May

InterCity Group committed to sustainability

Intercity Group, one of New Zealand’s largest national transport companies, is set to become a carbon neutral operator by 2010.

The group is working with Landcare Research’s carboNZero programme to attain carbon neutral status on emissions by winter 2007, and the entire operation by 2010. InterCity transport products include Newmans Coach Lines, InterCity Coachlines, and King’s Dolphin Cruises & Eco Tours.

Landcare Research will work with InterCity to measure, reduce and mitigate its CO2 emissions. The programme is based on five years of scientific research and is independently audited.

'We are philosophically committed to sustainability and feel the robustness and independence of Landcare’s carboNZero programme will help us ensure we are adopting effective, credible measures to help reduce the impact of emissions,' says Malcolm Johns, CEO at InterCity Group.

Alongside this, passengers will have the opportunity to buy voluntary carbon credits in order to offset the emissions generated from their trips around New Zealand.

Research leader for business sustainability at Landcare Research, Professor Ann Smith, said she is impressed with InterCity’s efforts to include its passengers, including international visitors, in its initiatives to reduce its environmental impacts.

Over the past five years Intercity has significantly reduced its carbon footprint by spending $20 million on modernising its fleet. The company voluntarily meets European emission standards.

'Independent assessments indicate an international visitor on a seven to 10-day tour of our country could have up to a 90 per cent lower carbon footprint if they used InterCity and Newmans transport services than if they drove themselves in a modern 2.0 litre rental car. Similar figures apply to international visitors who go on group tours of New Zealand travelling on modern coaches,' says Johns.

This is not the first time the Kiwi-owned and operated company has taken the initiative to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. They were also the first national land transport operator to introduce paperless ticketing in 1998, reducing paper consumption by 80 per cent in the first year.

InterCity Group will buy carbon credits through Landcare Research, which currently sources them from landfill, windpower and native forest regeneration projects that reduce or prevent the production of greenhouse gases.

'The carbon issue is also particularly important for our marine mammal watching business in the Bay of Islands, because the ocean absorbs half of all carbon released into the atmosphere,' says Johns. 'This causes the ocean to acidify which affects the marine food chain.'

* carboNZero is a trademark of Landcare Research.

Further information:

Malcolm Johns
InterCity Group CEO
Phone +64 9 638 5702
Mobile +64275301414

Deborah Telford
nbpr
Phone +64 9 3540582
Mobile +64272 912489