Kāpiti Coast District Council obtains CEMARS recertification
The Kāpiti Coast District Council has been Carbon Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme (CEMARS) certified since 2012 and it was confirmed yesterday that this certification has been successfully renewed through to December 2020.
CEMARS tracks how organisations measure, manage, and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and the scheme was developed by Landcare Research New Zealand. It is the first Green House Gas (GHG) certification scheme in the world to achieve international accreditation. The Council chooses to use the CEMARS certification to give independent assurance that it is working to minimise its impacts on climate change.
Strategy and Planning Group Manager Sarah Stevenson says that the recertification is an encouraging indicator that Council is managing its carbon and energy efforts well.
“The analysis and Enviromark’s audit confirms our emissions this year were 43% lower than last year’s total, and 75% lower than the base year total of 12,465.00 tCO2e. The reduction in emissions intensity has been achieved based upon a five year rolling average,” Ms Stevenson says.
“The recertification is extremely positive, and shows that we are on the right track for carbon and energy reduction here at Council.”
Kāpiti Coast District Council is committed to sustainability and environmental management and, as part of the certification requirements, has developed an Emissions Management and Reduction Plan. Council aims to reduce its operational carbon footprint by 80% in 2021-22.
Some projects in this plan include:
- Reducing sewage sludge emissions
- Deploying LED streetlights
- Improving efficiency in vehicles and buildings