Formats
Prepared by:
Trish Nelson and Catherine Hutton
In accordance with Part 7.3.1 of ISO 14064 (References which are shown in brackets e.g. (7.3.1 c) refer to the relevant section of the ISO Standard 14064. This is for reference only.)
Period covered:
1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007 (7.3.1 c)
Submitted:
21 December 2007
Revise:
11 April 2008
Background#
In 2007 all public service departments were directed (POL Min (07) 10/17) to provide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories for the 2006/07 financial year to the Ministry for the Environment by 30 September 2007. The methodology was sent to all departments via guidelines and spreadsheets with emission factors for working out the total of Tonnes CO2-e for travel, waste and energy.
Follow-up#
Utilising the information contained in the Emissions Inventory, our department will be able to produce an Emissions Reduction Plan recommending implementing changes to ensure we are steadily reducing the Tonnes CO2-e we produce, thereby reducing the impact of DPMC activities on the environment. This plan will be submitted to Ministry for the Environment before 21 December 2007.
Maarten Wevers, Chief Executive
Table of contents#
Emissions inventory summary (7.3.1 e)#
- Introduction (7.3.1 p)
- Statement of Intent
- Persons responsible (7.3.1 b)
- Organisation description (7.3.1 a)
- Organisational boundaries included for this report period (7.3.1 d)
- Emissions sources inclusions (7.3.1 e)
- Emission sources exclusions (7.3.1 h)
- Base year selected (7.3.1 j)
- Data collection quantification of methodologies (7.3.1 l and n)
- Emission reductions and removals (7.3.1 g)
- Uncertainties (7.3.1 o)
- Verification of the GHG inventory (7.3.1 q)
- Amendment – 11 April 2008
Emissions inventory summary (7.3.1 e)#
Type of emission |
Tonnes C02-e |
Direct (Scope 1) emissions (see section 6 for definition of Scope) |
|
Petrol use |
5.49007717 |
Diesel use |
68.1464448 |
Natural gas in owned buildings and leased buildings where the agency is the sole tenant |
62.582712 |
Total Direct (Scope 1) emissions |
136.219234 |
Indirect (Scope 2) emissions (see section 6 for definition of Scope) |
|
All purchased electricity in owned buildings and leased buildings where the agency is the sole tenant |
|
Purchased electricity for lighting and utility/appliance power in leased space where the agency is not the sole tenant |
|
Total Indirect (Scope 2) emissions |
145.6500687 |
Indirect (Scope 3) emissions (see section 6 for definition of Scope) |
|
Transmission and distribution line losses for all purchased electricity |
13.7221729 |
Air travel |
107.63909 |
Business travel in rental cars / taxis |
5.63962434 |
Waste to landfill |
8.352809611 |
Business travel in employee owned cars |
0.551546439 |
Total Indirect (Scope 3) emissions |
135.90524329 |
Total emissions - tonnes C02-e |
417.774546 |
(7.3.1 e) – definition of emissions by ‘kind’
- CO2 Carbon dioxide
- CH4 Methane
- N2O Nitrous oxide, also known as dinitrogen oxide or dinitrogen monoxide
Breakdown of specific emissions by ‘kind’
Area |
C02 |
CH4 |
N20 |
Total C02e |
Petrol |
5.42399187 |
0.03219061 |
0.036670848 |
5.49007717 |
Diesel |
66.95892 |
0.077651784 |
1.119152 |
68.1464448 |
Natural gas |
83.605101 |
0.036446111 |
1.0311147 |
84.676389 |
1. Introduction (7.3.1 p)#
This emissions inventory report has been prepared and written in accordance with Part 7.3.1 of ISO 14064-1 and is designed to be used in the process of becoming carbon neutral by 2012.
2. Statement of intent#
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is one of the 28 stage two core public service agencies that will be on the path to carbon neutrality by the year 2012. This programme will be broken down into three key stages which are set out below;
- Measure emissions
- Reduce emissions
- Offset unavoidable emissions1
3. Persons responsible (7.3.1 b)#
- The Chief Executive, Maarten Wevers, has overall responsibility for the emissions inventory
- The Corporate Services Manager, Brent Anderson, has reviewed the documents for the carbon neutral programme
- Trish Nelson and Catherine Hutton prepared the documents for the emissions inventory
4. Organisation description (7.3.1 a)#
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.
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 their 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 making 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: Cabinet Office; Policy Advisory Group (PAG); External Assessments Bureau (EAB); Corporate Services Unit; Domestic and External Security Group (DESG); and Government House. An outline of the work of each business unit can be seen on this DPMC’s website.
5. Organisational boundaries included for this report period (7.3.1 d)#
The department uses formal delegations of financial authority to define organisational boundaries.
The organisational boundaries of an agency are defined by statute and for the purposes of the GHG inventory were to include core departmental activities only. The Government House figures include some Crown activities (waste, electrical and general transport) relating to the total use of government house, but exclude the Governor-General (and staff accompanying) for air travel and private car hire.

6. Emissions sources inclusions (7.3.1 e)#
Emissions sources were identified with reference to the methodology described in the GHG Protocol and the ISO 14064-1 (2006) standard. Identification of emissions sources was achieved using the specific guidance on Scope 3 factors included in the Cabinet Paper POL (07) 131: Towards a Sustainable New Zealand: Carbon Neutral Public Service. Further guidance was obtained from the Ministry for the Environment.
These emissions have then been classified into three categories. The definition of each has been adapted from the GHG Protocol. The three types of emissions are:
- Direct emissions (Scope 1): emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the agency.
- Indirect emissions (Scope 2): emissions from the generation of purchased electricity consumed by the agency.
- Indirect emissions (Scope 3): emissions that occur as a consequence of the activities of the agency, but occur from sources not owned or controlled by the agency. Inclusions of these are determined on case by case basis, and relate to the agency’s aims of the programme.
No biomass is used in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet operations and therefore no emissions from the combustion of biomass are included. (7.3.1 f).
To our knowledge no emissions associated with the generation of imported electricity, heat or steam are used by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. (7.3.1 i).
Scope selected for actual emissions#
Emission source |
Scope of emission |
Petrol for vehicles |
Scope 1 |
Diesel for vehicles |
|
LPG for vehicles |
|
Petrol and/or diesel for boats |
|
Petrol and/or diesel for equipment |
|
LPG for equipment |
|
Natural gas in owned buildings and leased buildings where the agency is the sole tenant |
|
All purchased electricity in owned buildings and leased buildings where the agency is the sole tenant |
Scope 2 |
Purchased electricity for lighting and utility/appliance power in leased space where the agency is not the sole tenant |
|
Transmission and distribution line losses for all purchased electricity |
Scope 3 |
Domestic air travel |
|
International air travel |
|
Taxi travel |
|
Business travel in rental cars |
|
Business travel in employee owned cars |
|
Waste to landfill |
|
Natural gas for base building heating in leased buildings which are multi-tenanted |
|
Purchased electricity for base building power in leased buildings where the agency is not the sole tenant |
7. Emission sources exclusions (7.3.1 h)#
Sources of GHG emissions or sinks which have not been included.
Emission source |
Emission level scope |
Justification |
Staff commuting to work in personal cars |
Indirect (Scope 3) |
This is considered to fall under the personal carbon foot print of the employee as the department has little control over where people choose to live. |
Governor-General travel including accompanying staff |
Indirect (Scope 3) |
Overseas travel is as required by Cabinet and is a Crown expense, not a departmental expense. Domestic travel as required to perform the role of Governor-General of New Zealand. |
Cabinet-directed travel to accompany Prime Minister |
Indirect (Scope 3) |
Travel decisions are outside the control of the department. |
International taxi travel |
Indirect (Scope 3) |
International rental car & taxi travel is not separately recorded in DPMC. |
8. Base year selected (7.3.1 j)#
This is the first report for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The chosen base year calculated for this report is the year from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007.
9. Data collection quantification of methodologies (7.3.1 l and n)#
The table below details the sources of the relevant data and the emission factors which have been used. All the factors have been approved by the Ministry for the Environment. The amount of C02e has been calculated by multiplying the activity data sourced by the agency by the relevant emission factor. As this is the first year that the agency has produced these figures there have not been any changes in methodology to report. (7.3.1 k)
Emission or removal source |
Data collection unit |
Emission or removal factor |
Factor source |
International travel |
Km |
See note below |
See note below |
All methodologies used in this report were those supplied by Ministry for the Environment except electricity KWH readings which were taken directly from electricity invoices |
10. Emissions reductions and removals (7.3.1 g)#
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has achieved no significant emissions reductions to date as this first reporting period has established our baseline year emissions.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet will have a management plan in place for managing and reducing emissions by early 2008 with the aim to be on a path to carbon neutrality by 2012.
11. Uncertainties (7.3.1 o)#
Emission Scope |
Emission Source |
Uncertainties |
Scope 1 |
International and Domestic flights |
It is assumed that Km records supplied by Travel Suppliers are complete and accurate |
Scope 2 |
Electricity – Executive Wing |
No data is available for our Executive Wing staff. We used data based on our Reserve Bank staff usage as usage should be similar. |
Scope 3 |
Waste - Executive Wing |
We used the MfE methodology to estimate the usage as Parliamentary Service were unable to supply the June 2007 waste audit results. |
12. Verification of the GHG inventory (7.3.1 q)#
This GHG emissions inventory report has not been verified by a third party independent auditor.
13. Amendment – 11 April 2008#
In December 2007 DPMC submitted this document to Ministry for the Environment (MfE) showing total emissions of 439.868223 Tonnes CO2-e. On 11 April 2008 DPMC were notified by MfE that 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 natural gas figures were incorrectly calculated. Our Emissions Inventory Summary (7.3.1e) has now been altered to reflect the correct figures. This change reduced DPMC total emissions by 22 Tonnes CO2-e which is the total now reflected in the updated document.
1 The term “unavoidable emissions” should be understood to include a cost-benefit analysis of the reduction measures.