Wao Climate Action Initiative is all go and are seeking participants for a fully funded 12 week program. 

The Wao Climate Action Initiative from local environmental not-for-profit group Wao Aotearoa is now underway.

The group is seeking a cross section of businesses to participate in the 12 week program that will educate local businesses and schools with the knowledge and tools to calculate their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and take action to reduce them. 

To roll out the program, Wao Aotearoa is working with regional tourism organisations Destination Queenstown (DQ) and Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT), and Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) who are jointly funding the project. 

“Right now we need business to get involved'' - says Wao Aotearoa board member and IPCC Lead Author Dr. Carly Green who is heading up the program. 

“We’re especially keen to work with a range of businesses that want to make measurable changes but may be unsure how to begin.” 

The fully funded program rolls off the back of the carbon workshops held at Wao Summit in October, which saw over 15 local businesses assess their carbon emissions. “From those 15 businesses alone we measured a staggering 3500 tonnes of CO2e” says Dr Green. “These businesses have measured the areas which contribute to their emissions and are now able to take active steps to reduce these emissions. The program has enabled change in the way they do business and they now have the support network and framework to measure the impact of those changes. These businesses have been so positively impacted by their experience, they are going to participate in this program by sharing their experience, what they have learnt and the changes they are making.” 

The program kickstarts early next month with the first workshop held on December 6th, so applications must be submitted by the 24th of November. In the first phase business will ‘Calculate for Climate’ a period to set the overall context, gather data and measure emissions (previously known as “know your number”.) 

The program will resume after the summer holiday period with the second phase, known as ‘Fast Track to Neutral’ featuring a series of workshops and resources to help businesses work through emission reduction strategies and develop their own reduction response plan. 

Wao Aotearoa is seeking a range of businesses to get involved. Applications and more information can be found on the Wao Aotearoa website: 

To apply go to: www.wao.co.nz/applynow 

For more information: www.wao.co.nz/climateactioninitiative 

CONTACT INFORMATION 

Olivia Bonifant: Program Manager / [email protected] / 021 026 07116 

Dr Carly Green: Program Director / [email protected] / 027 301 1683