Zero Carbon

Ōtepoti Dunedin is working towards becoming a Zero Carbon city.

Reducing emissions across transport, energy, waste, and our local economy will help protect our people, places, and ecosystems from the impacts of climate change, while creating a more resilient city for the future.

Becoming a Zero Carbon city will only be possible through collective action across Dunedin’s businesses, organisations, communities, and households.

Progress so far

Dunedin is already making measurable progress. The city’s latest greenhouse gas emissions inventory shows:

Gross emissions are 13% lower than they were in 2019.

This reduction reflects changes across transport, energy use, and waste, driven by actions from households, businesses, organisations, and the Council.

Learn more about Dunedin’s emissions

Taking action across the city

Reducing emissions will take action from across Ōtepoti Dunedin. Many parts of the city are already involved.

Residents and households

Choosing low-carbon travel, reducing waste, and improving energy efficiency at home.

Businesses and organisations

Reducing operational emissions and supporting low-carbon innovation.

Community groups

Supporting local climate initiatives and helping communities adapt.

Dunedin City Council

Leading by example and supporting city-wide action through policies, infrastructure, and partnerships.

Dunedin's Zero Carbon vision

The Zero Carbon Plan

Dunedin's emissions

Dunedin City Council's emissions

Living low carbon

Business support

Zero Carbon Alliance

Why is it important to become a zero carbon city?

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity. It is already affecting communities in many ways.

Ōtepoti Dunedin isn’t immune to climate change and its impacts - the city is experiencing more extreme weather, sea levels are rising, ecosystems are under pressure, and communities are being disrupted by new hazards and risks.

Adapting to climate change is important. However, successful adaptation will only be possible if emissions are also reduced to limit the severity of climate change.

As a global community, we have a short window of time to reduce emissions sufficiently to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. If we can limit global warming to 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels, we can avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Although small on a world scale, Ōtepoti Dunedin has an important part to play to slow down climate change. New Zealanders generate more emissions per person than residents of most other countries. Taking action to reduce emissions will help meet the Paris Agreement and other global agreements.

What a Zero Carbon city means

Becoming a Zero Carbon city means reducing emissions across everyday activities while building a healthier, more resilient community. It will require coordinated action across government, businesses, community organisations, and households.

For Dunedin, this includes:

Cleaner transport and healthier ways to travel
Warmer, more energy-efficient homes
Less waste sent to landfill
A more resilient local economy
Protecting Dunedin’s natural environment

Ōtepoti Dunedin has a goal to become a Zero Carbon city by 2030.

The Zero Carbon Plan sets out the changes needed across the city to reach this goal, and the actions the Dunedin City Council will take alongside businesses, organisations, and communities to help make it happen.

The plan focuses on four key areas:

Transport: Making it easier for people to walk, cycle, use public transport, and choose low-emissions travel.
Waste: Reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill.
Energy: Using cleaner energy sources and improving energy efficiency.
Local economy and community: Supporting businesses and communities to take climate-positive action.

This transition will shape how we travel, live, and work in the future.

Explore what a Zero Carbon Ōtepoti could look like.

Our Zero Carbon vision

Why it matters

Climate change is already affecting communities around the world.

Ōtepoti Dunedin is not immune. The city is experiencing more extreme weather, rising sea levels, pressure on ecosystems, and new hazards for communities and infrastructure.

Reducing emissions helps limit the severity of climate change, while adapting helps communities prepare for the impacts already underway. Both are needed.

Although small on a global scale, Dunedin has an important role to play. New Zealand has one of the highest emissions per person in the developed world, and local action contributes to meeting national and international climate commitments.

The journey so far

Ōtepoti Dunedin’s Zero Carbon Plan is another step on a journey that is already underway.

National context

The New Zealand Parliament passed the Climate Change Response Act in 2002.

In 2016, New Zealand ratified the Paris Agreement, comitting to global efforts to limit climate change.

In 2019, a target was set for New Zealand to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, alongside a legal requirement for national emissions budgets and emissions reduction plans. At the same time, Parliament established He Pou A Rangi - Climate Change Commission.

In 2022, New Zealand adopted its first nationwide emissions budget and emissions reduction plan.

Dunedin's journey

Ōtepoti Dunedin has been taking action on climate change for more than a decade.

First council emissions inventory

2012

DCC begins measuring its emissions to understand where reductions are needed.

Global climate commitment

2016

Ōtepoti Dunedin joins the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.

Climate emergency declared

2019

Dunedin declares a climate emergency and sets the Zero Carbon 2030 target.

Zero Carbon Plan adopted

2023

The city’s first emissions reduction plan is adopted.

Zero Carbon Plan 2030

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