What are Carbon Points™?
We believe that good deeds should be rewarded. Carbon Points™ are how we measure actions to address climate change, biodiversity loss and other ecological crises, as well as actions to change our systems to place people and planet at their heart.
GoZero generates 1000 Carbon Points™ for every tonne of CO2e of action to reduce or remove emissions by businesses and other organisations. That's 1 Carbon Point for every kilogramme of CO2e action they take. We are also working to integrate actions to reduce ecological impacts and overshoot of other Planetary Boundaries into how we calculate points.
We reward individual members with Carbon Points™ when they attend Eco Events and support GoZero network members that are taking action on their ecological impacts. Businesses can only generate points if they are taking credible environmental actions. Find out more about GoZero's Climate Solutions for Businesses.
Earning Carbon Points™
We challenge Kiwis to earn 1000 Carbon Points™ per month. This is equal to the average Kiwi monthly carbon footprint.
You can check your progress using the tracking tools in your account, and when you hit your monthly Carbon Points target, you unlock access to nature regeneration donations by GoZero network members for the following month.
To earn Carbon Points rewards you should:
- Sign up for a free Carbon Points account;
- Earn points by supporting local businesses or pariticpating in Eco Events using our Directory;
- Scan your account's QR Code at point-of-sale or at the event when you make a purchase.
Unlock nature regeneration donations
Subscribe to become a GoZero member and receive 1000 Carbon Points per month, unlocking premium features, notably nature regeneration donations to community groups and nature regeneration projects.
There are three levels of membership:
Starter - for $5 a month you unlock donations from our business network.
Hero - for $15 a month you receive a $5 donation from GoZero and unlock network donations.
Superhero - fore $25 a month you receive a $10 donation from GoZero and unlock network donations.
What is my Carbon Points target?
Your monthly Carbon Points target is the number of points you need to earn each month to reach GoZero Hero status, which unlocks donations to our nature regeneration projects.
We set your monthly target at 1000 Carbon Points, which is equivalent to the average monthly carbon footprint in New Zealand, or the average annual footprint of 10.9 tonnes of CO2e.
How is it calculated?
For those of you who are into the numbers, according to government data, New Zealand's net emissions per capita in 2021 were 10.9 tonnes of CO2e, or 910 kilogrammes of CO2e per month. 1 Carbon Point is equivalent to 1 kg of CO2e emissions.
There are two ways of looking at New Zealand's emissions, either based on who produces the emissions directly or who consumes the goods and services that generate emissions. Under the production model, Kiwi households accounted directly for 11% of emissions production in 2021. Government consumption data, however, shows that households were involved in around 70% of carbon emissions.
The consumption model takes into account the decisions that Kiwis make when purchasing goods and services. We believe that this approach gives Kiwis greater agency and the ability to have a significant impact on the country's emissions, given the right tools. GoZero therefore empowers you to make choices that not only impact your direct emissions (11%) but also the emissions involved in the goods and services that you purchase (70% of emissions). This allows you to support wider climate action and the transition to a more sustainable economy when you support businesses that are taking action on their environmental impact using the Carbon Points system.