News

Toyota New Zealand has become one of the first vehicle manufacturers to join the recently established New Zealand Hydrogen Association. Hydrogen fuel cell development is a key component of Toyota’s commitment to alternative fuel sources and sustainable motoring. Toyota New Zealand Chief Executive Alistair Davis said joining the new Hydrogen Association was a first step towards developing an eco-system for hydrogen-fuelled vehicles in New Zealand.

Enviro-Mark Solutions is now only the second New Zealand company to have their science-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction target approved by the international Science Based Targets Initiative. Enviro-Mark Solutions has committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 74% by 2030 from a 2017 base-year. They have also committed to reducing absolute scope 3 emissions from business travel and employee commuting by 57% by 2030, from a 2017 base-year.

Stuff launches a long-term project – Quick! Save the Planet – to report the latest science on the local impacts of climate change; catalogue the tools available to mitigate the causes of global warming; examine how people, communities, businesses and governments are adapting; and discuss how individuals can make a difference.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu has launched a strategy that will help Papatipu Rūnanga further prepare for the effects of climate change. He Rautaki Mō Te Huringa o Te Āhuarangi – the Ngāi Tahu Climate Change Strategy – provides the overall framework that will support decision making within the tribe in the years ahead.

Joining with 70 of New Zealand’s business leaders, Orion’s membership of the Climate Leaders Coalition signals its dedication to measuring and reporting its greenhouse gas emissions, setting targets and working with suppliers to reduce greenhouse emissions, to help keep global warming within two degrees. Orion CEO Rob Jamieson, says: “This is an important step in making sure our business is doing all it can to contribute to a sustainable future for New Zealand, and the world.

Projects funded and pioneered over the past three years by Waitematā Local Board have revealed the low-carbon potential for the ward. As part of the board’s plan to ensure that the natural environment is valued, protected and enhanced, funding has been allocated to projects looking at low-carbon lifestyles and multi-unit dwellings, reducing food waste from businesses and the Waitematā Low Carbon Network.

“Being part of the Climate Leaders Coalition represents our commitment to view climate change as an opportunity to innovate and create a positive future for New Zealanders,” said Suncorp New Zealand CEO Paul Smeaton. “Climate change has a direct impact on Suncorp New Zealand’s operations and we have first-hand knowledge of how it is affecting our customers through things like extreme weather events. I am thrilled that we will be collaborating with other businesses to find ways to address climate change.”

Countdown, in partnership with WEL Networks, has today installed three charging sites at five of its Waikato supermarkets – a first for the retailer. Countdown’s General Manager Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Kiri Hannifin, said today’s launch was another step in the right direction towards the business meeting its commitment to help create a cleaner and greener Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Fonterra’s Brightwater milk processing plant in Nelson is now co-firing on wood after the site’s newly converted boiler was officially switched on by the Minister of Energy and Resources, Hon Dr Megan Woods, today.

When it comes to tackling climate change it’s often hard to know where to start, it’s such a massive subject and it’s easy to get lost in all that it entails. Communication around it seems to come in ebbs and flows as well, and as a business we have always tried to maintain the ‘flows’, as sustainability, lowering our carbon emissions and reducing our carbon footprint have been long-term goals of ours. But we still ask ourselves what else can we do to make a difference, and even though we recently became re-certified as a CEMARS certified business and have been certified for 8 years now (read our blog post), it’s still a work in progress and it’s a constant, ever-evolving process for us.

We are thrilled to have achieved our carboNZero certification again, after becoming the first Zoo in the world to be carboNZero certified in 2013. As part of our carboNZero certification, we’ve made a commitment to continually work on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. Over the past six years, we’ve implemented a range of initiatives to cut back on our power use and waste generation.

Auckland Council has recommitted to membership of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group with the council’s Environment and Community Committee endorsing Auckland’s reapplication for C40 affiliation.

Councillor Penny Hulse, chair of the Environment and Community Committee, says the C40 report stresses that cities and nations must commit to bold and coordinated climate action in the next few years.