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Publications ~ DPMC Emissions Reduction Plan for Carbon Neutral Public Service Programme
2008 (PDF 76KB)

 

Date Revised:	11 April 2008
Timeline:	30 June annual review each year

 

DPMC Emissions Reduction Plan for Carbon Neutral Public Service Programme

 

1. The Government has committed to moving towards a carbon neutral public service. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) is one of the 28 stage two core public service agencies that will be on the path to carbon neutrality by the year 2012.
   
2. Reducing emissions is an important step in the context of carbon neutrality. Having measured its emissions, DPMC will undertake reduction activities that will be aimed at reducing emissions cost effectively and practically.
   
3. The role of the reduction plan is to identify and record opportunities and initiatives that will help to reduce emissions.

 

Organisational Overview

 

DPMC has four roles – to lead, advise, support, and co-ordinate. As well as providing impartial high-quality advice and support to the Executive (the Prime Minister, the Governor-General, and the Cabinet), DPMC is required at times to lead on specific areas of work. It also helps co-ordinate the efforts of departments so that decision making takes account of all relevant viewpoints and is as coherent and complete as possible.

Supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet

The Prime Minister is the political leader of the government and the country – and its main public “face”. The Prime Minister is also the chair of Cabinet, and is responsible for the effective operation of collective government. These roles combine political and executive responsibilities.

DPMC provides three kinds of direct support to the Prime Minister:

• Issues that are the direct responsibility of the Prime Minister.
• Issues across the range of government business.
• Support to the Prime Minister (e.g. preparing replies to Parliamentary questions).
  
  

A totally separate body, the Office of the Prime Minister, also advises the Prime Minister and is the primary point of responsibility for managing political issues and relationships with other political parties.

Supporting the Governor-General

DPMC also supports the Governor-General in carrying out his functions. New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy. This means that The Queen is New Zealand’s Head of State; but her powers and those of her representative, the Governor-General, are almost always exercised only on the advice of ministers. The Governor-General is therefore a significant figure in the constitutional framework, with constitutional, ceremonial, and community roles that together build and foster our national identity and unity.

Bringing the system together

A great deal of DPMC’s activities focus on facilitating government decision made at a strategic and operational level. To achieve this, the department relies on close relationships with other departments and agencies and – depending on the issue – on local government, business, and the community.

DPMC’s business units

The department has 125 staff in 6 business units in 3 buildings: Cabinet Office; Policy Advisory Group (PAG); External Assessments Bureau (EAB); Corporate Services Unit; Domestic and External Security Group (DESG); and Government House. Government House have a fleet of 3 vehicles. An outline of the work of each business unit can be viewed on DPMC’s website.

DPMC’s Current Position

 

The DPMC emissions inventory report submitted to the Ministry for the Environment in September 2007 evidenced a carbon footprint of 417 Tonnes CO₂-equivalent for the 2006/2007 financial year. This was broken down as follows:

Energy	69%	290.32 Tonnes CO2-equivalent (i.e. electricity, coal, gas)
Travel	29%	119.10 Tonnes CO2-equivalent
Waste	2%	8.34 Tonnes CO2-equivalent

 

 

The main sustainability goal for DPMC in the 2007/2008 financial year is to have sustainability become a part of normal DPMC business practice and culture so DPMC staff understand and practice sustainability and what it means for DPMC.

Achievements so far:

• Winner 2006 Govt³ Award Consumables and office equipment.
• DPMC Sustainability Working Group established.
• Sustainability Communications Plan drafted.
• Emission Inventory Report for 2006/2007 done and communicated to staff.
• Sustainability Action Plan drafted for electronic use (rather than printed).
• Environmental Sustainable Development design plan for Government House refurbishment commenced.
• Waste audits completed in all units.
• Waste minimisation initiatives introduced.
• First three-year Sustainability Action Plan completed.

Initial Targets for 30 June 2008:

Communication and Business:

• Statement about sustainability goals and achievements to be included in 2007/08 Annual Report.
• Fully implement DPMC Sustainability Communications Plan – electronically.
• Encourage friendly “sustainability” themed competition among units.
• Departmental sustainability contributions recognised in performance assessments.
  

Energy

• Energy audits or assessments for all units where possible and practicable.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy and transport use by 10% from 409.42 to 368.47 Tonnes CO₂-equivalent per annum.

Transport

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy and transport use by 10% from 409.42 to 368.47 Tonnes CO₂-equivalent per annum.
• Prepare a Workplace Travel Plan for use by 2010 aiming for a 15% reduction per CAB Min (07) 18/7.

Waste

• Reduce waste to landfill by 35%. Baseline from 2006/2007 emissions inventory: 42kg/FTE – reduce to 27kg/FTE.

Supporting Policies, Plans and Resources

The following are the policies, plans and resources DPMC have put in place that will help to address / support reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

• Govt³ Action Plan
• DPMC electronic Sustainable Practice Action Plan
• DPMC Sustainability Communication Plan
• DPMC Emissions Inventory for 2006/2007
• Waste Audit results for all sites in 2007
• Energy audit information from previous years in tenanted sites
• DPMC Procurement Policy and Guidelines, new section on sustainable purchasing

Energy

 

Energy was responsible for 69% of DPMC’s greenhouse gas emissions in the 2006/07 financial year.

Initiatives already undertaken:

• Carbon footprint has been measured for Energy use
• Landlords have been approached and encouraged to perform Energy Audits
• Government House refurbishment includes energy efficiency plan

Actions listed below aim to:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy and transport use by 10% from 409.42 to 368.47 Tonnes CO₂-equivalent per annum.

 

Action	Responsibility	Timeframes	Measure of Success
Assist building owners with energy audits in tenanted sites		By 30 June 2008	Audit completed by landlords and recommendations received at DPMC. Above recommendations from landlords are added to Emissions Reduction Plan where practicable
Investigate the feasibility of installing metering equipment in Beehive Accommodation (levels 8 and 10)		By June 2009	Feasibility assessment completed and action plan formulated
Investigate the feasibility of installing occupancy light sensors in Beehive accommodation where not currently installed (e.g. kitchens)		By June 2008	Feasibility assessment completed and action plan formulated
Remind all DPMC staff of good energy usage practices (e.g. turning off lights and appliances)		Ongoing	Add “sustainable practices” to induction
Maintain and improve current energy usage practices at Government House		Ongoing	Energy usage figures do not increase
All new electronic appliances are chosen taking into account their energy efficiency rating as well as their ability to meet the needs of the department		Ongoing	Procurement policy and guidelines updated to include these requirements
Make energy efficiency a key component of Government House refurbishment plans	Senior Management Group	Ongoing	A standing contractual requirement
To ensure that as light bulbs are replaced, they are replaced with energy efficient ones where practicable. (ie L.E.D. for chandeliers etc)	Manager of unit	Ongoing	An instruction issued to contractors by Managers

Transport

 

Transport was responsible for 29% of DPMC’s greenhouse gas emissions in the 2006/07 financial year.

Initiatives already undertaken:

• Carbon footprint has been measured for transport

Actions listed below aim to:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from energy and transport use by 10% from 409.42 to 368.47 Tonnes CO₂-equivalent per annum.

 

Action	Responsibility	Timeframes	Measure of Success
Prepare a DPMC Travel Plan per CAB Min (07) 18/7 including a series of responsive, coordinated and planned activities to provide better informed travel choices for all work-related travel*	Sustainability Working Group	2010	Travel planning process has been completed and a travel plan is in place. Relevant actions have been included in CNPS Emissions Reduction Plan.
Investigate alternatives to air travel (i.e. video or teleconferencing services) and implement where practicable.	All Managers	Ongoing	Feasibility assessment completed and action plan formulated
Coordinate travel itineraries and routings to minimise unnecessary travel.	All Managers	Ongoing	Routes travelled are most direct Travel km’s reduce over time

* the employee commute is not included in the Carbon Neutral Public Service reduction plans as it is outside of the scope. Agencies will be required to address the employee commute through their Govt³ action plans.

 

Action	Responsibility	Timeframes	Measure of Success
Encourage a culture of walking where practicable to external meetings. Encourage staff to walk or use scheduled public transport for local travel.	All Managers	Ongoing	Reduction in short distance taxi fares
Include tick box for “considered alternatives” on travel request forms to give consideration to travel alternatives in the standard decision-making and approval process.	Sustainability Working Group	February 2008	Form altered and alternatives used and documented
Ask rental car providers not to provide upgrades to larger (less efficient) cars without separate approval.	All Managers		Fewer less fuel efficient cars rented

 

Waste to Landfill

Waste to landfill accounted for 2% of DPMC’s greenhouse gas emissions in the 2006/07 financial year.

 

Initiatives already undertaken:

• Carbon footprint has been measured for waste to landfill.
• Sustainability Communications Plan drafted electronically.
• DPMC Sustainable Practice Action Plan drafted electronically.
• Waste audits implemented at all sites.
• Paper recycling bins at all desks in all areas.
• Composting implemented in all office areas.
• Recycling of glass, plastics and tins in all areas.
• Replacement of rubbish bins with desktop cubes in most areas.
• Obsolete computer equipment is sent to Remarkit for recycle/reuse.
• Light bulbs for Reserve Bank tenants are recycled.
• Introduction of refillable pens and other recyclable consumables to most stationery cupboards.
• Environmentally friendly cleaning products being used where possible.
• Fair trade and similarly-certified supplies being used in some units.
• Toilet paper and paper hand towels for Reserve Bank tenants have Enviro-Choice NZ certification.
• 100% recycled paper/card for most units for stationery such as business cards and letterheads.
• 100% recycled A4 paper for all units has 5-star rating from Ministry for the Environment.
• Double sided printing as a default in all areas.
  

Actions listed below aim to:

Reduce waste to landfill by 35% in 2007/2008 – i.e. 42kg/FTE down to 27kg/FTE

 

Action	Responsibility	Timeframes	Measure of Success
Composting implementation at Government House	Property Manager Government House	By June 2010	90% of compostable waste is recycled by June 2010
Waste cube implementation at Government House		By June 2008	Waste Audit results show office waste reduced by 25%
Staff awareness programme introduced		June 2008	Communications plan implemented
Staff involved in purchasing ensure all purchases are considered based on sustainability principles and practices where possible and practicable.	All persons with delegated purchasing authority	June 2008	Changes to procurement procedures
Regular waste audits for all units to measure and track waste to landfill	Sustainability Working Group	June annually	Waste audit results for all units where possible
Work with Parliamentary Service to establish a composting system for the Beehive	Sustainability Working Group	June 2009	Composting system in place and working successfully
Reduce purchase and use of non-recyclable plastics and other materials		Ongoing	Records of purchasing are showing reductions

Review of plan

 

This plan is due to be reviewed annually by 30 June.

 

Approval

 

This plan has been approved by:

 

Maarten Wevers

Chief Executive

 

Date: 12 February 2008