Help Air New Zealand to help the environment

You can help the environment by making a donation to the Air New Zealand Environment Trust, offsetting the cost of your carbon emissions, or both!

Air New Zealand Environment Trust

You can now assist the environment in New Zealand by making a donation to the Air New Zealand Environment trust. the Trust will support projects around the country which assist in protecting, preserving or enhancing the natural environment as well as funding research and development.

The Trust's first project is Mangarara Station in the Hawkes Bay where 85,000 trees will be planted over the next three years to create a conservation reserve which will be available for the public to visit. Parts of the farm are already protected under covenant through the Queen Elizabeth II Trust.

Why has the Air New Zealand Environment Trust been established?

The Trust has been established to give people the opportunity to directly contribute to environmental projects in New Zealand. All air travel has an impact on the environment - in particular, the CO₂ emissions associated with air travel are thought to contribute to climate change. Contributing to the Environment Trust is a way of ensuring that you are giving something back to the environment.

How was the Trust established?

The Trust is an independent charitable trust established under the Charities Act 1965.

Does the Trust have charitable status?

Yes. The Trust was awarded charitable status by the New Zealand Charities Commission in June 2008.

If I make a donation to the Trust, can I claim a tax rebate?

Yes, you can claim a tax rebate for donations over $5.

What will the Trust support?

The Trust has been formed to help with the "protection, promotion and preservation of the natural environment, flora and fauna of New Zealand" (as set out in the Trust Deed). This could include projects that contribute to bio-diversity, research projects with environmental aims, sponsorship of an academic chair, events, education or funds for environmental initiatives which will benefit the public.

How will the Trust be funded?

The Trust will be funded through donations from passengers and other members of the public, through sponsorship from Air New Zealand and through other companies making donations as an acknowledgement of the environmental impacts of their staff air travel.

Who are the Trustees?

The trustees include environmentalists Rob Fenwick, Ruud Kleinpaste and Mark Orams who all have a strong interest in ecological issues in New Zealand. They are joined by Air New Zealand Deputy Chief Executive, Norm Thompson and General Counsel John Blair.

How will they decide what projects to support?

Projects will come to the Trust through application or through trustees becoming aware of suitable projects in the community. the Trustees will review applications and decide on projects which meet the criteria established for the Trust.

Will Air New Zealand give money to the Trust?

Air New Zealand is making a one off initial payment to assist with establishment of the Trust. This contribution will be in recognition of the environmental impact of staff business travel for the next 2.5 years.

Can companies make donations to the Trust?

Companies who would like to contribute to the Trust - perhaps in recognition of the environmental impacts and CO₂ emissions of their staff travelling - can do so. There is no requirement for a donation to be directly linked to specific Air New Zealand air travel.

Tell me about the Mangarara Station project?

The first project of the Trust will be a conservation programme involving more than 100 acres on Mangarara Station in Hawkes Bay. the owners of the station, Greg and Rachel Hart, are keen to develop a model sustainable farming system which will include a native reforestation project, pastoral tree planting and a holistic approach to soil management.

A key part of the initiative is that the public will have access to the farm to see the development of the project.

The Trust will contribute to the purchase and planting of 85,000 trees over the next three years to create a conservation reserve which the farm is placing under covenant with the Queen Elizabeth II Trust to protect for future generations.

Carbon Offset Programme

What does Air New Zealand do with the money paid to offset carbon emissions?

All the money, net of tax, contributed by customers to offset their CO2 emissions will fund the purchase of carbon credits that assist in the reduction of greenhouse gases.

Air New Zealand takes no administrative or other fee.

What carbon credits is Air New Zealand currently purchasing?

Air New Zealand has agreed to purchase Kyoto compliant emission units from TrustPower's Tararua III Windfarm Project for use in this carbon offset programme. The New Zealand Government awards these Kyoto units as part of its Projects to Reduce Emissions programme.

How is the amount of my carbon credits estimated?

Two factors are taken into account - the distance travelled and Air New Zealand specific CO2 emission factors which are based on information collected from the previous 12 months of the actual fuel used across our different fleet types and the actual number of passengers carried. Air New Zealand specific CO2 emission factors will be reviewed and adjusted (where necessary) annually.

Some calculations for aviation emissions include a "multiplier" that typically varies from 1 to 3, to account for non-CO2 impacts of aviation on the climate. Air New Zealand does not include a multiplier in its calculations.

How is the cost of my carbon credits estimated?

This is based on the current price of carbon credits that are purchased for use in this carbon offset programme. The cost of carbon credits will vary from time to time depending upon the market price for carbon credits and the type of carbon credits purchased. As stated above, we have agreed to purchase carbon credits from TrustPower's Tararua III Windfarm Project.

Note that all of your contribution, net of tax will fund the purchase of carbon credits. Air New Zealand takes no administrative or other fee.

How can I see how my money is being spent?

Each year, the information about what carbon credits were purchased, their cancellation and other information will be published and readily available to contributors.

What else is Air New Zealand doing to reduce its environmental impact?

Air New Zealand is committed to minimising aviation's impact on the environment. Initiatives include:

• In partnership with Boeing and Rolls Royce, Air New Zealand is at the forefront of the drive to develop sustainable fuels for air travel. This will see a Boeing 747 test flight later in 2008 using a sustainable biofuel.
• Investment of around $4billion in new Boeing 787-9 and 777-300 ER aircraft - with a goal of having the world's youngest and most fuel efficient long haul fleet within five years.
• Air New Zealand has reduced its emissions by more than 100,000 t CO₂ over the past three years through a range of operational initiatives such as reducing weight on board planes, adoption of continuous descent flight paths, and greater use of ground power while aircraft are at airport gates.
• An extensive waste management programme running across Air New Zealand along with implementation of an ISO14001 management system.
• Establishing a company wide Green Team to promote environmental sustainability at work and at home - more than 2000 Air New Zealand staff have joined and embraced this initiative.

More information on the Air New Zealand Carbon Offsetting programme is available in Frequently Asked Questions.