Dr Gerda Kuschel
Director and Senior Specialist
Gerda has experience in all aspects of air quality management including policy and guidance development, emissions inventories, prediction and scenario modelling, ambient air quality monitoring, research, air pollution health impacts assessment and cost benefits analyses. While she is passionate about all things air quality, Gerda is particularly taken with motor vehicles which compete fiercely with her other loves … scuba diving and shoes.
Gerda has a doctorate and bachelor’s degree in chemical and materials engineering and more than 30 years’ experience in a wide range of industries in Australia and New Zealand. She is well known in the Australasian air quality community for not only leading a number of high profile projects – such as the recent HAPINZ 3.0 study – but also for moonlighting as a co-MC for CASANZ at their biennial conferences.
Recent examples of relevant projects and experience include:
Air quality research: Lead author and spokesperson on the Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand 2016 (HAPINZ 3.0) study
Cost-benefit analyses: Developing the air emissions damage costs (social costs per tonne of pollutant) provided in the Monetised Benefits and Costs Manual and used in government cost-benefit analyses
Industry training: Delivering the CASANZ Understanding and Managing Air Quality course for new professionals with Rachael (EIL) and Neil Gimson (WSP)
Public health advice: Identifying the key public health risks associated with on road transport, rail, shipping, aviation and off-road vehicles in New Zealand
Emissions modelling: Developing emissions models combined with associated damage costs for comparing the environmental performance of public transport bus fleets
Policy review: Evaluating the emissions benefits of New Zealand acceding to Annex VI of the MARPOL agreement (covering lower sulphur fuels) for shipping
Emissions inventories: Preparing transport air emissions inventories of harmful and greenhouse gas emissions to ensure reduction strategies maximise co-benefits
Resource management and decision making: Board member for the Environmental Protection Authority (2018-2022)
Gerda and Jayne co-founded Emission Impossible Ltd in 2008 - with a focus on improved management of air quality and vehicle emissions in New Zealand.
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