Mood of the Boardroom: More to do on carbon emissions

An inter-ministry Natural Resources Sector briefing late last year said New Zealand was off track in transitioning to a low carbon future. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Nearly a third of the CEOs surveyed believe either New Zealand, or their companies are not doing enough to reduce emissions and transition to a low carbon future.

Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns says: "We already have a very high proportion of renewable electricity generation. We could perhaps move a bit quicker to tighter vehicle emission standards, lowering the age of our light vehicle fleet and stopping New Zealand being a dumping ground for older imported used cars.

"Perhaps there should be some form of incentives to move to light electric vehicles. However our greatest CO2 emissions are not transport related and would require a significant move away from pastoral production."

EMA's Kim Campbell says there is little or no leadership in the area.

An energy sector CEO says it isn't only about the low carbon energy future. It is the low carbon today."

"We will be 100 per cent renewable electricity from January 1, 2016."

Mainfreight's Don Braid adds "we are attempting to reduce emissions at every turn. The use of rail and solar power, and recycling are all efforts we are undertaking, and using reliable biofuel would help our roading needs."

New Zealand has an unconditional emissions target of 5 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 50 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. Yet, emissions have increased since 1990 and though they are small globally, the country is ranked 22nd highest in the world on a per capital basis.

An inter-ministry Natural Resources Sector briefing late last year said New Zealand was off track in transitioning to a low carbon future and there is increasing international pressure to reduce emissions.

A total of 42 per cent of the respondents think New Zealand and their companies were doing enough to make the transition, while 32 per cent said there isn't enough being done, and 26 per cent are unsure.

An agribusiness chief says a low carbon future has always been a technological issue.

"The reality is that we are not doing enough to avoid significant climate impacts.

"Climate change combined with population growth, resource depletion and technological change is going to radically reshape our lives in the next 40 years."

An infrastructure firm boss says: "after all the rhetoric and systematic approaches are stripped away, we are left with the fundamental reality that we need to do more to reduce pollution.

"Good policy will do more than introducing carbon markets."