WRC - Climate change to be included in all council decision making
Published 26/06/2020
Waikato Regional Council is future-proofing all its programmes, actions and activities by incorporating climate change considerations into decision making.
Councillors yesterday unanimously agreed that an assessment of climate change implications would be included for consideration in reports to the council.
Chair Russ Rimmington, who described the move as ground-breaking, says councillors make important decisions that have far reaching implications for the region’s environment, its economy and communities.
“Climate change is the biggest challenge we have coming at us and it affects a wide range of our activities, infrastructure and services. We need to know where we can reduce our emissions and understand our options for adapting to whatever climate change throws at us.
“Understanding the impact of climate change on our communities and economy, and making good decisions early, is key to ensuring a healthy environment, a strong economy and the safety of our communities.”
Cr Jennifer Nickel, who is the council’s Climate Action Committee chair, said climate change was already part of core business but the move would support councillors and staff to be better in this space and in the right way, by using a transparent and consistent approach based on evidence.
“We made climate change one of the big strategic priorities ... we discuss it pretty much all the time.”
The framework will be used for all decisions on investment in infrastructure and assets, community and corporate services, and access to natural and physical resources and space.
Council reports will need to include a brief summary of how climate change has been considered in relation to reducing greenhouse gases and increasing community resilience, and what the council might do to reduce emissions or build greater resilience.
Councillor Tipa Mahuta described climate change as a “unique conversation of this generation” and said the council’s move meant “we are now in the right conversation”.
Published: 21/02/2020
Waikato Regional Council’s new Climate Action Committee lived up to its name at its inaugural meeting on Thursday (20 February).
The committee passed recommendations for the full council to endorse an updated greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan for the council’s corporate activities, include a specific process for incorporating climate change considerations into the council’s work programmes and decision making, and initiate a proposal to help accelerate the uptake of low emission vehicles in the Waikato region.
After outlining the vision and expectations for the committee, Chair Jennifer Nickel said “before we go asking others to make changes in this space it would be prudent to ask ourselves if we are ready to lead by example”.
Cr Nickel said councillors would be offered the chance to measure their own carbon footprint and consider how easy or difficult it would be to make changes.
“This will show leadership from the front, help us make better decisions, and help us hold our own when having a conversation about carbon with our constituents.”
Councillors spoke personally about their support for what the committee wanted to action and their pride in the regional council for taking a lead role in setting up a committee to address climate change.
The (now) completed Waikato Region Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory will provide an understanding of the scale of, and sectors responsible for, greenhouse emissions in the region and opportunities for making reductions.
In December 2017, the council became the first regional council in New Zealand to join the Certified Emission Measurement and Reduction Scheme (CEMARS) programme, now called Toitu Carbon Reduce, as part of its commitment to measure and reduce its own carbon emissions.
Its target then was to reduce emissions by 45 per cent by 2030, however, in order to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in line with the Paris Climate Agreement target, the council’s corporate plan would have to achieve at least a 56 per cent reduction by 2030.
The committee heard how diesel, electricity and air travel were the council’s highest carbon emissions. Taking a leadership response to minimising its carbon emissions would see ongoing efforts to use less electricity, a sinking carbon budget imposed on domestic air travel by staff, all petrol passenger vehicles in the fleet transitioned to electricity, and exploration of alternatives to diesel to run flood pumps.
Council Chief Executive Office Manager Karen Bennett told the committee a lot of good work had been done to reduce emissions internally “but climate science and our communities tell us we have to do more to get there faster and earlier”.
The council’s emissions last year were 1,170.46 tCO2e, a reduction of 18 per cent for 2018 (1,419.45 tCO2e) and 30 per cent lower than the 2017 base year total (1,672.95 tCO2e). Recent analysis has shown that a 70 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 (relative to a 2017 baseline) is achievable, so the committee recommended this be put forward to the full council to consider.
“We are very interested in partnering with others on projects that can deliver multiple benefits for biodiversity and water quality, and which can act as carbon sinks and increase the resilience and wellbeing of our communities," said Cr Nickel.
https://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/assets/Open-Agenda-Council-30-April-2020-v3.pdf
Following adoption by Council, all future regional council decisions reflect a consideration of climate change implications using the agreed processes
Staff develop guidance material to ensure business cases for the Long-Term Plan include: risks and opportunities for adaptation, and opportunities to reduce impact on the climate system through greenhouse gas reduction and sequestration actions.
n.b. WRC’s Blair Dickie to report to LWAG on at a future meeting
(See also Lakes & Waterways website: Monthly Reports March/April/May 2020 for more information including updates on related MfE RMA policy)
LWAG May 2020