Governing climate risk at the capital’s airport

Rachel Drew

Wellington International Airport sits at the heart of a region that cares deeply about climate action. Owned 66% by Infratil and 34% by Wellington City Council, its governance is shaped by a clear expectation that critical infrastructure must be both resilient and responsible.

Board Chair Rachel Drew says that expectation aligns closely with her broader role as Morrison’s Head of Asset Management, where she oversees sustainability performance across a global portfolio including for Infratil.

“Climate change is integral to how we manage infrastructure assets,” she says. “Our shareholders expect us to invest wisely and think long term, and that includes understanding climate impacts and ensuring our assets are resilient.”

Drew joined the board in 2022, but Wellington Airport’s decarbonisation journey extends back much further. A full emissions baseline was completed in 2017, followed by the setting of formal environmental targets in 2018–19. These include net zero emissions by 2030 and reductions in water use and waste. “The airport recognised early that it has a responsibility to the community it serves,” she says. “Air travel is important, but it has impacts, so we must do our bit to address them.”

A changing landscape

One of the strongest themes in Drew’s reflections is the need for flexibility. Sustainability frameworks, reporting standards and best practice guidance continue to evolve at pace. She views this not as a frustration, but as a test of effective governance.

“You have to be willing to adapt,” she says. “Our core direction doesn’t change, but how we get there sometimes does.”

A clear example is the airport’s terminal decarbonisation strategy. Initial plans assumed gas heating would transition to electric heat pumps. As modelling progressed, electrification looked less feasible. “We had to pivot and start considering biomass,” Drew says. “It’s a significant change of plan, but after running the numbers we’re confident we can still meet our net zero target.”

Other shifts have been prompted by external factors. The Science Based Targets initiative has updated its framework several times, particularly around scope 3 emissions. Climate-related disclosure requirements have also changed. Like many boards, Wellington Airport spent considerable time and resource preparing disclosures that are no longer mandatory for the organisation itself, despite remaining essential for Infratil’s reporting.

While some boards may be tempted to reduce their focus as regulations soften, Drew is clear Wellington Airport’s commitments are strategic, not compliance-driven. “We’ll continue doing the work. What changes is the burden of assurance that wasn’t adding value. Our team is excited to focus on what truly matters rather than paying lawyers to assure information we already understand.”

Decarbonising operations and influence

The airport’s decarbonisation programme spans scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Almost all of its ground fleet is now electric, with fire appliances the only vehicles not yet able to convert. Electrification of terminal heating remains the single largest operational lever within scopes 1 and 2, and the airport is progressing green electricity procurement alongside the heating transition.

On scope 3 emissions, influence rather than control is the priority. Drew highlights the airport’s partnership with Air New Zealand and Marlborough Airport on an electric aircraft demonstrator. The airport also supports discussions on sustainable aviation fuel and makes land available to airlines for early-stage SAF projects. “It’s about working with them as much as we can,” she says. “Scope 3 is where the biggest emissions sit, but it’s also where we have the least direct control.”

Where the airport does have full control, it is embedding decarbonisation into new infrastructure. The recently completed fire station has been built to Green Star equivalent standards, including rainwater harvesting and innovative water purification processes for appliance testing. Certification was not pursued due to cost, but the design and materials adhere to recognised sustainability benchmarks.

Because of its compact site, Wellington Airport is limited in its ability to install on-site solar. Instead, it is exploring partnership options with external landowners or providers. Drew notes that proximity to the CBD brings some advantages too: shorter travel distances reduce emissions associated with surface transport.

Governance settings for a dynamic environment

Wellington Airport has a board of six directors, including two appointed by Wellington City Council. Despite its small size, the board’s approach to climate oversight is both collective and structured. All directors engage in strategic discussions on sustainability and decarbonisation. Regular risk reporting, including climate risk, comes through the Audit and Risk Committee, but the line between committee work and full-board responsibility remains deliberately porous.

“With a board this size, everyone is involved,” Drew says. “If we set up a committee, everyone tends to turn up anyway. We find it more effective to have the strategic climate conversations at the board table.”

Directors are supported by specialist advice from the airport’s sustainability manager and the internal Kaitiakitanga Committee. Staff also bring in independent experts where required, helping build confidence in decisions and capability over time. Within the broader Morrison group, the airport’s sustainability team exchanges knowledge with peers from other airports, including Perth and Melbourne, and with teams from energy and water assets. Drew recently attended a sustainability forum in Sydney where these cross-asset discussions helped identify shared challenges and practical solutions.

Lessons for boards

Asked what she would pass on to other directors, Drew returns to foundation work. “Measurement has to come first,” she says. “You need a deep understanding of emissions, waste, water use and climate impacts before you can set meaningful targets.”

Equally important is understanding where the organisation has direct control and where it relies on influence. That clarity helps boards make strategic choices about sequencing, investment and partnership. Low-cost actions can be implemented quickly, but more challenging initiatives will require behavioural change or long-term investment.

“The wins won’t always be quick,” Drew notes. “Some returns may take decades. But if you understand your baseline and what’s within your control, you have the right toolkit.”

Her other consistent message is collaboration – with industry peers, with councils and iwi, with airlines and with global sustainability networks. These relationships have informed the airport’s climate-related risk assessment, supported its progress through Airport Carbon Accreditation and strengthened major projects such as the southern seawall.

Drew sees real value in director-focused resources such as Chapter Zero New Zealand. She highlights the role of governance communities in supporting capability uplift and stronger decision-making.

Climate governance at Wellington Airport is, in her words, “not a separate programme, but part of how we run the business”. The board views decarbonisation not as a destination but as an ongoing responsibility – one that must evolve as science, policy and technology shift, anchoring long-term climate thinking in everyday governance.