A video released by community group Sustainable Tarras seeks to shine light on the environmental impact an international airport at Tarras would have.

The group says the video is the first in a series it will publish about the proposed jet airport at Tarras.

“Our aim is to highlight some of the key issues surrounding the proposed jet airport at Tarras,” Sustainable Tarras committee member Suze Keith said. 

“There are so many issues, and they run so deep, that we have decided to create videos issue-by-issue.”

The video says Christchurch International Airport Limited (CIAL), the proponent of an airport at Tarras, is deflecting attention away from the real impact of its airport operations and plans.

“They categorise over 99 percent of emissions as not theirs,” says the narrator on the video.

“In doing so, they can claim to be climate positive, but they’re only focussing on less than one percent of all the emissions they actually enable.”

The video goes on to question claims made by CIAL on the impact a new international jet capable airport would have on carbon emissions.

“We leave it to you to judge if a new Tarras airport “does make sense”, or whether Christchurch airport is greenwashing its messages,” the narrator said.

CIAL declined to answer questions from the Wānaka App in relation to the claims made in the video, saying they did not want to enter into a debate via the media.

When the Wānaka App asked if the local community affected by the establishment of an international airport had a right to answers, CIAL communications manager Yvonne Desem said “I’ll send you our statement.”

That statement reads:  

“We respect that some people are opposed to our Central Otago project but their allegations of ‘green washing’ are ill-informed.

“Christchurch Airport’s had its carbon emissions independently audited every year since 2006. We’ve worked hard to become a recognised global leader in decarbonisation and are now assisting businesses around the world who’ve requested our support to transition too. 

“As we have said all along, like any other development in New Zealand, if the airport is to proceed, it will need to occur within the country’s emission reduction and adaptation frameworks.”

Greenwashing is when a company purports to be environmentally conscious for marketing purposes but actually isn’t making any notable sustainability efforts.

Sustainable Tarras Incorporated is a community group of locals from Tarras whose stated vision is about “making our valley a better place to be, for ourselves, our families and for all who pass through”.

CIAL’s Tarras Airport website can be found here.

PHOTO: Sustainable Tarras Video