Auckland - a pathway to lower transport emissions

The proposed Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway has been developed by Auckland Council and Auckland Transport (AT) in response to te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri Auckland’s Climate Plan.

It sets out what will need to happen for the region to reduce its transport emissions by 64 per cent by 2030, what it will look like when it gets there, and identifying the barriers to achieving it.

It also recognises that tackling climate change requires transformational rather than incremental change, and that all sectors have a role to play, including central and local government, business and industry, agriculture, NGOs, local communities, and individuals.

Actions required to achieve the transport emissions targets by 2030 include:

• making the majority of our local trips (under 6km) by sustainable modes

• converting 30 per cent of the city’s vehicles to electric, especially commercial vehicles

• a 10-fold increase in active travel (walking and cycling)

• a five-fold increase in the number of public transport trips taken – aided by a three-fold increase in the number of services on offer.

The Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway is a strategic document that, if adopted, will be used to guide planners and decision makers across the council group during the development of future transport plans, helping to ensure they meet the objectives outlined in Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri.

It sets out 11 areas for transformation that will see Auckland achieve its 64 per cent reduction in emissions over the next eight years. These are:

• Supercharging walking and cycling

• Using public transport much more

• Prioritising and resourcing sustainable transport

• Reducing travel where possible and appropriate

• Making neighbourhoods safer, with less traffic

• Putting things closer to where people live

• Electrifying private vehicles

• Enabling new transport options

• Making buses, trains and ferries low-emissions

• Making freight and services cleaner and more efficient

• Helping Aucklanders make sustainable transport choices

Some of the funding needed to implement the Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway will come from the reallocation of existing budgets. Implementation will also require additional funding from central and local government sources.

Exactly how much will be determined as the details of specific interventions are developed through the established processes (such as the Regional Land Transport Plan).

You can read a summary of the Transport Emissions Reduction Pathway here.