By Karen Pasco
It’s difficult to find a hotter topic right now than climate change and the extent of our impact upon it. Considering what’s at stake, the old stiff-upper-lip approach of ‘keep calm and carry on’ doesn’t really cut it, and this is where carboNZero comes in.
The carboNZero programme was established in 2001 by Landcare Research New Zealand Limited. The programme is based on more than a decade of research on climate change, greenhouse gas measurement and carbon monitoring.
Its goal is to provide robust tools for individuals, organisations and events to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions or carbon footprint with the highest level of credibility and integrity.
Karen Pasco talks to carboNZero acting chief executive Ann Smith about the programme, her role in it and what they’re trying to achieve.
What is the carboNZero programme?
“The carboNZero programme is a scheme that provides the rules and guidance for individuals, companies’ products and services to be certified as carbon neutral.”
Why was it introduced?
“Initially, the carboNZero programme was introduced for individuals and companies wanting to take action to reduce their climate change impacts. Individuals were concerned about the impacts of their air travel. Companies were concerned about the impacts of energy use and freight to overseas markets. In the mid-1990s there was an overseas campaign that targeted the ‘food miles’ associated with New Zealand exports.”
What research prompted its introduction?
“In the early 1990s, Landcare Research had a number of research programmes that focused on measuring greenhouse gas emissions and carbon monitoring. This research linked the concept of rewarding landowners for restoring native forest on land where production was marginally profitable with companies wishing to reduce the impacts of their carbon footprint. Through this research, Landcare Research created the first carbon credits in New Zealand and facilitated the first examples of companies becoming carbon neutral. The carboNZero programme resulted from this research.”
How does it work?
“You (individuals and companies) measure your carbon footprint, put in place a plan to reduce your carbon emissions and offset your remaining unavoidable emissions by purchasing carbon credits. The carboNZero programme then audits your carbon footprint and emissions reduction plan and certifies that you have met the requirements or rules of the programme. Companies that measure and reduce their carbon footprint can choose to be CEMARS certified (Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme).”
What impact has its introduction had?
“The carboNZero programme has influenced the development of the voluntary carbon market in New Zealand and what actions are required to become carbon neutral. Over 700 organisations and many products across five countries have been certified through the programme. Over the past five years, the carboNZero programme has certified carbon footprints that add up to more than New Zealand’s annual national footprint, which is around 70 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. These companies are actively working to reduce their emissions.
“NOTE: the greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (from burning fossil fuels), methane (mainly from agriculture and landfills), nitrous (mainly used in electricity transformers); these gases have different impacts or global warming potential in the atmosphere; they are collectively measured as tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents where carbon dioxide has an impact of one.”
What businesses are being certified?
“CEMARS and carboNZero certified companies can be found in almost every sector including food and beverage, utilities, transport, airports, construction, finance and banking, higher education, health, tourism and accommodation.”
What businesses are eligible to join the carboNZero programme?
“Any business can register to become certified through CEMARS or the carboNZero programme. Any company required to report their carbon footprint or actively working to reduce their carbon footprint will find the framework and rigour provided by the carboNZero programme helpful.”
How are businesses reacting to it?
“The feedback that we get from CEMARS and carboNZero certified companies is great. You need a good measurement to identify where the hot spots are in your carbon footprint. Generally, reducing your carbon emissions requires you to put in place electricity and fuel efficiency, water conservation, waste minimisation and green travel plans. These are all part of a company’s sustainability journey. Success in reducing emissions becomes part of a company’s story and great marketing material.”
What are some of its success stories?
“As a programme we have had many successes such as: becoming the world’s first internationally accredited greenhouse gas certification scheme under an international standard called ISO 14065, being recognised by the Carbon Disclosure Project, being recognised by the UK Government, and now we have measured and verified over 75 million tonnes of CO²e.
“To put that in perspective it means we have measured and verified footprints that collectively are more than New Zealand’s entire annual carbon footprint.
“However, the success we really cherish and enjoy is the success and achievements of our clients. Clients that achieve world firsts, like the New Zealand Wine Company with the first carboNZero certified wine, Bridgestone and the first carboNZero certified tyre.
“These leading initiatives are great to see. Not just seeing results from clients when they reduce their carbon footprint, but also when they reduce their costs as a result and New Zealand and overseas businesses become leaner and meaner. Those success stories really motivate the team.”
What are the major steps New Zealanders need to take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
“Burning fossil fuels for activities such as transport and electricity generation are generally where most New Zealanders emissions come from. But the most important contribution that individuals, communities, organisations and businesses can make, is to understand how their day-to-day activities cause emissions and take action to manage and reduce the largest sources of these emissions (you can use our free calculators on our website to do this).
“Where emissions cannot be further reduced or are unavoidable, some organisations and people choose to invest in projects elsewhere that reduce emissions. This is most often done by purchasing and cancelling offsets from trusted carbon credit projects overseen by governmental or international agencies with the authority to issue tradable units or carbon credits created by these projects.”
What are some easy ways businesses/farmers could reduce their greenhouse gas emissions?
“Farms are businesses and like most businesses, farms can look at energy and fuel being used in various parts of their farm. If you can reduce your usage, you are reducing emissions. And, by the way, you will reduce your costs, which can really help farmers. Just need to be smart about using resources.
“A large proportion of agricultural emissions come from livestock and fertiliser use. Although it seems there is not a lot that can be done about this, there is some great research being done by Landcare Research and the other Crown Research Institutes – have a look at the greenhouse gas projects reported on their public web pages.”
What considerations do people need to make in various sectors?
“They need to first consider the fundamentals of the business e.g. what is necessary? Then look at all other operations, what could be done better, smarter and more efficiently. Generally most industries will have a necessary function which emits emissions, but that function is imperative to use to remain competitive in that industry.
“For instance, a courier company needs to use cars and fuel to run their business. But what they can do is look to use more fuel efficient vehicles, look at ways of streamlining delivery runs, provide drivers training and incentives to operate their vehicles more efficiently etc. The courier company could also look at the energy use in their offices, waste to landfill and try to reduce the amount used. There are many things that can be done.”
What is your role at the carboNZero programme and your main objectives?
“I manage technical strategy for our programme and lead a team of dedicated environmental experts and auditors who are passionate about reducing greenhouse gas emissions. I am also responsible for the technical development and quality of the programme and related research. I also participate in the development of international standards for greenhouse gas accounting and reporting to ensure that the certification of our clients is based on international best practice.”
What prompted you to take up this role?
“I was using the science and stories from the carboNZero programme as examples in my teaching in the UK before I came to live in New Zealand. I was running a masters programme in environmental management for business and all my students were middle and senior managers from business and industry. Later, I joined Landcare Research and I was delighted when I was asked to be programme leader for the carboNZero programme. I felt that the research programme had the potential to be a successful business.
“There is a real opportunity to take our expertise to the world and make a real, tangible difference in reducing emissions. I want to leave the world a safe and healthy place for my grandchildren to grow up in. I can’t do that alone.
“We only have the one planet to live on. No company would set out to trash the planet in its business plan. So the converse implies that the majority of businesses want a safe and healthy planet. If we needed to find another suitable planet to live on, we should have set out to find it 50,000 years ago.
“We need our planet to be safe and healthy in the widest possible sense. Every little bit helps no matter where you are. Through the carboNZero programme I can help make a difference.”
What previous roles had you been working in prior to this one and where were they?
“I have significant expertise and experience in environmental management and sustainable development strategies. Previous roles include designing and running the masters programme that I mentioned above, sustainability coordinator for a large UK University and project manager for collaborative projects designed to help businesses improve their environmental performance.”
How do these contribute to your present role?
“Having a background in environmental management and real hands on experience in trying to reduce environmental impacts for large entities, have helped me to understand the problems our customers face and to tackle these with wider sustainability objectives in mind. This experience enables me to shape the vision for our programme to be effective for our clients and to make a difference for the environment.”
What tertiary education have you completed and degrees/doctorates/professorships do you hold?
“I have a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in botany and psychology from the University of Adelaide, a doctorate in marine biology from the University of London, and a professorship in environmental management for business from the University of Hertfordshire.”
Where do you want the carboNZero programme to be in the next five years?
“I would like the programme to be world leading through its credibility and integrity. I would like our programme tools and guidance to be easily accessible, practical to use and able to be integrated with existing business systems. I would like our brands to become symbols associated with clients and consumers who have made the environmentally responsible decision to reduce their footprints. I would like our programme to be making a difference for organisations and the environment on a world wide scale.”
How do you intend to get it there?
“By being science-based, robust and practical, ensuring that we continue to lead the world with our certification rules, tools and guidance. If participation in our programme helps our clients to reduce their emissions and costs and helps them meet stakeholder demands for sustainability action then it makes good business sense to do this. We are also working on some big projects, which will get attention. But in general, with commitment to our programme principles and hard work, we believe we can be the next New Zealand success story.”
If you would like to know how carboNZero certification could help your business call 0800 CNZERO or visit
www.carboNZero.co.nz
