Signatory News

Victoria University of Wellington – Climate despair and eco anxiety

Victoria University of Wellington – Climate despair and eco anxiety

It’s described by many as the biggest challenge humanity has ever faced. So where do we even start with tackling the seemingly impossible problem of climate change and its flow-on impacts?

A Victoria University of Wellington academic who is rising to the challenge is sociologist Jonathan Oosterman, who’s researching the kinds of radical adjustments New Zealand society needs to make to deal with the wider effects of climate change.

ESP and AWS work to reduce NZ’s carbon footprint

ESP and AWS work to reduce NZ’s carbon footprint

Energy Solution Providers (ESP), the Auckland-based utility management company, is working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to help reduce New Zealand’s carbon footprint.

According to a recent Productivity Commission’s report, New Zealand’s commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to 50% of 1990 levels by 2050, and 30% below 2005 emission levels by 2030, is proving to be a significant challenge.

Heavy industry in bid to accelerate renewables

Heavy industry in bid to accelerate renewables

A group of the country’s biggest industrial electricity users are combining to see if they can accelerate development of new renewable generation capacity.

Fonterra, New Zealand Steel, Refining NZ, Oji Fibre Solutions and Pan Pac Forest Products are working with the Major Electricity Users’ Group to test whether a long-term power purchase contract for part of their combined load can incentivise new investment at a material scale.

Vector’s trial of vehicle-to-home technology kicks off in Piha

Vector’s trial of vehicle-to-home technology kicks off in Piha

The first participant in the Piha vehicle-to-home (V2H) trial is now plugged in and ready to go.

Auckland energy company Vector has begun its first trial of the new technology, aimed at exploring how electric vehicles and V2H systems can ease peak demand on electricity networks and be used as backup electricity sources for customers during short-term outages.

Toyota NZ – Hydrogen-fuelled vehicles will play a part in our transport future

Toyota NZ – Hydrogen-fuelled vehicles will play a part in our transport future

In the move to decarbonise the world’s transport fleet, hydrogen will have a unique role to play alongside self-charging hybrids and battery electric vehicles, according to Toyota.

Episodes of extreme weather around the world and increasing average global temperatures are attesting to the reality of global warming. Amid global efforts to hold the potential temperature rise to 2.0°C or 1.5°C as the latest IPCC report recommends[1], Toyota is planning to slash average CO2 emissions per vehicle by 90% in comparison with 2010 levels, by 2050.

Suncorp New Zealand on its way to meet net-zero emissions by 2050

Suncorp New Zealand on its way to meet net-zero emissions by 2050

This month Suncorp released its Responsible Business Report, which includes an update on our progress against our corporate responsibility commitments.

Over the past 12 months Suncorp New Zealand has made great strides in our corporate responsibility journey, from enhancing our customer service processes for customers experiencing vulnerability to strengthening conduct and increasing transparency.