Managing carbon in times of political change: the rise and fall of the New Zealand Carbon Neutral Public Service program

Birchall, S. Jeff; Ball, Amanda; Mason, I.G.; Milne, Markus J.

doi:10.1080/14486563.2012.720455

Cited by 12 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…As for programmatic inefficiencies, it is clear from the narratives that programmatic challenges were endemic. The initiatives nevertheless enjoyed some success, with senior managers from both programs indicating that emission reductions and cost savings were experienced, along with several nonfinancial benefits such as increased awareness around climate change and carbon mitigation, and improved network circles (e.g., Birchall, 2013a, 2014a; Birchall et al., ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As Birchall et al. () highlight, while savings were anticipated by the lead‐core departments, given that estimated program costs, including offsetting the lead‐core departments' emissions for the 2008–2012 period were NZ$10.4 million (NZ Government, ), it is not likely that savings from the lead‐core agencies would exceed the initial program expense. Further, since the lead‐core six departments, by weight, represented only 16 percent of the 159,000 t‐CO2e for the total 34 core public service departments (NZ Government, ), government's post‐2012 offset liability was potentially quite large.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(), the general performance of an organization does affect its likelihood of termination; the probability of termination increases as an organization becomes less efficient and effective at achieving its objectives. Both the CNPS and the CCP‐NZ programs suffered from a range of programmatic inefficiencies (e.g., Birchall et al., ). While programmatic inefficiencies were not cited by the senior managers as being the rationale for program termination, it is clear, while admittedly speculative, that had the programs continued (beyond 2009) without modification, these inefficiencies would have likely caused their abandonment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Termination Theory and National Climate Change Mitigation Programs: The Case of New Zealand

Birchall

2014

Review of Policy Research

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In 2008 New Zealand (NZ) changed from a Labour-led to a National-led government, and this resulted in a shift to government's carbon emission mitigation strategy, including the abandonment of the Communities for Climate Protection (CCP) and the Carbon Neutral Public Service (CNPS) programs. Using deLeon's seminal model for program termination, the objective of this research is to determine why NZ's newly elected government discontinued these initiatives. This empirical research is investigative and probing, and comprises a series of semi-structured interviews with senior managers responsible for the delivery of the respective program within their organization. The architects of each program are also investigated. In the end, this study finds that while economic constraints and programmatic inefficiencies may have played a contributing role, political ideology is the primary rationale for the termination of the CNPS and the CCP-NZ programs.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Termination Theory and National Climate Change Mitigation Programs: The Case of New Zealand

Birchall

2014

Review of Policy Research

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“…Additionally, strategies for GHG emissions reductions and, for some, the ultimate goal of achieving carbon neutrality, are on the rise, as is the academic literature exploring these trends (e.g. Gossling 2010;Ball et al 2011;Birchall et al 2013). Yet much of the scholarly work that has attempted to understand the actual dynamics and outworking of organisational (public and private sector) carbon emissions reduction programs, and the key motives that drive or inhibit action, is largely limited to inferring these relationships from analyses of websites, reports or survey questionnaires (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In New Zealand (NZ), for example, where 'government has made many statements that indicate a commitment to sustainability and sustainable development' (Buhrs 2008, p. 62), the creation of a national climate strategy is hampered by indecision and the desire to not get ahead of other countries (e.g. Chapman 2006;Birchall et al 2013) that may have a greater mitigative impact.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon management in New Zealand local government: co-benefits of action and organisational resolve in the absence of government support

Birchall

2014

Australasian Journal of Environmental Management

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Barriers to effective climate change mitigation: the case of senior government and business decision makers

Rickards

Wiseman

Kashima

2014

WIREs Climate Change

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While the case for rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions is compelling, actions being taken by most senior decision makers (SDMs) in government and business compound the problem. Given the systemic reach of much senior decision making, including decisions that constrain their own actions, there is an urgent need to open up the SDM black box. Focused on Western governments and multinational corporations, this article examines a cross‐disciplinary range of literature to ask: What are the key factors affecting the preparedness of SDMs—particularly those who accept the climate science—to take the decisive actions needed to drive rapid and significant emission reductions? The review brings together multiple perspectives on the many compounding factors operating across three interconnected scales: micro (individual and interpersonal factors including disciplinary background, worldview, gender, and risk perceptions); meso (network, organizational and institutional factors including management paradigms, organizational culture, and institutional complexity); and macro (environmental, social, cultural, political, and economic factors including climatic extremes, vested interests, and public opinion). It concludes that SDMs are strongly focused on their ‘local’ professional context and near‐term pressures, including reputation among peers, relationships with competitors, and real‐time financial status. As a group they exist within a largely closed circuit and perceive the world from a particular narrow perspective. Combined with the complexity and embedded character of existing systems, this occludes more systemic or reflexive thinking or action. This deep propensity for inaction suggests that a coordinated multi‐frontal approach is essential for a new more effective mitigation approach. WIREs Clim Change 2014, 5:753–773. doi: 10.1002/wcc.305 This article is categorized under: Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Behavior Change and Responses

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Managing carbon in times of political change: the rise and fall of the New Zealand Carbon Neutral Public Service program

Cited by 12 publications

References 4 publications

Termination Theory and National Climate Change Mitigation Programs: The Case of New Zealand

Termination Theory and National Climate Change Mitigation Programs: The Case of New Zealand

Carbon management in New Zealand local government: co-benefits of action and organisational resolve in the absence of government support

Barriers to effective climate change mitigation: the case of senior government and business decision makers

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