‘Statistics NZ’ just released this ‘2007
– 18’ report today, that shows that our GHG (greenhouse
gas) emissions static over the last 11 years which is
disappointing, as some parts of the industry have made solid
changes to their GHG emissions while others have failed, as
road transport are amongst the worst performers
here.
CEAC has for years been seeking
Government to lower our Climate Emissions by balancing the
‘transport demand’ of freight between rail and road, to
lower emissions of greenhouse gas, little has been achieved
since we began voicing our lack of rail freight activity in
2000.
This 11yr statistical review from Statistics NZ
of our ‘national emissions’ of GHG (Greenhouse
Emissions) is showing no lowering in GHG since 2007 across
all industries is disturbing, CEAC calls on Government to
escalate the move to lower Climate emissions of those
industries still failing to reduce climate emissions for all
our own health and wellbeing and security of our families
futures.
The
public have been told by the Road Transport industry that
93% of the total ‘land freight’ is now carried on trucks
whom they causally dismiss any damages they cause to the
environment, who in global reports we view state that road
freight emit up to 10 times the ‘Greenhouse emissions’
depending on the roads and hills they travel on, than the
same amount of freight carried on rail; – so there is where
we need to start by using more rail.
The second
largest movement was for household, up 1,033 kilotonnes
(11.8 percent). The increase in household emissions was
largely from transport, up 1,005 kilotonnes (12.8
percent).
The other largest movements for 2018
(compared with 2007) were:
- agriculture, forestry,
and fishing, up 653 kilotonnes (1.6
percent) - construction, up 551 kilotonnes (81
percent) - mining, down 516 kilotonnes (25
percent) - manufacturing, up 491 kilotonnes (4.8
percent) - transport, postal, and warehousing, up 363
kilotonnes (6.5 percent).
Air transport of
freight is yet another high emitter of GHG’s as sadly the
other transport of goods/freight was all bunched together as
one emitter sadly, as it would be interesting to see how Air
freight emission’s showed against water (shipping/ barging
ect’ against the relatively small rail use here as road
carries 93% rail and sea and air carries the other 7%
combined..
Three regions accounted for just under
half of total emissions in 2018
In 2018, Auckland,
Waikato, and Canterbury combined accounted for 47 percent of
total regional emissions. The regions with the least
emissions were Marlborough, Tasman/Nelson, West Coast, and
Gisborne. These four regions accounted for 5.8 percent of
emissions in 2018. Both these proportions were constant
across the 2007–18 period.
In 2018, the top three
emitting regions accounted for 54 percent of both carbon
dioxide and fluorinated gases but only 40 percent of methane
and 45 percent of nitrous oxide emissions.
Auckland
generated the most carbon dioxide, Canterbury the most
methane
While Waikato had the highest greenhouse gas
emissions of any region in 2018, Auckland recorded the
highest emissions of carbon dioxide, which were driven by
households and manufacturing. Auckland also had the highest
levels of fluorinated gases, largely produced by the service
industries (excluding transport, postal, and warehousing).
Canterbury recorded the highest methane and nitrous oxide
emissions in 2018, largely due to emissions from
agriculture.
CEAC has carefully reviewed this
subject and now has strongly requested that rail with steel
wheels and if electric motivated is the best way to reduce
our freight transport pollution and climate change
emissions.
