The Trust and Eastland Group have set a bold target to reduce emissions from all businesses and operations by 21 percent by 2025-(Eastland Generation aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030).
Acknowledging that climate change is a real, pressing, and complex challenge, Eastland Group and its shareholder, Trust Tairāwhiti have joined more than 100 other organisations in the CLC.
This includes some of NZ"s largest businesses which collectively account for 60 percent of the country"s greenhouse gas emissions.
By signing up to the CLC, signatories commit to measuring their greenhouse gas emissions, publicly reporting on"these, setting a public emissions target, and working with suppliers to reduce their emissions.
General Manager Energy Solutions, Steven Follows said the first step was to measure the emissions across all businesses, Eastland Port, Eastland Network, Eastland Generation and Trust Tairāwhiti.
"Now we have a benchmark we can implement ways to reduce our emissions and reach our emission reduction targets."
The threats of climate change include increased flooding; increased acidification of oceans; more severe weather events, more severe drought and longer periods of soil moisture deficit.
The NIWA climate change projections for Tairāwhiti (released in November) provides detailed information on the climate changes the region can expect.
Trust Tairāwhiti CEO Gavin Murphy said the science was clear."
"In order to reduce our emissions to stay within a temperature increase of 1.5 degrees C within ten years, we need to act now. Aiming for net zero by 2050 is simply too little, too late."
"Being a great ancestor for Tairāwhiti is one of our core values at the Trust."
Some of the ways the Trust will reduce emissions include phasing out the Trust's internal combustion engine cars, along with prioritising walking, cycling and the use of its electric vehicles.
"Guided by our new Wellbeing Framework He Tohu Ora, the Trust's future funding and investment decision making will consider whether projects and activities are not only supporting the reduction
of GHG emissions in the region, but also how they factor in community and economic resilience to climate change."
Mr Murphy sees signing up to the CLC as central to the Trust getting its own "emissions house" in order.
"It's been a steep learning curve so far and we are keen to support businesses across the region to look at how they can reduce their own emissions."
For further information go to: www.climateleaderscoalition.org.nz