Auckland Council steps up emissions reduction efforts

Auckland Council has established a Transport Emissions Reference Group to develop options to help achieve the bold emissions-reduction targets outlined in Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan.

The group, made up of Councillors, Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) members, members of the Mana Whenua Kaitiaki Forum, and members of the Auckland Transport (AT) board, will provide strategic direction to officers from the council and AT who are jointly developing a Transport Emissions Reduction Plan that will outline concrete actions to dramatically reduce transport emissions by 2030.

Auckland, as New Zealand’s largest and fastest-growing city, must make a greater contribution to transport emissions reduction than other parts of the country to achieve New Zealand’s commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

In a joint submission to the Ministry of Transport’s discussion document Hīkina te Kohupara – Kia mauri ora ai te iwi: Transport Emissions: Pathways to Net Zero by 2050, the council and AT outlined their support for a decarbonisation pathway.

It focused on aggressive and early implementation of interventions that reduce private vehicle demand while increasing accessibility and travel choice, as well as strong electric vehicle uptake.