Developing a system of low-emissions freight routes throughout the country is a feasible and achievable option to assist in decarbonising the heavy transport sector, a study has found.
The feasibility study, in partnership between the Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and the Ministry of Transport (MoT), explores developing a system of Renewable Freight Certificates to certify low-emissions freight routes throughout the country.
If established, the system would help fund additional low carbon freight vehicles, resulting in significant emissions reductions from New Zealand’s freight sector, it says.
Additionally, the study found such a system has the potential to enable organisations to reduce their Scope 3 freight emissions – indirect emissions that occur in a business’s value chain.
The transport sector is New Zealand’s second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and movement of freight equates to around 5% of the country’s emissions.
SBC executive director Mike Burrell says the study provides some positive ideas.
“It shows the potential for real emissions reductions, if we can create collaboration opportunities here to drive forward the development of a system of this kind.
“The sector presents a significant opportunity for both business and government to unlock emissions reductions and our partnership with MoT to deliver this study has been instrumental in driving the first phase of this work,” Burrell says.
SBC and MoT are now working actively together to look at what the next steps might be to design and create a market-led freight decarbonisation system, including options for funding.
SBC member organisations taking a leadership role in freight decarbonisation and working as collaboration partners on the work included ANZCO, CHEP, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, HW Richardson, NZ Post, Z Energy, and Lyttleton Port Company.
Decarbonising transport, including the freight sector, was a key recommendation of SBC and the Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) joint Pre-Election Policy Priorities briefing.
In 2021 SBC’s freight group, comprising of nine New Zealand companies, also released the Low carbon Freight Pathway report, setting out a 30-year pathway to progressively decarbonise New Zealand’s freight system.
