New Zealand’s Capital Named Among Most Eco-friendly in the World

Wellington has been named as one of the top 10 eco-cities in the world in Lonely Planet’s new Sustainable Travel Handbook.

New Zealand’s vibrant, energetic capital makes eco-friendly visits easy – for starters, Wellington has the lowest emissions per capita of any Australasian city.

Having committed to the Paris Agreement in law in 2019, New Zealand is aiming for zero net carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, and Wellington is leading the way.

The capital was recently named one of 15 cities worldwide to win the Bloomberg Mayor’s Challenge for its video-game-like climate change tool, and was recently named the most beautiful large city in New Zealand. The city also boasts the very first fully electric high performance passenger ferry in the southern hemisphere, and is home to the sustainable, stylish and modern electric e-motorbike, Streetdog.

Known for its connected and collaborative nature, Wellington is a leader in the ongoing restoration of the natural environment, with the world’s first fully fenced urban sanctuary, Zealandia, earning a mention in the handbook.

“Wellington’s one of the only cities on the planet where the natural environment is recovering,” says Mayor Andy Foster.

“That amazing restoration journey is built on protecting land, nature and assisted regeneration, the work of council and thousands of Wellingtonians transport – I’m especially pleased by the recognition of Zealandia, our world-leading eco-sanctuary.”

Wellington also leads the way when it comes to sustainable performance venues – four Wellington-managed entertainment venues are the first in New Zealand to be awarded EarthCheck’s Bronze Benchmark accreditation.

A landmark for Wellington’s sustainable future lies in its new conference and exhibition centre, Tākina, opening mid-2023.

As the first convention centre in the country awarded a 5-Star Green Star certification representing New Zealand excellence for environmental sustainability, Tākina will result in a 60 percent reduction in energy use and a 66 percent reduction in operational carbon emissions, when benchmarked against a comparable new build.