“Protecting our environment is at the heart of everything we do”: EPA is certified CEMARS for the first time

This week, we at Enviro-Mark Solutions were delighted to award the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) certification to the Carbon Emissions Management and Reduction (CEMARS) Scheme for the first time.

The CEMARS certification means that the EPA has measured its organisational greenhouse gas emissions to the highest international standards, and put in place measures to manage and continually reduce their impact. They join the Ministry for the Environment and EECA in being CEMARS certified; together these three government departments are demonstrating their commitment to playing their part in reducing our collective carbon emissions.

^{L to R: Enviro-Mark Solutions’ Ronja Lidenhammar and Steve Dixon, with Dr Allan Freeth, Phillip Lim, Janet Ford and Tim Ramsden, from the EPA, at their CEMARS presentation yesterday.}

Enviro-Mark Solutions’ GM Strategy and Partnerships, Steve Dixon, says CEMARS certification is a natural fit for the EPA’s values and purpose.

“The EPA is the New Zealand government agency tasked with regulating activities which impact on the environment, and enhancing and protecting our unique Kiwi way of life and economy”, he says.

“Climate change is the most urgent challenge facing our natural environment. The rigour of the CEMARS certification ensures that the emissions reduction efforts by the EPA are having a real impact on the atmosphere and our national emissions reduction goals”.

Steve presented the certification of achievement to EPA Chief Executive Dr Allan Freeth at an all-staff event in Wellington yesterday, attended by Associate Minister for the Environment, Nanaia Mahuta.  

Dr Freeth explained why the EPA has committed to carbon measurement and reduction. “Protecting the environment is at the heart of everything we do”, he says. “It’s who we are, and why we come to work every day. It’s only right that we strive for this in every way, including the way we manage our own organisation, and that we’re open and transparent about doing that.”

“Committing to reducing our carbon emissions is entirely in keeping with our responsibility for administering New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme”

Dr Freeth also outlined the EPA’s initial carbon reduction targets. “By 1 July 2021, the EPA’s target is to reduce emissions from electricity use by eight percent (per FTE), reduce paper usage and the volume of waste going to landfill by 15 percent, and reduce emissions due to staff business travel by eight percent against our baseline”, he says.

“This will be a challenge, but doing something rather than nothing is the only proper course of action”.

Congratulations to the Environmental Protection Authority!