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RNZ News
10-08-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Why congestion charging might not lower Auckland's air pollution
Plans for a congestion charge on Auckland drivers might not lower the city's pollution. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Lucy Xia Congestion charges can lower emissions and travel times by putting cordons around the central city and spending the revenue on public transport, but proposals for Auckland could end up doing neither. It is just after the morning rush, and GNS Science carbon specialist Jocelyn Turnbull is tracking carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide on a screen. She is in a small room high above Auckland's Wakefield Street, where machines measure pollution levels every two seconds using air collected by a tube outside the building. "We normally see the morning rush hour really clearly, that big peak that is mainly due to fossil fuel emissions," Turnbull said. By comparing fresh air from Manukau Heads with samples from three central city locations, Turnbull can chart how Auckland's vehicles are heating the planet and raising levels of health-damaging substances such as nitrogen dioxide and black carbon (or soot). But, surprisingly, plans for a congestion charge on Auckland drivers might not lower the city's pollution. Jocelyn Turnbull of GNS Science in front of the tube carrying air from above the Auckland CBD into a monitoring station indoors. Photo: RNZ / Eloise Gibson The Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Bill has passed its first reading and a select committee is due to report back next month. The bill would allow the government to work with councils to impose charges on motorists using busy roads at busy times, either by imposing tariffs for entering a cordoned area, or charging drivers for passing specific points on busy motorways (or a combination of the two). But in its current form, the bill would not do much to cut emissions, says Auckland University senior planning lecturer and public transport expert Tim Welch. While congestion charges have lowered emissions and travel times in cities such as New York and London, they did so by putting cordons around their central cities and spending the revenue gained on improving public transport. Proposals for Auckland could end up doing neither, he said. In the bill, central government - not the council - gets the final say on how earnings are spent, and there is no requirement to spend the money on offering better options for drivers. "Without significantly investing in alternative modes, and then investing the revenue in frequent buses, protected bike lanes, or better train services, this isn't a congestion charge, it's just a tax on those who can't afford it," says Welch. "The wealthy will pay and keep driving while everyone else gets stuck in worse traffic on local roads," he said. Two of the six design options prepared for Auckland Council ahead of the law passing later this year would put tolling points on selected motorways only, rather than imposing a cordon. "Charging drivers at specific points on motorways rather than implementing a proper cordon charge is transport policy theatre," says Welch. "Drivers will simply rat-run through residential streets to avoid the toll, shifting congestion from highways designed to handle it onto local roads that aren't. "When you force drivers onto longer, less efficient routes through neighbourhoods to avoid charges, you're increasing emissions, not reducing them." Welch noted cars being driven in Auckland were also getting dirtier since subsidies ended for EVs. A regulatory impact statement prepared for the bill confirms any climate or health benefits may be negligible. "The scale of emission impacts is small, within the margin of error of modelling," it says. "This confirms that charging to reduce excess congestion is unlikely to have a material impact on climate and health." The lack of emissions benefits isn't inconsistent with the government's goals for the bill, which don't include improving climate or health. That's a change from three years ago, when former Auckland Mayor Phil Goff promoted a congestion charge as part of Auckland's climate plan and named lowering emissions among the objectives. Climate and health have since moved off the council's priorities for any future congestion charge. "It was agreed with council that the goal of this was congestion reduction, and the good news is that central government agrees with that and that congestion reduction is our sole goal," said Auckland Transport programme director of infrastructure Graeme Gunthorp. "Now that doesn't mean there won't be other byproducts and benefits, and emissions reduction is likely to be one of those and that is certainly something we are going to measure," he said. Transport Minister Chris Bishop confirmed the goal was faster travel. "The main objective of introducing a time of use charging scheme in Auckland is to reduce congestion, however the Congestion Question report showed it also has the potential to support an improvement in local air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a combination of reducing trips and improving the flow of traffic," Bishop said. The Congestion Question report was produced in 2020. It said reducing carbon emissions and air pollutants would be likely benefits of congestion pricing, partly because people would spend less time idling their engines and braking. But transport modelling in the report found any declines in emissions would be small. From baseline carbon dioxide emissions of about 9,229,000 kilograms a day, the various design options that were modelled were estimated to lower emissions to between 9,150,000 and about 9,218,000 kg a day, depending on the design - a drop as low as 0.1 per cent. "Actual reductions are likely to be quite localised and depend on the nature of the traffic on a particular stretch of road and how people respond to the charge," it said. The report also said ring-fencing any revenue for urban transport projects and services had been an important factor in reducing community resistance to congestion pricing overseas. AT and Auckland Council want the bill changed so that some of the money has to be spent on giving drivers alternatives. "The first draft of the legislation indicates that the money would be allocated to projects as agreed to by the transport ministry and council," said Gunthorp. "We want it to be a little more prescriptive about providing solutions for people affected by the charge, that may be public transport services, frequency for example, or other measures." Gunthorp said staff were yet to calculate the emissions benefits of the various project designs the council has to choose from. To save ratepayers money, they will do the calculations after the options have been whittled down from the current six, which is likely to happen after the upcoming Auckland Council elections, and after the final law is passed, likely by the end of 2025. "Each [proposal] will provide different benefits. It will be up to councillors to decide which of those is material enough to help them make a decision," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
30-07-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Magnitude 8 quake strikes near Russia, NZ assessing tsunami risk
The National Emergency Management Agency and GNS Science are currently assessing whether an earthquake off the Russian coast could create a tsunami affecting New Zealand. The magnitude 8 earthquake struck 74 kilometres deep off the eastern coast of Russia. If a tsunami has been generated in this location it is not likely to arrive in New Zealand for at least 12 hours, it said.. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
01-07-2025
- Climate
- Scoop
Warmer Outlook Ahead With Elevated Heavy Rainfall Risk For Parts Of New Zealand
The second half of 2025 is likely to see a wet start, with warmer than average temperatures across all New Zealand, according to Earth Sciences New Zealand's (formerly NIWA) Seasonal Climate Outlook for July to September. Tropical weather patterns are expected to influence New Zealand over the next quarter, says Earth Sciences New Zealand principal scientist and meteorologist Chris Brandolino. "There is a high likelihood for tropical and sub-tropical influences, and low-pressure systems, to affect the country over the next three months, leading to potentially significant rainfall and increased risk for flooding, particularly in already-saturated areas. Rainfall is expected to be above normal in the north of both islands, and near normal or above normal elsewhere, except for the West Coast of the South Island, where drier than usual conditions are possible." Seasonal air temperatures are expected to be above average across all regions of New Zealand for the three-month period, he says. "So while cold snaps and frost will occur, they are expected to be less frequent than usual." More region-specific information is available in the latest Seasonal Climate Outlook ( Seasonal Climate Outlook July - September 2025 | Earth Sciences New Zealand | NIWA), which is released each month. On 1 July 2025, GNS Science and NIWA - both internationally recognised research organisations - merged to create Earth Sciences New Zealand.
RNZ News
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
New van lab for measuring carbon dioxide levels praised by scientists
The lab would start work on the streets of Wellington over the next few months. Photo: Supplied/GNS Science Climate scientists are hailing a new lab in a van as a big step forward in finding out how much carbon dioxide New Zealand cities release and how much is absorbed by green spaces. A CarbonWatch-Urban research programme, led by GNS Science, is mapping CO2 sources and sinks in every town and city. The van will access varying climates, geographies and population sizes, and will visit multiple times to account for changes in season. Spokesperson Jocelyn Turnbull said up until now, only a handful of cities around the world - including Auckland - had the technology to measure emissions, and the mobile lab with its state of the art instruments is a world first. "Getting accurate information into the hands of decision-makers is essential for emissions reduction," Turnbull said. She said the work was critical in deciding how best to reduce emissions. Jocelyn Turnbull (L) and Leigh Fleming. Photo: Supplied/GNS Science Turnbull said the van design required a bit of "Kiwi ingenuity". "Squeezing all of this high-tech equipment inside the van, and providing a rechargeable electric power supply, has required a fair bit of Kiwi ingenuity from our team and GNS's engineering workshop." The lab would start work on the streets of Wellington over the next few months. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
12-06-2025
- Health
- Scoop
New Zealand's Ability To Monitor Geohazards Weakened By Science Job Cuts
Press Release – PSA The National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre, operated by GNS Science, provides round the clock monitoring of potential tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and was set up after the Kaikoura Earthquake in 2016. The centre providing 24/7 monitoring of geohazards will have to close at times as Government cuts force the centre workforce to be cut to the bone. The National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre, operated by GNS Science, provides round the clock monitoring of potential tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and landslides, and was set up after the Kaikoura Earthquake in 2016. Last year GNS Science announced plans to cut a quarter of the 20 strong team of Geohazard Analysts by attrition following funding cuts. Yesterday, with 18 of the team left, it called for voluntary redundancies and indicated that forced redundancies could follow if sufficient voluntary redundancies are not agreed. 'Cutting the team to the bone means there is a high chance the centre will close at times when a team member falls sick or is unavailable for whatever reason – how is this keeping New Zealanders safe?' said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association for Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. Analysts work in teams of four, that is falling to three, but there must be at least two on each monitoring shift raising the risk of the centre closing due to staff absences. 'The Government needs to explain to New Zealanders why it views that this service is not as important as it was two years ago, before its funding cuts. 'Geohazard Analysts play a critical role in reviewing earthquake measurements to determine things like the magnitude and location of earthquakes and provide science advice to our emergency management services. 'The Government's decisions mean that this critical information may not be available to emergency management in times of need when lives are at risk. This is reckless for a country so vulnerable to geohazard risks like earthquakes and eruptions. 'This government does not value the role of science as we have seen with more than 400 jobs cuts throughout the sector, and a restructure announced this year with no new funding. 'The undermining of the National GeoHazard Monitoring Centre is yet another sad example of the Government's short-sighted cuts that we have seen across the public sector with little regard to the impacts on New Zealanders.' Background In September last year GNS Science announced plans to axe 59 roles, 10% of its workforce following Government funding cuts. The cuts shocked the international science community – 85 scientists from seven countries wrote an open letter to the Government stating that the cuts risk 'compromising essential geoscientific expertise and partnerships needed to address geohazards risks, which is critical for a country whose economy and community safety is so vulnerable to earthquakes, volcanoes, and climate change'. Note: The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
