CarboNZero programme
Encyclopedia
The carboNZero programme is a greenhouse gas
emissions (GHG) reduction scheme that is administered and offered by Landcare Research, a New Zealand
Crown Research Institute. The programme is based on five steps:
The carboNZero programme website has simple calculators for Households, Travel, Schools and Small Businesses to calculate their carbon footprints.
There is also a formal certification scheme involving independent audit that allows organisations and companies to claim carbon neutral status and to use the carboNZero logo.
Early participants in the programme include Adventure South, TIANZ (the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand), Toyota NZ, Attitude Foods and South Pacific Picture's drama series Shortland Street. The New Zealand Wine Company produced the first carbon neutral certified wine in the world for its Grove Mill
and Sanctuary labels through the carboNZero certification programme. Companies that have achieved carboNZero certification include Antipodes Water Company
, Contact Energy
(for their coprporate operations), InterCity Group (for their corporate operations), Meridian Energy
, South Pacific Pictures, The New Zealand Wine Company, Sarah Trotman & Associates and Wa$ted (the television series).
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emissions (GHG) reduction scheme that is administered and offered by Landcare Research, a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Crown Research Institute. The programme is based on five steps:
- Measure - to establish a carbon footprint or GHG emissions inventory
- Manage - to reduce GHG emissions
- Mitigate - to neutralise remaining unavoidable emissions by purchasing high quality carbon credits or offsets
- Verify - to independently verify your market claims
- Market - to report or disclose achievements in reducing GHG emissions
The carboNZero programme website has simple calculators for Households, Travel, Schools and Small Businesses to calculate their carbon footprints.
There is also a formal certification scheme involving independent audit that allows organisations and companies to claim carbon neutral status and to use the carboNZero logo.
History
The carboNZero programme was created as part of a project called EBEX21 or Emissions Biodiversity Exchange in the 21st century. EBEX21 was established to assist landowners to retire or set aside marginally productive land and allow it to regenerate to create new areas of native forest. In order to compensate the landowners for lost production, EBEX21 applies strict rules based on the Kyoto Protocol to allocate voluntary carbon credits that are pooled and sold through the carboNZero programme.Early participants in the programme include Adventure South, TIANZ (the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand), Toyota NZ, Attitude Foods and South Pacific Picture's drama series Shortland Street. The New Zealand Wine Company produced the first carbon neutral certified wine in the world for its Grove Mill
Grove Mill
Grove Mill winery was established in 1988 and is located in Marlborough, New Zealand.The winery was founded by group of local grape growers and wine enthusiasts who purchased the Malt house , a historic landmark in Grovetown, Blenheim, and transformed it into a 150 tonne winery. By 1993, demand...
and Sanctuary labels through the carboNZero certification programme. Companies that have achieved carboNZero certification include Antipodes Water Company
Antipodes Water Company
Antipodes Water Company is a New Zealand water-bottling company. Antipodes water is sourced from an aquifer 327 metres below the ground in the Bay of Plenty, on the east coast of the North Island. In 2006, Antipodes was named the best-tasting carbonated bottled water by the Berkeley Springs...
, Contact Energy
Contact Energy
Contact Energy Limited is a New Zealand electricity generator, natural gas wholesaler and electricity, natural gas, and LPG retailer.The company is the second-largest electricity generator in New Zealand , generating 24 percent of New Zealand's electricity in the year ending 31 December 2009, and...
(for their coprporate operations), InterCity Group (for their corporate operations), Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy Limited is a New Zealand state-owned electricity generator and retailer. The company generates the largest proportion of New Zealand's electricity, generating 32 percent of the country's electricity in the year ending 31 December 2009, and is the fourth-equal largest retailer, with...
, South Pacific Pictures, The New Zealand Wine Company, Sarah Trotman & Associates and Wa$ted (the television series).