Sustainability at Auckland Transport

We aim to create a low-emission climate-resilient future for Auckland Transport.

Our targets, objectives, and activities are specific to emissions that are within our control. This is set in our climate-related financial disclosure reporting, using international standards and protocols for greenhouse gas accounting.

These activities include:

• reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• optimising energy use
• investing in resilient infrastructure. 

These actions are critical for continuity of service and protecting the community against the impacts of climate change.

This work is also important because it supports other organisations with their climate transition too.

There are science-based requirements to limit global warming to 1.5°. AT has emissions targets that align with this requirement. Our progress is checked annually by Toitu Envirocare.

Our GHG targets cover activities we actively have control or influence over. That includes emissions from:

• operating public transport
• corporate and network operations (offices, facilities, stations, wharves)
• embodied emissions (emissions associated with the construction, maintenance and renewal of the transport system such as resealing a road).

We have 2 emissions targets to reach by 2031:

• 50% reduction in operational emissions (including emissions from public transport) from our 2021 baseline
• 50% reduction in embodied emissions from our 2021 baseline.

Public transport makes up 94% of AT’s operational emissions. Public transport services will continue to grow to meet the demand from Auckland’s expanding population. This makes it important for us to transition to zero-emission buses and ferries to offset public transport emissions as services grow.

Reducing embodied emissions is still a challenge as AT manages transport infrastructure to meet continued population growth in Auckland. Several actions are in progress to reduce embodied emissions related to transport infrastructure development, including the release of AT’s Low Carbon Concrete Practice Note.

We measure our GHG emissions using ISO 14064-1:2018. Where necessary, we consider:

• the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard
• the GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance
• the GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard
• the latest emissions factors available as at the last day of the financial year (30 June) published by the Ministry for the Environment. 

Our reporting and emissions reduction progress are audited and verified annually by Toitu Envirocare. 

For more information, refer to the Climate Disclosure section of AT’s Annual Report.

AT is a large energy user, and our electricity use is expected to increase substantially in the future. This makes electrification, energy efficiency, and low-emission transport options some of the main focus areas for AT.

We are developing a strategic view of our future energy needs and how to ensure security of supply.

Learn more in our Climate Transition Plan 2025 (PDF, 14MB).

AT is committed to providing low-emission transport choices that:

• reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• improve air quality
• decrease Auckland’s reliance on fossil fuels.

One of the most impactful steps we are taking is delivering the Low Emission Bus Roadmap.

The Low Emission Bus Roadmap 

The Roadmap is AT’s plan to transition to a zero-tailpipe emission bus fleet by 2035, subject to funding. This ambitious goal puts sustainability into every stage of our operations—from procurement and infrastructure to trials and electrification—while balancing technology, cost, and operational realities.

Leading the way with electric buses

Auckland Transport is leading the way with the largest fleet of electric buses in Australasia. This offers a quieter, cleaner, and more sustainable way to travel.

Electric buses are better for the climate—they are quieter and help keep the air we breathe clean. Customers and drivers consistently praise the smoother ride and reduced noise compared to diesel buses.

In 2017, Auckland signed the C40 Fossil-Fuel-Free Streets Declaration, committing to purchase only zero-emission buses from 2025. We reached this milestone early - since July 2021, all new buses added to our fleet have been zero-emission.

This progress is made possible through strong partnerships. AT works closely with a range of bus operators, who in turn collaborate with leading electric bus manufacturers worldwide. These relationships make sure Auckland benefits from the latest technology, innovation, and global best practices in sustainable transport.

Progress so far

As of 11 November 2025, there are 314 zero-emission buses operating across Auckland.

By mid-2026, this will grow to 350 electric buses, making up a quarter of Auckland’s bus fleet.

Key milestones

2018

• Trial of 2 electric buses.

2019

• AT commits to achieving a 100% electric bus fleet. 

2020

• Eight diesel buses on Waiheke Island replaced with electric buses
• CityLink introduces 12 fully electric buses.

2021

• Nine electric buses launched on the AirportLink service.

2024

• New Lynn Bus Depot fully electrified with 86 new electric buses
• Route 22 becomes fully electric.

2025

• Two new electric bus depots opened (Transit and Ritchies)
• Forty-five new electric buses added for WX1 (routes 11 and 12)
• Forty-six new electric buses deployed in South Auckland, making routes 82, 923, and 924 fully electric
• Thirty-one new electric buses introduced by Kinetic in North Auckland
• Twenty-three new electric buses added by Ritchies, electrifying routes 31, 313, 314, 325, and 326.

AT owns and maintains more than 130,000 streetlights, approximately one-third of New Zealand’s total lighting stock.

We completed a major upgrade of the city’s streetlight network, replacing high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps with energy-efficient LED lights. This covers both pedestrian-priority (P-category) and vehicle-priority (V-category) roads across Auckland.

The LED upgrade began in 2015 with Phase 1, targeting P-category roads. Phase 2 started in 2019, focusing on V-category roads.

By mid-2025, 99% of the streetlight network had been converted to LED technology, with 1,160 upgrades completed during the financial year. A small number of lights are still to be retrofitted, and a minor number cannot be upgraded due to technical constraints.

Key benefits of the LED upgrade include:

• improved visibility and safety for pedestrians and drivers through white light illumination
• reduced light spill and upward waste light, minimising disruption to nearby properties and the night sky
• lower annual operating costs due to reduced energy consumption and maintenance needs
• real-time monitoring and dimming capabilities, allowing energy use to be optimized during off-peak hours
• reduced ecological impact through the use of 4000K LED lamps, which are less disruptive to biodiversity than 5000K alternatives
• significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, down 66% or 4,634 tCO2e in financial year 2025 when compared with the financial year 2015 baseline).

Overall, the LED streetlight upgrade has delivered substantial environmental, operational, and safety improvements across Auckland.

With nearly all streetlights now converted, the city benefits from a modern, efficient lighting system that supports sustainability goals and makes the city a better place to live.

As global temperatures rise, weather patterns shift, and sea levels increase, the need for communities, regions, and nations to adapt becomes more urgent.

Transport infrastructure is vital for Aucklanders. It supports economic growth, social connections, and access to essential services. Extreme weather, from storms to droughts, puts our network under significant pressure.

Extreme weather damages roads. Heat softens asphalt and rain causes washouts, landslides and flooding. Wind brings down trees and powerlines. All of this can affect transport services, for example: 

• train track warping
• flooding on train tracks or bus routes
• power outages
• coastal erosion threatening ferry terminals
• inundation affecting ferry services and coastal bus routes.

AT is committed to strengthening the resilience of Auckland’s transport system, assets and operations to help people live and move safely throughout the region.

Prioritising roads

Flooding is the most common cause of service outages on the road network. Roads are classified by importance, prioritising resilience work for 'vital' and 'major' roads to ensure safe and continuous service.

Vulnerable roads are identified and upgrades are planned using flood depth and velocity data and integrated into asset management plans.

Marae resilience and emergency retreat shelters

AT prioritises resilience upgrades on rural roads that connect communities to emergency retreat shelters or Marae, recognising their importance for community safety during flood events.

Alternative routes

For roads not classified as 'vital' or 'major', AT assesses the likelihood of service outages and the availability of alternate routes. Alternative routes to NZTA state highways are prioritised for flood resilience work.

Not every road can be made flood-resilient, so some service interruptions are expected for lower-importance roads. 

Early flood warning systems

In areas where flooding is a catchment-wide issue and raising the road would not benefit residents in the flood zone, AT has piloted using early flood warning systems.

These systems are installed on flood prone roads where flood depths are a hazard for vehicles. The signage is installed at the beginning of the roads that flood, in an area where vehicles can turn safely to follow an alternate road. 

You can find more information in our Climate Adaptation Framework and Action Plan 2025 (PDF, 29MB).

Road networks are vulnerable to high temperatures, which can cause asphalt to soften and 'flush', leading to increased maintenance costs and service disruptions.

AT's adaptation responses include:

• integrating climate projections into road design and maintenance programmes
• using heat-resistant materials and nature-based solutions
• “greening” the network
• implementing real-time monitoring technologies to detect and respond to climate-related hazards.

Coastal resilience work has progressed under the Coastal Hazards and Climate Change Guidance from the Ministry for the Environment.

We've used Dynamic Adaptation Policy Pathways (DAPP) to make plans for assets in coastal areas. DAPP is useful for managing uncertainty because it can be adjusted as conditions change.

For most coastal assets, AT has made the decision to 'protect' or 'accommodate' in the short term to allow business as usual. Meanwhile, longer term plans continue in the background.

AT's plans for coastal assets will be presented to the local communities and Auckland Council as options when the time comes.

AT developed a landslide framework using the data collected from over 2000 slip locations after the Auckland Anniversary storm and Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023.

The framework evaluated 30 different parameters that may contribute to a landslide. This included:

• overland flow paths
• drainage
• underlying soil
• adjacent slopes
• vegetation
• geologic fault lines
• fractured rock.

The framework was refined using actual slip data and extrapolated across the whole AT road network using a random walk methodology via machine learning.

The extrapolated model was imported into a map and the risk at each section of the road network highlighted as either high-risk or low-risk. The map is undergoing ground-truthing and is being used to inform ATs forward works programme to support landslide prevention through early intervention. 

AT uses the Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP) approach for climate adaptation planning. This method is useful for managing uncertainty in long-term planning because it involves flexible strategies that can be adjusted as conditions change.

For example, AT uses DAPP to plan for assets in coastal hazard areas, where the future impacts of climate change are uncertain. This approach allows AT to create plans for physical assets that can be presented to local communities and Auckland Council as options for adaptation.

This system involves continuous monitoring, flexible planning, and collaboration with stakeholders to ensure that Auckland’s transport network remains resilient to evolving climate challenges.

You can find more information in our Climate Adaptation Framework and Action Plan 2025 (PDF, 29MB).

The Adaptation Framework explains the rationale and structure for climate adaptation, and embeds climate risk into asset management, infrastructure planning, and organisational decision-making.

The Action Plan focusses on understanding the vulnerability of the transport network from both an asset owner and operator perspective.

It defines actionable steps and highlights opportunities to improve resilience through tailored solutions for road-based travel and public transport services.

The Action Plan informs and aligns with wider Auckland Council Group initiatives, supporting a coordinated response to climate challenges. By identifying vulnerabilities and considering a range of options, it ensures decision-making is guided by robust evidence and community needs. The collective effort of government agencies, lifeline utilities, mana whenua and Auckland communities will be critical to its success.\

You can find more information in our Climate Adaptation Framework and Action Plan 2025 (PDF, 29MB).

In 2024, Auckland Transport began the Point Chevalier to Westmere Improvements Project. This project aimed to enhance safety and accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport users.

The project included upgrades such as:

• pedestrian crossings
• improved cycling infrastructure
• enhanced public transport facilities.

A major achievement in the project was the reduction in embodied carbon emissions. This was done by using low-carbon concrete instead of traditional concrete. The low-carbon concrete incorporated slag as a partial substitute for Portland cement, significantly reducing the carbon footprint in both production and construction.

This maintained structural strength and durability while achieving a 24% reduction in embodied carbon compared to conventional methods.

Additionally, aggregates from the excavated road were recycled to replace virgin aggregates, further reducing environmental impacts.

This showcases AT's proactive approach to integrating climate-focused solutions into infrastructure projects. It highlights how reducing embodied emissions through innovative materials and recycling practices supports broader climate transition goals, while ensuring operational resilience.

A truly sustainable transport system must not only reduce emissions and protect our natural environment but also deliver meaningful benefits to Auckland’s communities.

Social and economic equity is about making sure that the opportunities and advantages of our transport system are accessible to all Aucklanders. It focuses on creating pathways to participation, employment, and business growth, particularly for under-served communities who have historically faced barriers to access and inclusion.

By embedding social value into the way projects are planned and delivered, we can:

• uplift communities
• support local economies
• foster a sense of belonging and resilience.

This means working with suppliers and contractors who share our commitment to equity, and ensuring our procurement decisions reflect the diverse needs of our city. Through this approach, AT aims to build a transport network that is not only efficient and low-carbon, but also fair and inclusive.

AT is committed to sustainable procurement by partnering with suppliers and contractors to deliver positive outcomes for our communities and environment.

As a major public procurer, AT considers not just cost and quality but also how purchases support Auckland’s social, environmental and economic resilience.

Our Sustainability Strategy 2024–2031 outlines 8 key objectives:

• Supplier diversity: support Māori and other diverse businesses.
• Quality employment: promote fair, safe, and meaningful work.
• Human rights: ensure ethical supply chain practices.
• Carbon reduction: minimise energy use and emissions.
• Climate adaptation: build resilience into procurement decision making.
• Greening the network: protect and restore the environment.
• Waste minimisation: encourage circular economy practices.
• Transport equity: improve access in underserved areas.

There is an emphasis on supporting Māori and Pasifika businesses. We achieve this through initiatives such as the Kake Mai Supplier Diversity Programme, and by exploring access to training and employment opportunities through partnerships like Nga Puna Pūkenga.

Our overall focus is to enable diverse businesses and strengthen local capability in our projects.

To track progress, contractors report monthly through our Sustainability Data Portal. This includes reporting on energy, water, waste, transport, and workforce diversity.

All suppliers must commit to AT’s Supplier Code of Conduct, which sets expectations around ethical, social, environmental, and financial responsibility. Risk assessments help us address issues like modern slavery and supply chain transparency.

Learn more on our Sustainable Procurement page.

The Kake Mai ki te Rironga Pāpori o AT (Kake Mai) Programme is AT’s main supplier diversity initiative to support Māori- and Pasifika-owned businesses. This supports our goal to diversify AT’s supply chains and achieve our supplier diversity spend target of 15% by 2035.

To help this programme succeed, AT wants to be part of growing the capability and capacity of Māori and Pasifika businesses in the market.

The 3 to 5 year pilot programme offers partnership and support from AT and members of our Physical Works Supplier Panel. It is designed to foster growth, boost capability development and strengthen industry partnerships. 

The businesses taking part in the Kake Mai Programme have gone through a competitive procurement process. We are excited about this opportunity to support the success of Māori- and Pasifika-owned businesses, build stronger relationships with local partners and foster equitable access to opportunities.

We also look forward to seeing this programme contributing to local employment and multiplying economic benefits for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

View the list of Kake Mai Programme participants.

AT manages over 7,500km of roads across Auckland, with the network expanding each year as the city grows. This growth increases environmental pressures from housing, traffic, and climate change.

AT supports multiple transport options to enhance connectivity and accessibility, while prioritising environmentally responsible development. Environmental initiatives including street trees, bioretention devices and green roofs help support biodiversity and maintain urban ecosystem health.

AT has developed the Hīkina te Wero Environmental Action Plan to monitor and report on progress towards 5 key environmental targets over 10 years:

1. Managing our discharges  
2. Greening our network  
3. Fish passage and biodiversity  
4. Waste minimisation  
5. Water conservation   

These targets and related actions will be integrated into the delivery and operation of the transport network. This will support the protection and restoration of the natural environment.

Progress is measured annually, resulting in a consolidated environmental scorecard. This scorecard is a crucial tool for tracking progress and communicating efforts to stakeholders in both English and te reo Māori.

Our 5 targets in more detail 

Managing road runoff 

Our streets attract all sorts of litter, oils, glass, dust, microplastics and more. Managing road runoff is about providing a filter between what ends up on our streets and what ends up in our stormwater system and harbours. These filters include things like raingardens where we use vegetation and mulch to clean the stormwater before it reaches our harbours. 

Target: Runoff from 30% of our busiest roads will be treated by 2030. 

How we measure this: we check how much of the runoff along our busiest roads is being treated by our devices. We use this to help prioritise where new devices are needed. 

This year’s progress: in 2025, we installed 1 new treatment device on a busy road in West Auckland. 164 treatment devices were installed in smaller residential streets. 

Greening our network 

Many parts of Auckland have street trees. On top of looking great and providing shade, street trees reduce stormwater runoff, reduce flooding and clean our stormwater. They also provide a home for our precious wildlife. We aim to increase the number of street trees and planting in areas where they are lacking. A particular focus area is South Auckland.  

Targets: increase tree cover along Auckland streets to an average of 12%. Help our streets become 10% more spongy to reduce stormwater runoff and replenish our ground water. 

How we measure this: we work closely with Auckland Council, who measure the canopy cover, particularly in areas vulnerable to heat. 

This year’s progress: in 2025, we installed a green roof at Puhinui Train Station. We are monitoring existing green roofs to see how the plants survive in summer before extending the programme.  

Additionally, 5,660 new street trees were planted by Auckland Council Urban Ngahare Team according to their planting season schedule. 

Fish passage and biodiversity 

Fish sometimes need to travel through our drainpipes to reach habitats and breeding grounds. Sometimes their access is blocked. Fish contribute to the biodiversity of New Zealand and are an important part of supporting our native bird species. A healthy and thriving ecosystem is part of creating a healthy city. 

Target: fish passage will be provided for 20% of rural drainpipes (culverts) located on streams where fish live. 

How we measure this: we will check and review the condition of the drainpipes to make sure fish can pass through when they need to and fix those where needed. 

This year’s progress: in 2024 we checked drainpipes across the Auckland region for places where fish couldn’t get through. These are under review and may be fixed in the next financial year. 

Minimising waste 

Minimising waste helps us manage our natural resources wisely. This means we spend less money buying new materials and there is less material going to landfill, reducing carbon emissions. 

Target: waste volumes sent to landfill is reduced by 50% across construction, maintenance, and operation of the transport network. Another way of saying this is that we want to divert 75% of our waste away from landfill. 

How we measure this: the volume of materials sent to and diverted from landfill will be recorded and tracked through our contracts. We are encouraging our contractors to use recycled materials instead of new material. 

This year’s progress: in 2024 our maintenance contractors managed to divert 66% of their waste and our construction contractors diverted 78% of their waste. 

Water conservation 

This is about not wasting drinkable water by using it to keep dust down during construction. Auckland has experienced a water shortage in recent years and we do not want to worsen it. 

Targets: all AT capital and maintenance projects over $5 million will establish rainwater supplies for activities that do not need drinkable-quality water. 

How we measure this: the use of rainwater for construction, maintenance and operational needs will be tracked and reported by our contractors and staff. AT also tracks the use of water at our bus, train, and ferry stations. 

This year's progress: most of our major contractors now have rainwater tanks installed at their depots for construction and maintenance work. One of our capital projects that is currently underway for construction also has established a non-potable water supply. 

Auckland Transport’s services and infrastructure are being affected by to climate change and the gradual degradation of natural ecosystems.

The importance of nature as a way to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change remains undervalued and frequently overlooked. For this reason, transport services and activities that emphasise the protection and restoration of ecosystems are important to strengthen and improve resilience to climate impacts.

AT, like other transport agencies in Aotearoa, currently lacks comprehensive data to fully understand its environmental impacts and how nature loss might affect its business operations. Improved information will help AT include nature-related risks and opportunities in planning, risk management, and asset allocation.

To understand its relationship with nature, AT has begun piloting the Taskforce for Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework. This global initiative provides organisations with an integrated risk management and disclosure framework that reports on nature-related risks and opportunities.

Green roofs are a progressive approach that bring many benefits for the environment, the economy, and people. Adding plants to the tops of buildings in cities is a smart and sustainable way to help nature and reduce hard surfaces that cannot absorb water. 

In 2020 and 2021, AT identified 2 sites in Panmure and Diorella (Clover Park) to trial different roof and wall options.

In 2024 green roofs were implemented on 13 of our bus shelters across Tamaki Makaurau, taking lessons from the previous trials into consideration with:

• low profile planting
• low irrigation needs
• limited public access to plants.

The bus shelter locations are: 

• 8 Ave Road, Otahuhu: 3 shelters
• Countdown, Te Atatu: 1 shelter
• Clarke Street: 2 shelters
• Astley Avenue: 1 shelter
• Te Atatu Bus Interchange: 3 shelters
• Māngere: 2 shelters
• Puhinui Train Station: 1 shelter

The project included installing pre-grown plant trays as green roofs, requiring a structural load of 60kg per square metre on existing bus shelter roofs.

The green roofs are designed to:

• intercept stormwater
• support habitat connectivity
• improve air quality
• enhance the ability for water to pass through the road corridor.

They also help reduce heat stress by lowering roof temperatures and cooling the shelters during summer. The modular design of the system allows installations to be repeated across multiple bus shelters in the network.

These installations contribute to asset maintenance objectives and the Greening Our Network targets set by Auckland Transport.

AT is installing stormwater treatment devices to help clean up road surface runoff from the city’s busiest roads. These will be installed on roads that support over 25,000 vehicles per day.

These stormwater treatment devices are part of Hīkina te Wero, AT’s long-term environmental plan, which aims to protect aquatic ecosystems through 2030.

Water that runs off roads often carries pollutants like:

• copper and zinc (from brake pads and tyres)
• dust and dirt from nearby land
• oil and fuel from vehicles
• rubbish or leaves. 

If we can reduce how much of these pollutants get into our streams and harbours, fish and other living things can do better, and our environment will become healthier. Recognising te mana o te wai and restoring the mauri of our waterways is an important part of ensuring the harbours and streams will be healthy for future generations to enjoy.

To do this, AT is installing devices that trap and filter out contaminants. Devices include:

• Gross Pollutant Traps (GPT) such as catchpit filters to catch leaves and rubbish
• non-cartridge GPT to catch sediments, floatables, oils and grease
• bioretention devices, which use soil and pants to absorb oil and metals.

AT owns more than 5,000 rain gardens and 3,500 GPTs and catchpit filters.

The first major installation under Hīkina te Wero was completed on Green Lane East in June 2024. It includes a high-capacity vortex separator that removes up to 90% of sediment and hydrocarbons from stormwater. Two smaller devices nearby help catch litter and debris. Together, they treat runoff from nearly 1,900 square metres of road.

With $1.9 million now allocated over 3 years, more installations are planned—starting with West Coast Road (completed in April 2025). AT is also reviewing other high-traffic roads to decide where devices are most needed.

This initiative is a vital step toward cleaner waterways and a more sustainable Auckland.

Our 2025 Annual Report includes:

• AT’s operational emissions statement of intent target
• AT's climate disclosure.

The climate disclosure highlights AT’s governance and strategy for managing climate risks, focusing on emissions reduction and resilience.

2025 Auckland Transport Annual Report (PDF, 17MB).

AT also contributed to the Auckland Council climate statement 2024-25.

Our 2024 Annual Report includes:

• AT’s operational emissions statement of intent target
• AT's climate disclosure.

The climate disclosure highlights AT’s governance and strategy for managing climate risks, focusing on emissions reduction and resilience.

2024 Auckland Transport Annual Report (PDF, 2MB).

AT also contributed to the Auckland Council climate statement 2023-24 (PDF, 2MB).