by the Ministry for the Environment. It
is part of the government's sustainability
package of six initiatives. The other initiatives
are household sustainability, waste minimisation
and management, enhanced eco-verification,
enhanced sustainable procurement and business
partnerships for sustainability. It is leading
the world in this area due to the number
of public service agencies and range of
emission sources that it covers.
The Carbon Neutral Public
Service programme aims to demonstrate government
leadership on sustainability by reducing
government’s environmental impact. It aims
for the six lead agencies (Ministry for
the Environment, the Department of Conservation,
the Ministry of Health, The Treasury, Inland
Revenue, and the Ministry of Economic Development)
to be carbon neutral by 2012 with the other
28 agencies being on the path to carbon
neutrality by 2012.
The programme involves
a three-step process.
1. Measuring the greenhouse gas emissions
from the agency’s activities. These mostly
come from burning fossil fuels to generate
electricity or for transport.
2. Reducing those emissions.
3. Offsetting remaining emissions by undertaking
projects to remove an equivalent amount
of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or
prevent it being released.
All 34 agencies will
complete an annual emissions inventory,
develop an emissions reduction plan and
implement the actions in their plans. They
will report on this process to the Ministry
for the Environment each year. The focus
is on activities up to 2012, but agencies
are expected to continue to be carbon neutral
or keep progressing towards this goal beyond
2012.
The programme will use
New Zealand-based projects to offset the
greenhouse gas emissions that cannot be
avoided after emissions reduction activities
have taken place. The Ministry for the Environment
will coordinate and fund the offsetting
process for the six lead agencies and will
recommend how offsetting projects should
be funded and occur for the other 28 agencies.
+ More
World Environment Day
events announced
Trevor Mallard Environment
- 2 April, 2008 - Eleven special environmental
events and projects around the country have
been awarded grants so far as part of the
lead-up to New Zealand's first ever hosting
of World Environment Day on June 5, Environment
Minister Trevor Mallard announced today.
"It is great to
see communities, organisations and individuals
getting behind World Environment Day 2008
and helping to make New Zealand’s hosting
of the event a memorable one," Trevor
Mallard said.
"This is the first
time New Zealand has hosted the United Nations
Environment Programme event since its establishment
in 1972 – and Wellington is the host city.
The World Environment Day theme this year
is ‘Working Towards a Low Carbon Economy’.
As well as a formal programme, community
events around the country are also being
planned.
"A number of events
throughout New Zealand have already been
confirmed and planning is underway for these
over the next two months. The first round
of funding sees grants totalling around
$171,000 going out. A second round of funding
for more community events will follow shortly.
"The community
events to be funded so far include a Weed
Swap – where the public can swap weeds for
native plants in Wellington’s Civic Square;
a celebratory expo/auction and promotion
of sustainable transport by Environment
Canterbury in Christchurch; a community-wide
tree planting project in Raglan; and a carbon
crusade in Hamilton where people run or
walk a 4km circuit, each planting trees
about 2km in.
"In addition to
this, Conservation Volunteers New Zealand
will be arranging for non-traditional volunteers
(i.e. travellers, backpackers and corporate
staff volunteers) to implement a range of
practical conservation projects and activities
in Auckland, Wellington, West Coast, Punakaiki
and Hokitika," Trevor Mallard said.
"The interest that
councils, business, communities, interest
groups and schools have displayed in World
Environment Day 2008 highlights New Zealand’s
increasing focus on the importance of the
environment and stimulating eco-friendly
actions. I encourage more people to get
on board to mark this important internationally
recognised annual event,” said Trevor Mallard.
The full list of successful
applicants is attached, as well as background
information on World Environment Day. More
information on the event is at (www.world.environment.govt.nz).
