Wednesday 31st August 2022

On Sunday we published a video outlining our concerns about Christchurch Airport’s approach to calculating and reporting on carbon emissions and their claim that they are “climate positive”. Every fact or claim was carefully researched and we footnoted and published all references along with our video. These references include media coverage, industry comment, scientific papers and information published directly by Christchurch Airport. We could not have been more transparent.

Today, instead of addressing any of these issues directly, Christchurch Airport has told local media that they “did not want to enter into a debate via the media”, but then issued a four sentence media statement calling us “ill-informed”.

The Tarras community has been asking for answers from Christchurch Airport for two years. Other groups in Central Otago have too. Christchurch Airport has refused to answer very specific questions. They haven’t held a public meeting in Tarras in over 520 days, preferring to engage only with carefully selected individuals or groups. They won’t engage with us directly or openly. Clearly, we are frustrated.

We continue to have the following issues with Christchurch Airport’s approach:

1. In claiming to be “climate positive” they have chosen to exclude over 99% of the emissions the airport enables, including all flights. This data is from their own emissions report.
2. They don’t acknowledge that huge emissions increases will come from a new airport and increased demand. They are also silent on construction emissions, airport community emissions and all other enabled emissions.
3. The recently released Rautaki Hanganga o Aotearoa / New Zealand Infrastructure Strategy states that all enabled emissions for any new large infrastructure development are reported on (clause 6.1.4.c). This would be a requirement for the Tarras airport development.
4. Christchurch Airport is in the business of stimulating demand for flying, which further increases emissions from flights. But they say demand is driven by the airlines, and they exclude flight emissions in their “climate positive” claims. That demand generation is a core part of their business is stated in their own documents (pricing disclosure document, 1 July 2022).
5. Their claims of a “low carbon future” for aviation are unsubstantiated and premature. There is a huge body of commentary and analysis, including very recently published information, which tells us this is a long way off, if it ever happens at all.

CIAL gave a blanket statement around multiple errors in our video. Clarifying the specific errors we have made will help build an informed debate for local residents and wider New Zealand.

We leave it to fellow New Zealanders to decide whether Christchurch Airport engages in greenwashing, or whether Sustainable Tarras is ill-informed. We will continue to highlight the issues and the facts, and we’ll be very transparent about our sources.

We encourage those who haven't seen Episode 1 of our video series to watch the video, read the script and decide for themselves. Episode 2 will be ready soon.

Christchurch Airport’s statement, as published today by The Wanaka App

“We respect that some people are opposed to our Central Otago project but their allegations of ‘green washing’ are ill-informed.

“Christchurch Airport’s had its carbon emissions independently audited every year since 2006. We’ve worked hard to become a recognised global leader in decarbonisation and are now assisting businesses around the world who’ve requested our support to transition too.

“As we have said all along, like any other development in New Zealand, if the airport is to proceed, it will need to occur within the country’s emission reduction and adaptation frameworks.”

Sustainable Tarras Incorporated is a community group of passionate full time and part time locals from Tarras, Central Otago. Our vision is about making our valley a better place to be, for ourselves, our families and for all who pass through.

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