Source: Hutt City Council
While the 10% drop in emissions in due largely to the COVID-19 lockdowns, Hutt City Council recognises that the report offers an opportunity to show residents how powerful sustainable actions in daily life can be, and that it’s important for council to keep up momentum with continued hard work on the sustainability front.
Key points from 2021/22 include:
- During the 2021/22 reporting period, Lower Hutt’s Total Gross Emissions were down 10%.
- 53% of our emissions came from transportation (down 14%) – 48% petrol, 38% diesel, and 9% jet kerosene.
- 30%, meanwhile, originated from stationary energy (down 7%) such as electricity consumption (45%), natural gas (34%), and petrol and diesel (7%).
- Waste accounted for 9% of emissions (down 4%), with open landfills being the main source of these at 58%, with closed landfill emissions being measured at 41% and wastewater at 1%.
- With Lower Hutt being a minimally agricultural area, agriculture accounted for only 1% of emissions. Region-wide, however, animal gases from livestock were the source of 76% of emissions, up 9% from 2018/19.
Hutt City Council strategies to achieve these goals include transformational project Te Awa Kairangi / Riverlink, efforts to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, and installing new electric vehicle charging stations to meet the growing demand.
“This report will be very useful in our mission to combat the climate crisis, protect te taiao [the natural world], and deliver a healthy city for our residents,” said Alison Geddes, Director of Environment and Sustainability at Hutt City Council. “It shows just how much we can reduce emissions with everyday decisions, like reducing the number of car journeys.”
“We look forward to working with GWRC and the rest of the region’s councils on the most pressing issue facing both those of us living here today and future generations to come.”
- The report, commissioned by Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) and prepared by AECOM New Zealand Limited,
- In the 2021/22 reporting year (1st July 2021 to 30th June 2022), Total Gross Emissions in Lower Hutt were 475,520 tCO2e.
- Transport (e.g. road and air travel) is the largest emitting sector in Lower Hutt, with 53% of total gross emissions, with on-road petrol and diesel use accounting for 40% of Lower Hutt’s total gross emissions.
- Stationary Energy (e.g. emissions relating to electricity and natural gas consumption) is the second-highest emitting sector in Lower Hutt, accounting for 30% of total gross emissions.
- Waste produced 9.3% of Lower Hutt’s total gross emissions. Industrial Processes and Product Use (e.g. refrigerant use) and Agriculture represented 6.5% and 0.7% of Lower Hutt’s total gross emissions respectively.
- Net Forestry emissions were -66,085 in 2021/22 as carbon sequestration (carbon captured and stored in plants or soil by forests) was higher than emissions from forest harvesting (e.g. the release of carbon from timber, roots and organic matter following harvesting). Net Forestry emissions are not included in total gross emissions but in total net emissions.
Wellington Region’s territorial authorities listed in order of total gross emissions are:
- Wellington City – 23%
- Masterton – 20%
- South Wairarapa – 16%
- Lower Hutt – 12%
- Carterton – 9%
- Kāpiti – 8%
- Porirua – 7%
- Upper Hutt – 5%
