New Zealand reduces reliance on fossil fuels, slashes carbon emissions

Wellington, April 20 (IANS) The New Zealand government is working with industries to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and slash carbon emissions, Minister of Energy and Resources Megan Woods said on Thursday.

Efforts have been made to stop burning fossil fuels, resulting in the equivalent of taking 14,200 cars off the road, Xinhua news agency quoted Woods as saying.

Industrial energy such as coal boilers makes up about a quarter of all New Zealand's energy-related emissions. Working with businesses to slash their emissions is a pragmatic policy that is delivering results, Woods said.

The government is partnering with 15 more businesses that are high energy users to help reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and accelerate carbon reduction, Woods said while announcing Auckland's latest round of the Government Investment in Decarbonizing Industry (GIDI) Fund, which is the first emissions reduction plan rolled out by the New Zealand government.

"By targeting the activities that create the most emissions, companies can significantly lower their carbon footprint and hit their climate targets faster," she said.

"This fund shows that we can decarbonize without having to de-industrialize our economy. Companies are producing the same products but now have the added bonus of producing them with clean energy," Woods said.

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