A recalculation of Dunedin’s carbon footprint shows the estimated greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation and stationary energy sectors in the city have been inflated.
But curbing emissions in transportation should nonetheless remain Dunedin city councillors’ top priority as they decide on the council’s next 10-year plan, a report by council principal policy adviser Jinty MacTavish said.
A community carbon footprint review by AECOM recalculated petrol and diesel consumption in the city by taking kilometres travelled into account and provided a more accurate picture of carbon emissions in the city.
It also lined up Dunedin’s carbon accounting with other places across New Zealand, Ms MacTavish said.
Despite the 16% reduction in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emitted by transportation, the sector remained the largest source of carbon emissions (39%) within city limits.
Transportation was followed by agriculture (38%), stationary energy (13%), waste (8%) and industry (2%).
After an in-house Climate 2030 rapid review, Ms MacTavish said the council had the greatest ability to make a difference in the transportation sector.
Reducing the distance people travelled through increased density and mixed-use development in central city and suburban centres was among the opportunities the council had to reduce emissions in the transportation sector.
The council’s work in a multi-agency group, which includes the NZ Transport Agency and Otago Regional Council, provided a ‘‘unique opportunity’’ to lower transport emissions, she said.
As part of that work, councillors will today consider whether six proposed city centre transportation projects worth $53.17million should be included in the long-term plan.
The city council’s target of net carbon neutrality by 2030 excludes biogenic methane, typically produced by the agriculture sector.
But the council did have a direct involvement in the community’s waste emissions, Ms MacTavish said.
It could also provide leadership in the stationary energy sector with projects such as installing a second heat recovery heat pump at Moana Pool to displace an estimated 75% of annual LPG consumption at the facility.
