Part 11: Carbon Neutral Public Service

Year: 2007
Policy Status: In force

In February 2007, the New Zealand government announced a plan for the public service to go 'carbon neutral'.
Further details were provided throughout 2007, including in the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy, released in October 2007.
Plan include:

• Carbon neutral public service: six lead core public service agencies to be carbon neutral by mid-2012. The remaining 28 public service departments to be on the path to carbon neutrality by mid-2012.
• Procurement policies: public service departments to have incorporated sustainability into a single procurement policy, and recommendations made on applying sustainable procurement policies to the wider state sector, by November 2007.
• Public service accommodation: departments are to adopt a minimum five- star Green Star New Zealand rating for the construction of all new Grade A office buildings and refurbishments from 1 July 2007; all new government buildings are to meet a minimum five-star rating from 2012.
• Reduction in public sector energy use: departments are to take action to achieve a 10% reduction in energy use per FTE. Departments will also reduce the use of energy-intensive consumables such as paper by 10%.