What emission target should Christchurch aim for?

Should Christchurch follow the proposed national target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or should it be more ambitious?

Our carbon footprint

• We currently produce far more greenhouse gas emissions than we offset.
• In 2016/17 Christchurch emitted an estimated 2,485,335 gross tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (t CO₂ e)
• That equates to 6.6 t CO₂ e per person.
• That’s lower than Auckland (7.9 t CO₂ e) and Dunedin (11 t CO₂ e) but more than Wellington (5.7 t CO₂ e).
• Transportation is the largest contributor to our emissions, at 53%, followed by stationary energy at 22%, agriculture at 10.5%, waste at 9%, and industrial processes and product use at 4.7%.

That’s the question Christchurch City Council will soon be asking residents.

“We are currently in the process of developing our district’s climate change strategy to ensure it reflects community aspirations for Christchurch,’’ says Emma Davis, Head of Strategic Policy at the Council.

“As part of this work we want to hear people’s views on what targets we should be adopting. We want to know if people want us to go with the proposed national targets or do people want us to be more ambitious.

“The Government’s Zero Carbon Bill sets the target of New Zealand having net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, excluding biogenic methane.

"There has been some criticism about that target being too conservative and that we should be aiming to reduce emissions faster.

“Christchurch could take a more ambitious approach and bring forward the target year but we need to know if there is community support for doing that,’’ Ms Davis says.

Next week she will bring a report to the Council’s Innovation and Sustainability Committee seeking approval to get the conversation started on what targets should be set.

If elected members give their approval, the Council will release a discussion document on the emissions target in early July.  People will then have a month to provide their feedback.

The Council, which last month declared a global climate and ecological emergency, is aiming to have a net greenhouse gas emission target in place for Christchurch by September.

Read the report going to the Innovation and Sustainability Committee meeting on 26 June.