Transport
EECA’s transport programmes
EECA’s transport programmes are targeted at reducing energy use by motor vehicles, and introducing renewable fuels.
included in this section:
New Zealand transport sector
The transport sector consumes more energy than any other sector, representing 42 percent of New Zealand’s total energy use.
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Transport is also the fastest growing sector in terms of energy use, with its growth often outstripping the growth rate of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Land transport (road and rail) represents around 90 percent of total energy use in the transport sector. A large proportion of land transport energy use occurs in the form of private motor vehicle use. Fleet cars and road freight also use a significant proportion of land transport energy.
Private motor vehicles account for almost 90 percent of total passenger transport energy use.
Conventional diesel and petrol continue to be the primary fuel types used in the transport sector.
Environmental and social impacts of transport energy use
Energy use in the transport sector has a number of environmental and social impacts. Burning petroleum-based fuels releases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere, which has been found to damage the ozone layer. Other gases and particles are also released that can have negative health effects. Several recent studies have drawn the connection between vehicle emissions, environmental degradation and human health.
Society’s dependency on private motor vehicles is contributing to an increasingly sedentary way of life and many people are no longer getting healthy levels of physical activity. Meanwhile, the extra roads required to accommodate so many vehicles are dissecting communities and altering social structures.
Energy used by energy inefficient vehicles and in energy intensive transport modes could be better used elsewhere in the economy, for social and economic wellbeing.
EECA’s role in promoting sustainable transport energy use
Besides delivering the two operational programmes above, EECA also works to influence the policy environment in which decisions are made by other agencies and organisations about transport energy use.
The Ministry of Transport is the principal provider of policy advice to the Government on transport issues, including energy use in the transport system. The Ministry also works with Land Transport New Zealand to develop legislation and regulations for the transport sector and to deliver the Government’s New Zealand Transport Strategy.
The Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry for the Environment are also involved in policy relating to energy use in the transport sector. Their focus has been on the quality of various fuels, national air quality standards and urban design guidelines.
Regional councils and local authorities manage transport infrastructure, develop local transport policy, and provide public transport services. All of these activities have energy use implications.
A number of consumer representative groups, such as the Automobile Association and Motor Industry Association, are important stakeholders in the development of policy and programmes relating to transport energy use.
EECA’s role is to work with these groups to ensure that their transport policy and programmes reflect energy efficiency and renewable energy considerations.
