Planting native trees to neutralize University of Auckland greenhouse gas emissions

Human induced climate change is perhaps the single biggest challenge facing humanity today, with CO₂ emissions from air travel a major contributor to this problem. For many University of Auckland staff, air travel accounts for over half of their individual annual CO₂ production.

Universities are the critic and conscience of society and, as such, have a pivotal role to play in the shift to environmentally sustainable management. As New Zealand’s premiere education institution, the University of Auckland should lead this shift. Indeed, the University of Auckland has already expressed its commitment to “the conservation, sustainable use and enhancement of the local, and global environment for the present and for the future”, recognizing that this must be achieved by “the avoidance, remediation or mitigation of any adverse effects of the University's activities upon the natural and built environment…”

To facilitate the University achieving its commitment to the "mitigation of any adverse effects", we propose a carbon sequestration scheme whereby New Zealand native trees are planted as carbon sinks to offset the University’s CO₂ emissions from air travel. The scheme will involve collaboration with local government and iwi and will be modeled on similar initiatives in Europe and the United Kingdom.

By adopting the proposed scheme, the University will be pioneering an innovative local solution to a global problem. The scheme will effect a major reduction in the University’s greenhouse gas emissions, will help New Zealand meet its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, will enhance the University’s image as an innovator and example of industry best practice, will foster important ties with local government and iwi, and will contribute to the regeneration of native forests and the health of New Zealand’s natural ecosystems.

For details of proposal see a growing problem.

A growing problem

In June 2005, the national science academies of the G8 nations, along with China, Brazil and India, published a statement asserting that the scientific evidence on climate change is now clear enough to take prompt action to reduce and mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases . Together the countries that these academies belong to represent 53% of the world’s population, and produce 70% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. On the 8th of July 2005, the G8 leaders acknowledged that human activity contributes in large part to an increase in greenhouse gases that is linked to global warming. They agreed with the scientists of their national academies that existing science provides enough information to justify action.

However, in response to the G8 leaders communiqué on climate change, Lord May of Oxford, President of the Royal Society, said that “the conspicuous failure of the G8 explicitly to mention … the need for targets to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases underlines our concern“ and that scientists and world leaders “have been talking instead of acting since 1992”. In light of the clear and widely acknowledged need for action, and the failure of the political leaders to initiate this action, we propose that the University of Auckland take a leading role in New Zealand in demonstrating the practicality of cost-effective methods for curbing and mitigating the greenhouse gas emissions of its employees in their daily work-related activities.

Attending international conferences is an integral part of being a successful academic, providing an invaluable opportunity to share current work and foster collaborative research. This fact, combined with New Zealand’s geographic isolation, means that University of Auckland academic staff must fly extensively, often over long distances, as part of their job. Unfortunately, jet airliners burn vast amounts of fuel and air travel represents a major component of the University’s greenhouse gas emissions. For example, based on the amount of fuel consumed per passenger we can calculate that a lecturer who flies once to Europe and once to Australia each year produces about 6.5 metric tonnes of CO₂ per year. This amounts to 75% of New Zealand’s average annual per capita CO₂ production and is one and a half times the estimated maximum sustainable level of annual per capita CO₂ production (based on IPCC 550 ppm Target). Professors and management staff who fly frequently will produce much more CO₂ than this. The contribution of greenhouse gas emissions due to air travel is exacerbated by the fact that CO₂ emitted at high altitude has 3 times the effect on global warming .

In 1998, the University of Auckland made a commitment to environmentally sustainable management in its Environmental Policy –

“The University of Auckland is committed to the conservation, sustainable use and enhancement of the local, and global environment for the present and for the future. We will meet our commitment through leadership by example in education, research, environmentally responsible practices and through equitable and participatory partnerships with communities.”

How then, can the University move forward as a leading research institute and innovator whilst maintaining its commitment to environmentally sustainable management?

Growing A Solution

Trees absorb CO₂ and store it as biomass. One tree can absorb and store over 1 tonne of CO₂ as it grows. We propose that the University plants native trees to offset its CO₂ emissions from air travel, making all flights “carbon neutral”. For example, the CO₂ emissions produced by the lecturer who travels to Europe and Australia once each year can be offset by planting just 7 trees. Planting trees to offset CO₂ emissions is a widely recognized approach to carbon sequestration. A number of organizations currently provide carbon sequestration related services, including Future Forests in the UK, MyClimate in Switzerland, Greenfleet in Australia and EBEX21 here in New Zealand. A similar carbon sequestration scheme was recently adopted as part of London’s successful bid to host the 2012 Olympics, dubbed the “Low Carbon Games”.

Using services such as Future Forests to offset CO₂ emissions costs roughly 7-10% of the airline ticket value. However, by running its own planting scheme, the University could greatly reduce this cost, to perhaps 2-5% of the ticket value. A University-run program has the added advantage of giving the University the choice of what trees to plant and where they should be planted. By choosing to plant native trees the University will also be rejuvenating New Zealand’s natural ecosystems and enhancing biodiversity. The University already has land that it wishes to re-vegetate (e.g., at the Leigh Marine Reserve) and planting initiatives can be directed to priority areas first. Other organizations that have expressed a commitment to environmentally sustainable management, such as the ARC, DOC, Landcare and local iwi, could also provide land for re-vegetation and work with the University on planting initiatives. Finally, by reducing its CO₂ emissions the University may qualify for Government allocated emissions units under the 'Projects to Reduce Emissions Programme', which it could sell on the international market to supplement the cost of sequestration – the current market rate is $15 per tonne of CO₂. Christchurch City Council recently sold 200,000 such emissions units, awarded as a result of a methane gas collection programme at a Council landfill site.

As the critic and conscience of society, Universities “have a pivotal role to play in the shift towards more environmentally sustainable management”. Here is an opportunity for the University of Auckland to lead the way.