Working together to make Southland carbon neutral

Southland has set itself the ambitious goal of becoming a carbon neutral region which the Government is backing with a $190,000 grant from the Government’s Community Environment Fund.

Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage announced the funding today for the Carbon Neutral Advantage project which will see local business, industry and communities work together to transition Southland to a carbon neutral region.

“Venture Southland’s ambitious project to take a regional approach to reducing carbon emissions shows great leadership and is something the Government is proud to support,” Eugenie Sage said.

“Communities are often best placed to find solutions to problems and I look forward to seeing what Southland can do.”

Over the next three years Venture Southland aims to measure, assess, and take steps to reduce the region’s emissions. The project will establish a regional carbon neutral framework, create a local carbon measurement tool, identify and set carbon reduction targets, and conduct a feasibility study for a regional carbon financial tool.

“New Zealanders want action on climate change and so it’s great to see Venture Southland taking up this call to action at a regional level,” Climate Change Minister James Shaw said.

“The benefit of this type of collaborative approach is that it helps bring in all the relevant perspectives, as well as build a resilient and sustainable economy.”

“Climate change is not just an environmental issue, it also has social and economic impacts. Southland produces 15 per cent of New Zealand’s tradeable exports, mainly from the primary sector. This project should help future proof that position.” James Shaw said.

“To reach net zero by 2050 it will take every part of New Zealand working together to achieve this. The regional approach that Venture Southland is taking is innovative and has the potential to be applied in many other regions across the country.”

The Government’s Community Environment Fund empowers New Zealanders to make a positive difference to the environment. Funding is traditionally given to projects that strengthen environmental partnerships, raise environmental awareness and encourage participation in environmental initiatives in the community. The fund has provided $10 million to over 90 projects since 2010.

For more information about the Community Environment Fund visit http://www.mfe.govt.nz/more/funding/community-environment-fund

For more information about the Carbon Neutral Advantage project visit http://venturesouthland.co.nz/projects/energy-efficiency/carbon-neutral-...

Action

RENAME, REWRITE, and REJECT the Regulatory Standards Bill

Submit your suggested changes to the Regulatory Standards Bill! Tell us how you'd change the bill and we could take it to the House!

Action

Anniversary of the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill Referendum

If we were to legally regulate cannabis in Aotearoa, what kind of rules would you want to see around access, possession, use, regulations on sale, ...

Action

Save our Polytechs: Campaign Packs

Want to see more supports for our Polytechs? Use these resources to support the campaign!

Action

Save Our Polytechs Petition

Sign our petition today and join us in calling on the Minister for Vocational Education, Hon Penny Simmonds, to Save our Polytechs!

Action

Protect our tamariki - Sign the open letter

Every child in Aotearoa deserves to grow up with safety and stability, wrapped in aroha. Sign our open letter today and help make that a reality!

Action

Stop Growing Homelessness

Sign our petition asking Luxon and Bishop to take action to stop homelessness increasing in Aotearoa.

Action

Local Events

We have activists across Aotearoa / New Zealand who are working hard to build a brighter future for our kids and grandkids. This page lists upcomin...

Latest Environment Announcements

Story

Hauraki Marine Bill a huge step despite Govt backtrack

The passing of the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill has been hailed as a significant step by the Green Party, despite concessions...

Environment Minister abusing role to put freshwater at risk

Documents obtained under the Official Information Act have revealed the Minister for the Environment is pressuring local councils to allow ‘water t...

National direction changes mark dark day for people and planet

Today’s sweeping changes to environmental protections paint a damning picture of a government hellbent on profit at all costs, openly allowing more...

Minister for the Environment missing in action in Budget 2025

Budget 2025 makes it crystal clear that this Government has no interest in protecting nature or securing a liveable future for our tamariki.

Greens question Govt commitment to environmental protection with RMA reform

The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RM...

Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects

The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Tra...

Story

Luxon’s Government shreds climate consensus

Late last night, the Government announced some of the most significant sweeping changes in recent memory to destroy climate action.

Govt’s Climate Adaptation plan leaves work to be done

The Government’s National Adaptation Framework, released this morning, has a way to go when it comes to clarity for communities, support, and meani...

Govt’s downgrade of methane target an accounting trick with devastating real-world consequences

Luxon’s Government halving of methane targets under the guise of “no additional warming” is a cheap accounting trick that will cost our country dea...

Govt’s ETS auction fails for the eighth time

Another Emissions Trading Scheme auction has failed, throwing the Government’s failure on climate into stark focus.

Govt pours oil and gas on climate fire as ban repealed

Today, Christopher Luxon’s Government committed to higher power bills and fossil fuel dependence. This Government keeps choosing to undermine our r...

New study shows speed of Antarctic ice melt, Govt fans climate flames

As the Government pulls out of global climate commitments, a significant new report shows that sea ice around Antarctica is melting at unprecedente...