Govt to rev up transport emissions reductions

The Government wants feedback by June 25 on a range of potential policies to eliminate transport sector emissions with transport minister Michael Wood releasing a Transport Emissions: Pathways to Net Zero by 2050 report from the Ministry of Transport.

It outlines potential policies and pathways to a net zero emission transport sector, Wood saying the discussion paper will contribute to the government’s Emissions Reduction Plan to be released by the end of 2021, leading to a 10 to 15-year action plan.

He adds that big changes will be needed in coming decades – “and it won’t be business as usual”.

“The transport sector currently produces 47% of New Zealand’s CO2 emissions and between 1990 and 2018, domestic transport emissions increased by 90%.

“We’ve already taken steps to reduce emissions but Hīkina te Kohupara – Kia mauri ora ai te iwi – Transport Emissions: Pathways to Net Zero by 2050 shows we have to go much further,” says Wood.

“While the pathways outlined in Hīkina te Kohupara are not Government policy, we want to have a national conversation about the changes we all need to make.”

Three themes are included in the Green Paper, based on the ‘Avoid, Shift, Improve’ framework.

1. Changing the way we travel. We need to shape our towns and cities to make it easier, safer, and more attractive for people to access work, schools, shops, and other opportunities by public transport, walking, and cycling. This will reduce dependence on private motorised vehicles, and avoid/reduce emissions. Transport needs to be integrated with land-use planning to encourage quality compact mixed-use urban development, while providing better transport options. Transport pricing, and other demand management tools, could also play an important role.

2. Improving our passenger vehicles: 67% of Aotearoa’s transport emissions currently come from light vehicles (including cars, small vans, and SUVs). Decarbonising the light vehicle fleet is crucial. We need to increase the supply of clean vehicles, increase demand for them, and provide supporting infrastructure. Biofuels could also play an important role in reducing emissions from the current fleet (and other modes). Public transport fleets, particularly buses, also need to shift to being cleaner vehicles. Cleaner aviation technologies are in the early stages of development, but there are opportunities to reduce emissions by using sustainable aviation fuel.

3. Supporting a more efficient freight system: 23% of Aotearoa’s transport emissions come from heavy vehicles (mostly trucks). While light vehicles currently produce the most emissions, trucks will produce the most emissions by 2055 without further interventions. Emissions could be reduced by improving the efficiency of supply chains, shifting freight to low emission modes, and improving the fuel efficiency, and carbon intensity of freight modes and fuel. Trucks will need to be decarbonised through the uptake of alternative fuels such as biofuels, electrification, and/or green hydrogen.

The first emissions budget will cover from 2022 to 2025.

The report says people who already experience social/economic disadvantages could be disproportionately affected if transport costs increase. “Future work will need to ensure that policies are fair, equitable, and inclusive.”

Hīkina te Kohupara models four potential pathways which aim to provoke thinking and illustrate the scale of the changes required.

“Actions taken or not taken within the next five years will significantly shape this future pathway, and determine how close we get to, or stray from a zero-carbon target,” the report says.

Climate Change minister James Shaw says the report is a great opportunity to people to share their vision for the future of low carbon transport in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“When it comes to addressing the climate crisis, cutting emissions from transport will be vital,” he says.

“But if we make smart decisions now then we can create a low carbon future for transport and put our communities on the path to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

Click here for the full 158-page report.