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Vector has today welcomed the ICCC’s report on Accelerated Electrification. Vector agrees that accelerating the electrification of transport and process heat will play a major role in reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. Initiatives to reduce carbon emissions will impact the whole energy supply chain, and Vector supports an approach that considers the whole energy system.

Meridian Energy’s CE Neal Barclay says he strongly supports the Interim Climate Change Panel’s (ICCC) Accelerated Electrification recommendations to the Government. “The ICCC recommendations show us we can take action now and it won’t cost us the earth,” says Neal. “Accelerating the electrification of transport and process heat is one of the smartest ways New Zealand can actively and significantly reduce emissions and improve the competitiveness of New Zealand business in a global context.”

DB Breweries is planning to switch its brewery at Timaru onto wood chip by the end of next year as part a plan to halve the group’s emissions by 2030. The firm, owned by Heineken, operates six breweries around the country. But DB Draught's plant at Timaru is the biggest user of coal-fired steam and thus the single-biggest contributor to the group’s emissions.

This year is shaping up to be a banner one for New Zealand’s response to climate change. The Zero Carbon Bill is before Parliament, the Emissions Trading Scheme is to be reformed by the end of 2019, and the Budget earmarked additional funding for climate mitigation steps. Industry is stepping up too. This week marks one year since the formation of the Climate Leaders Coalition, a group now numbering more than 100 leading NZ companies representing more than half of NZ’s carbon emissions. These firms have committed to measure, report on and reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Air New Zealand, for example, has improved the fuel efficiency of its fleet by 21 percent since 2009, saving them both money and emissions. Toyota, Fuji Xerox, Fonterra, Sky City and The Warehouse Group are among many others.

DB Breweries has today announced its ambition to halve its carbon emissions by 2030. The announcement coincides with the launch of DB Breweries’ 2018 Sustainability Report and carbon reduction roadmap, which outlines plans for further action and radical reform by the business on climate change.

The Auckland Council’s latest annual Green Bond offer has raised $150 million. Council Finance and Performance Committee chairman Ross Clow says it’s a good result. “There is a growing appetite for green investment – according to Moody’s Investor Service, the Green Bond market is tipped to hit $200 billion (USD) this year – so it makes sense for us to use the opportunity to support our sustainable development targets and goals,” Clow says.

The climate crisis is one of the biggest challenges we face, and we need to get moving on action now. New Zealand has some of the lowest carbon electricity generation in the world. More than 80 per cent of generated power comes from non-fossil fuel sources, like hydro, geothermal and wind. That energy mix makes our country an ideal place to introduce electric vehicles and bring down our carbon emissions. And given that transportation accounts for 17 per cent of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions, moving to electric vehicles is a great opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint.

The chief executive of Z Energy says new proposals to encourage uptake of electric vehicles is not a ''Kodak moment'' but says the impact of the policy will be felt gradually. Mike Bennetts says from its formation the company had pushed for reduced reliance on fossil fuels but this would contribute towards the challenge to its core business.