Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Has files: YesSubject: search.filters.subject.410404 Environmental management

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 14
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Seasonal rhythms in practice : relating localised experiences of seasons to organised responses to changing climates : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025) van Zandvoort, Kerstie
    With seasons providing important temporal references to ongoing processes of social-environmental change the world over, this thesis considers local experiences of seasonality as a basis to effecting adaptive responses to changing climates within resilient communities of place. Here, adaptation is construed as a practical attunement to the shifting temporal patterns of places, involving dynamic intersections of rhythmic human-environment relations across scales. Engaging with multiple bodies of scholarship, from critical institutional-organisational theories to geographies of time-space, the research tenders enhanced understandings of the local conditions under which seasonal adaptations and associated social-ecological resilience are implicated in the wider transitions of politicised social-ecological systems. Focusing on coastal conservation networks operating on the Coromandel’s Kūaotunu Peninsula, in Aotearoa – New Zealand, the qualitative ethnographic inquiry probes the dynamic relations of organised groups with place by engaging phenomenological methods alongside rhythmanalysis to reveal a strong seasonality to Kūaotunu’s contemporary rural lifestyles. Manifest in unique forms of contemporary stewardship, including that of indigenous Māori, the findings suggest that the familiarity bred through a practical rhythmic engagement with local beach environments – according to a shared seasonal framework – is associated with distinctive capacities for navigating social-environmental shifts. Not least in their practical accommodation of coastal restoration activities around the fluxes of seasonal tourism on the Kūaotunu Peninsula, the organised activities of resident voluntary conservation groups are seen to adjust to incrementally changing conditions, from one year to the next, through ongoing processes of seasonal acclimatisation. Alongside an intrinsic fostering of social resilience, the inherently adaptive processes of acclimatisation observed in organised conservation practices at Kūaotunu are contrasted with remotely modelled projections of retreating coastlines as the basis to district-wide strategic adaptation pathways being developed for its coastal communities by local Council. With grassroot conservation initiatives already responding practically to ongoing change from within their means, one bay and one season at a time, they are vitally contributing local wisdoms and innovations to uncertain futures. With clear imperatives to integrate ‘seasoned’ environmental governance approaches within deliberative adaptation planning initiatives, new forums are required to strategically align with the multiple temporalities of divergent communities of place as formative to process.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Community-based conservation volunteering : motivations, barriers, and strategies for volunteer recruitment and retention to optimise conservation outcomes : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Natural Resource Management at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025-02-28) Sextus, Charlotte
    Community-based conservation involves members of the public participating in a wide range of natural resource management activities. It empowers people to contribute to taking care of the environment in their local area. Community-based conservation is growing in Aotearoa New Zealand, and around the world. Aotearoa New Zealand has approximately 940 community-based conservation groups. Collectively, these groups make an invaluable contribution to biodiversity conservation in Aotearoa New Zealand. Community-based conservation in Aotearoa New Zealand is extremely important as there is a need for ongoing conservation initiatives due to significant habitat loss and the devastating impact of introduced mammalian predators However, there is little research investigating what motivates individuals to participate in these groups and the factors that may limit their ability to get involved and stay involved. Using the Manawatū region of Aotearoa New Zealand as a study site, this research explores the factors that influence public participation in community-based conservation. It investigates what motivates participation; what volunteers gain from participation; what prevents or stops participation; and what can be done to encourage more participation in community-based conservation. Following a systematic literature review, three research methods were used: an online investigation of local community-based conservation groups, in depth semi-structured interviews with 21 key stakeholders, and an online questionnaire completed by 101 local community-based conservation volunteers. The questionnaire covered volunteering details, demographic characteristics of volunteers, motivations, commitment, satisfaction, barriers to volunteering, environmental monitoring and pro-environmental behaviours. The research showed that community-based conservation volunteers in the Manawatū tended to be older, highly educated and either retired or in less than full time employment. The most important initial motivation factors were found to be “to care for the environment” followed by “to help the local community”, “as a connection to nature” and “to be outside, or amongst nature”. “To advance my career” was the least important motivation factor followed by “for stress relief or escape” and “to get exercise”. The research showed that the most successful form of recruitment was through social interactions with volunteers and word of mouth. The main barriers to participation were time taken, travelling distance and health issues. Long-term motivations were similar to initial motivations with “to care for the environment” and “to help the local community” identified as the most important, in both instances. “To learn new skills, or knowledge” is the only motivational factor that decreased in importance between initial and long-term motivations. Some motivation factors increased substantially in importance including “to help the local community”, “to socialize with others” and “for stress relief or escape”. A high proportion of volunteers also had a strong connection to the group or place where they volunteered and to nature in general. Relationships between volunteers, non-government organisations and government agencies also impacted the success of local groups, and community-based environmental monitoring was key to obtaining funding and documenting success. The findings of this study will be useful in informing strategies for the recruitment and retention of volunteers and to improve the success of local community-based conservation in a range of settings. Such strategies might include managers of community-based conservation groups explicitly taking motivation factors into account within project and programme design and implementation, allowing more time for socialisation between volunteers, providing volunteers with ongoing training, education and recognition, providing a range of flexible volunteering opportunities targeting different types of volunteers, building positive relationships with other groups, relevant government agencies, local businesses and iwi, and working more collaboratively with other community-based conservation groups to achieve shared objectives.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Testing monitoring techniques for banded rails (Hypotaenidia philippensis assimilis) in coastal mangrove habitats of New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Conservation Biology at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Mallinder-Capamagian, Indiana
    The banded rail (Hypotaenidia philippensis assimilis) is a cryptic and elusive bird that inhabits wetlands and coastal mangrove forests in New Zealand, and is currently listed as 'At Risk - Declining' due to habitat loss and predation. Due to their elusive behaviour, monitoring this species is problematic using traditional methods, and as a result, little is known about their populations and distribution. Banded rails are considered a keystone species and an indicator of wetland health, making monitoring their populations and distribution crucial for effective wetland conservation and management. To address the lack of knowledge and understanding about banded rails, I tested the applicability and reliability of three monitoring methodologies in coastal mangrove habitats. Currently, there is no standardised methodology for monitoring banded rails, and it is unknown what techniques are best suited and the most reliable for this species. Presence/absence data were collected from 20 sites around the upper Waitematā Harbour using three main monitoring methodologies: footprint surveys, camera trapping, and call playback surveys. I fitted a range of generalised linear mixed models to the count data collected from all three monitoring techniques to identify factors affecting banded rail detection. Results showed that the size of mangrove habitats, the presence of freshwater, and substrate quality were significant predictors of banded rail footprint frequency. Additionally, freshwater, predators, and plot location were important factors affecting banded rail detection using camera traps. Footprint surveys were found to be a reliable and cost-effective method for detecting the presence of banded rails, while camera trapping provided valuable insights into their behaviour and habitat use. Although call-playback surveys were moderately effective for detecting the presence of banded rails, they may have limitations as a standalone technique. The results of this thesis have important implications for the conservation and management of wetlands in New Zealand. By testing and comparing various monitoring techniques, this research offers valuable insights into the ecology and behaviour of the banded rail, a keystone species and indicator of wetland health. The findings may inform the development of more effective monitoring protocols for banded rails and other cryptic wetland species, contributing to the existing literature on wetland ecology and conservation.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Municipal zero waste methodology : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Management at Massey University, Turitea Campus, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Hannon, Jonathon
    This research originally undertook an extensive literature review, in order to develop a deeper understanding of how the phenomenon of zero waste interrelates with the alternative sustainability-framed movements responding to the crisis of waste and the failures of conventional waste management theory and practice. This initial work was translated into a series of publications that provide content for the foundational chapters (1. Literature review 2, Background/Context and 3. Methodology) of this thesis and provided the basis for identifying the problem statement, research objectives and hypothesis. A key focus of this research involved examining the critique of the zero waste movement, in particular the extreme assertion that, in a municipal context, zero waste is a chronic failure/impossible/doomed and is a super-mega proposition for which there is no blueprint or methodology. The value-proposition for research addressing this critique was established by examining the real-world New Zealand (zero) waste case-setting where a combination of misinformation, lobbying, and policy capture resulted in an abandonment of zero waste and a consequent regression in KPIs of the prior New Zealand Waste Strategy (NZWS:2002) entitled Towards Zero Waste and a Sustainable New Zealand. The published outputs of this research make the case that zero waste approaches can and should be scientific, practically successful, measurable and evidenced, a good economic investment, socially and culturally beneficial, framed in a continuum of learning and evolution, and democratically popular. Additionally, this research has provided new insights to the extreme scope, challenge, and intensely complex disciplinarity of the waste → zero waste transition spectrum. This has enabled visualising and reinterpreting the significant, but largely unmet interdisciplinary requirement of (zero) waste management, as a critical barrier to progress. Based on a three-stage review of policy analysis in (zero) waste management research, a specific methodology of mixed methods content analysis (formally annotated as MMR HCA-T-MZWM quant + QUAL(quant)) was designed to test and explicate the disputed existence of municipal zero waste methodology (MZWM). Detailed quantitative findings converge in the formation of an extensive hybrid embedded qualitative written narrative result that is the illustrated in four final graphic summary illustrations of the hypothesised MZWM. This Ꝏ infinity – continuum model offers a new conception of dynamic integrated elements and interoperative, interdisciplinary clusters comprising the MZWM. The Ꝏ infinity – continuum MZWM model embodies the disruptive, hyper-aspiration of zero waste in seeking maximum transition into a sustainable circular economy, and in extent and detail appears commensurate with the cited super-wicked complexity of waste issues. The Ꝏ infinity – continuum MZWM model provides a simple, yet meaning-laden graphic, abductive bridge between the UNSDG imperative and zero waste’s innovation seeking and transformational ideals. The MZWM represents a key foundation for the critical next-step opportunity to develop an evaluation framework (ideally as an internationally agreed research framework encompassing further learning and experience) to systematically measure and enhance the performance of future municipal zero waste programmes.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Optimization of the rearing environment for the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), a promising agent for organic waste bioconversion : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Liu, Zhongyi
    Bioconversion is an environmentally, socially and economically sound measure for organic waste management. The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera Stratiomyidae), is one of the promising species for organic waste bioconversion. Larvae of BSF (BSFL) can feed on multiple types of organic waste, and the harvested larvae could be processed into valuable products such as animal feed, chitin, and organic fertilizer. To maximize the efficiency of a bioconversion system using BSFL, it is necessary to optimize the rearing environment of the insects, which requires knowledge of the impact of environmental factors on BSF at different life stages. This thesis reports my investigations on (1) the effect of diet on selected BSF larval (BSFL) life history and physiological traits and bioconversion efficiency, (2) the effect of substrate type and moisture content on BSF pupation, and (3) the effect of artificial light type, light regime, and adult density on BSF reproduction. First of all, I tested three types of organic waste (brewer’s waste, pig manure, and semidigested grass) against a standard diet (broll; a mixture of wheat bran and wheat flour). Among the organic wastes tested, brewer’s waste led to the fastest larval growth and highest larval weight gain. However, protein conversion efficiency of BSFL fed on brewer’s waste was lower than the larvae fed on the standard diet, which may be due to the high protein content in brewer’s waste. A meta-analysis revealed that dietary lignocellulosic content has an adverse impact on BSFL weight gain. Second, I investigated the effects of two pupation substrates (vermiculite and wood chips) and nine moisture levels on BSF pupation rate and depth. Using moist pupation substrate could reduce prepupal water loss, improve prepupal survival rate, and move forward the onset of pupation. BSF prepupae were found to stay at shallower depth levels when moisture content exceeded 20% and 70% for vermiculite and wood chips, respectively, which may be due to reduced oxygen availability. Third, I assessed four types of artificial light for their suitability of supporting mating of BSF from two different colonies. The artificial light that matches the spectral sensitivity of photoreceptors of BSF adults led to the highest mating success. Interestingly, artificial light resembling summer sunlight failed to support BSF mating, which may be due to its flickering. Colony effect was also significant on BSF mating success. Moreover, I found an interaction between the light regime and adult density on mean individual female reproductive output and adult survival rate. To optimize the reproductive output of a BSF colony, 8 h of photoperiod would be sufficient for a low adult density (e.g., lower than 800 individuals∙m−3), whereas longer photoperiods may be needed for higher adult densities. Finally, I present the implications that can be drawn from my findings, and my recommendations for future research and the relevant industry.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    How farmers understand their autonomy and the significance of this understanding for environmental management in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Environmental Management at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) McCole, Hannah
    This thesis explores farmer understanding of autonomy and what this means for environmental management. Whilst prior research has shown that farmers place a high value on their autonomy, there has been little work conducted to understand how significant maintaining this autonomy is for environmental management. In New Zealand, ongoing conflict regarding top-down agricultural regulation and the current momentum towards establishing farmer-led catchment collectives suggests that farmers want to maintain autonomy over the environmental action that they take. To explore farmer understandings of autonomy in the context of environmental management, this research undertook semi-structured interviews with nine dairy farmers in the Waikato region utilizing a thematic analysis approach. The key findings revealed that farmer autonomy is complex, it is not static. This research also identified four recurring components of autonomy which were embedded within the interviewees’ collective understanding of their autonomy. These components indicated that farmers often defined their autonomy as their ability to 1) act as active sharers rather than passive receivers of knowledge, 2) use modes of self-regulation via collective action, 3) pursue their interests and values without fear of undue financial constraints, and 4) enact their own sense of obligation to their land in accordance with their personal stewardship values. Overall, this research supports the idea that farmer autonomy can be preserved whilst achieving beneficial environmental outcomes through the promotion of farmer-led collaborative groups and networks that encourage farmer knowledge exchange. This study also highlights the importance of creating mechanisms that provide farmers with financial support and acknowledge farmer feelings of responsibility for their land. This research therefore argues that a top-down regulatory approach which inadvertently marginalises farmer autonomy may be detrimental to the future of effective environmental management in New Zealand.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Exploring 'nature' conceptualisations and 'connections' : a case study in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand : a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Management, Massey University, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Fehnker-Heather, Lissy
    Human actions and activities, particularly in urban Western countries, are degrading ‘nature’ at an unprecedented rate. As a result, the global environmental scientific community stress the urgent need to shift behavioural actions to more sustainable ones, for example actions that are respectful toward ‘nature’ and other species. To shift actions, it is crucial to understand what underpins them. As it is largely suggested that beliefs about ‘nature’ inform subsequent actions toward ‘nature’, the interest for environmental managers should be understanding what underpins these beliefs to initiate change. Research exploring the beliefs that people hold about ‘nature’ is growing but is still scarce in environmental management as most research is initiated from the psychological discipline. This means that the findings from such studies struggle to make their way into environmental management and therefore the implications are not translated into practical outcomes which are relevant to environmental managers active in the field. Consequently, the research in this thesis explored four facets of beliefs relating to ‘nature’ to contribute to environmental management literature and aimed to situate the findings into environmental management outcomes. The four research areas investigated were conceptualisations of ‘nature’, conceptualisations of ‘connections to ‘nature’’, what the self-perceived pathways or barriers to ‘connections to ‘nature’’ are, and how respondents view themselves in relation to ‘nature’ along with examining whether this influences their pro-‘nature’ beliefs. These avenues of research were investigated with between 960 and 997 respondents from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand via a cross-sectional, qualitative online survey and interviews. The findings suggested that most of the respondents conceptualise ‘nature’ as being something that neither humans nor human activities are a part and similarly mostly view ‘nature’ as separate from themselves. The research further uncovered that common associations of ‘nature’ are related to flora and fauna, and that there are several ways in which ‘connections to ‘nature’’ are conceptualised, but most commonly, they are perceived as being cognitive, affective, or experiential connections. The research has shown that respondents commonly perceive modern societal factors as a barrier to their connection to ‘nature’ but on the contrary perceive exposure to ‘nature’ as being a key pathway to their connections. Lastly, the findings highlighted that interconnectedness with ‘nature’ correlated with higher pro-‘nature’ beliefs across the respondent group. The research and its findings make an important contribution to the limited environmental management empirical research on ‘nature’ conceptualisations and ‘connections’ available internationally. This research also provides empirical insights into the population of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, which can be used to provide practical interventions and initiatives to facilitate stronger connections and relationships to ‘nature’. These can be implemented in practice, policy/strategy, and planning. Recommendations are made to assist with this.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The effect of sub-catchment industrialisation on the health of Ahuriri Estuary : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master Environmental Management at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Ludlow, Hannah
    Ahuriri Estuary is steeped in geological and cultural history. In 1931 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake uplifted the bed of the former Ahuriri Lagoon by approximately 2 metres. The drainage, diversion of the Tutaekuri River, channelisation of waterways, and urban development of the surrounding catchment which ensued formed the modern 275-hectare estuary in the centre of Napier City. To investigate the effects of sub-catchment industrialisation on the health of Ahuriri Estuary, research outlined in this thesis involved undertaking a multi-temporal land use change assessment using historic aerial photographs of the Onekawa and Pandora sub-catchments. In 2018, 41.9ha of grasslands remained within the sub-catchments compared to 254.8ha in 1936, with 223.3ha of impervious industrial development spanning the sub-catchments. The waterways which flow through the Onekawa and Pandora Industrial zones have shown elevated dissolved and sediment-bound heavy metal concentrations. Six sediment cores were retrieved from tributary discharge zones within Ahuriri Estuary. Visual observations of grain sizes and fossil macrofauna densities accompanied Itrax™ core scanning for chemical constituents. Results for marine and terrigenous sediment ratios identified the 1931 earthquake. To investigate the relationship between sub-catchment industrialisation and the health of the modern Ahuriri Estuary, heavy metal peaks were assigned approximate depositional timeframes using calculated sediment accumulation rates. The early 1970s registered across five of the six cores as a time of excessive heavy metal contamination delivered to Ahuriri via the urban tributaries. Extreme zinc and lead pollution from the Pandora Industrial zone lasting several years from 1973-1976 exceed levels found in the literature of Itrax™ XRF-scanned estuarine cores. Zinc levels are high across the cores compared to the available literature. Above identified peak zones, heavy metal trends across five of the six cores gradually reduce towards the core surface. Despite observed heavy metal reductions, recent toxicity assessments using surficial sediment suggest that Ahuriri Estuary is in a state of poor ecological health, meaning its functionality as an important spawning ground and nursery for aquatic species is undermined. Once land-based contaminant mobilisation is reduced via improvements to land and freshwater management, rehabilitation options for contaminated sediment within the Ahuriri Estuary can be investigated for feasibility.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Exploring energy justice in rural Bolivia : a thesis prepared in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Environmental Management at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Quinteros Nogales, Laura
    Great progress has been made in improving energy access in Bolivia during the last four decades. However, rural areas, where grid solutions are not tenable, still pose challenges for the goal of achieving universal energy access. Although decentralized renewable energy solutions (DRES) are being deployed in rural areas, not all the benefits expected from energy access are materializing. In many instances the benefits of DRES are inequitable relative to grid solutions, and in some cases, they bring unwanted social impacts. Research shows that socio-cultural, economic and political issues, as well as the individual values and beliefs of users regarding energy services, nuance and mediate development benefits. Therefore, policies focused on targeting off-grid rural energy access need to reflect on and engage with the specific context and needs of rural communities. Energy justice offers a valuable conceptual framework to explore energy systems from the perspective of social justice. It encompasses three key tenets: distributive justice, procedural justice and recognition justice. Drawing upon a bespoke conceptual framework based on the two mainstream approaches to studying energy justice, this thesis uses argumentative discourse analysis to explore the discourse underpinning Bolivia’s rural energy policy. Five key public policy documents relating to rural energy access in Bolivia were identified and analyzed and eleven in-depth semi-structured interviews were carried out with key stakeholders within the Bolivian energy sector including representatives from the government, academia, private energy suppliers, non-government organizations and international cooperation entities. Findings show that while Bolivia’s national policy framework for off-grid energy access echoes global narratives relating to energy justice, it is underpinned by its own unique discourse framing Bolivia’s efforts to achieve universal energy access. This discourse is characterized by three key elements. First, a distributive a principle of universalization to deploy modern energy services across rural areas supported by a meaningful framing strategy. Second, two parallel coalitions built around electricity and clean cooking fuels and technology (CCFT) and other energy requirements position the government at the forefront of the energy access challenge and introduce the environment as a non-human actor within the energy sector. Thirdly, an epistemological approach of development based on the indigenous philosophy Vivir Bien that calls for an ecosystemic perspective to conceptualize the instrumental value of modern energy services. However, several inconsistencies constrain Bolivia’s capacity to achieve its goal of universal energy access by 2025. These issues include (1) policy vagueness and an undefined distributive rationale to deploy energy as a basic service and reallocate socio-economic and environmental benefits from energy access; (2) constraints on meaningful participation and power imbalances within the procedural arrangements of Bolivia’s energy policy framework; and (3) lack of recognition of energy requirements across different cultural and socio-economic identities within rural populations related to political strategies stemming from the ideology of the incumbent political regime. Three groups of possible measures to address these issues are proposed. First, it is argued that the distributive rationale could be strengthened by using qualitative and quantitative benchmarks; standardizing strategies to better engage with the potential reallocation of socio-economic and environmental benefits; and developing broader policy instruments to achieve universal energy access in rural areas. Second, procedural arrangements should focus on sectorial capacity building to establish new sites of argumentation and explore alternatives to broaden the current governance structure. Finally, the rationale of recognition justice within the policy framework could be strengthened by exploring typologies of individual users of energy to design more targeted policies, considering the potential of traditional forms of economic organization and exploring cultural figures related to Community Justice to lead the local governance arrangements around energy access.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Life cycle based environmental impacts of future New Zealand electricity supply : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Environmental Management at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Bullen, Louise
    Electricity use is an important contributor to the environmental impacts of many products and services in New Zealand. In this research, the life cycle based potential environmental impacts and benefits of future New Zealand low voltage electricity were assessed based on a range of electricity scenarios (for years 2018-2050). A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach was adopted and Impact Assessment undertaken using twelve environmental indicators. The functional unit was the annual supply of low voltage electricity to New Zealand consumers. It was found that increasing the proportion of renewable generation in the electricity mix has clear environmental benefits. The greatest benefits are observed in indicators where current impacts are predominantly due to combustion of fossil fuels, in particular the climate change indicators, ADP fossil and PED non-renewable. A case study of a New Zealand detached house demonstrated that the choice of future electricity scenario can have a significant impact on the magnitude of the life cycle impacts of this particular long-lived product with the carbon footprint varying by up to 24% depending on the electricity scenario used. Embodied carbon accounted for 5-12% of the total carbon footprint of New Zealand electricity. The contribution of embodied carbon to the carbon footprint increases over time as more renewable generation infrastructure is constructed. Current methods for calculating the carbon footprint of New Zealand electricity for greenhouse gas reporting purposes exclude embodied carbon and utilise different allocation methods than the one used in this study for cogeneration emissions. This results in a carbon footprint that is 37-39% lower than the life cycle-based results calculated in this study. The carbon footprint of future New Zealand electricity was examined in the context of planetary boundaries. It was found that future scenarios of electricity generation and supply are not compatible with limiting climate change to a 1.5°C increase by 2050 if the electricity sector is considered in isolation. Attributing some of the benefits from electrification of the manufacturing and land transport sectors to the electricity sector can result in a carbon footprint compatible with meeting a 1.5°C climate target based on combined economic and grandfathering sharing principles. Climate targets based on other combinations of sharing principles exceeded a 1.5°C climate target by the early 2020s when 50% of the benefits of electrification of the manufacturing and land transport sectors were attributed to the electricity sector. However, if 100% of the benefits are allocated to the electricity sector, these PBs are exceeded for a period of time (2023-2047) then, the cumulative carbon footprint falls to a level below the PBs from 2048 onwards. Impacts of new electricity generation infrastructure were fully allocated to the year of construction in this research. This is an appropriate approach in the context of an absolute sustainability assessment such as a comparison with a climate change target where the timing of impacts is relevant. However, it may not be appropriate when undertaking a relative assessment comparing two products or services or when assessing short-lived products due to the potential for the results to be influenced by the timing of impacts associated with the construction of generation infrastructure.