The Ministry for the Environment is working on an array of climate change adaptation-related plans, legislation and guidelines which have direct relevance to local government. We outline some important developments.
Category: climate change
Climate change – a problem for now, not the future
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has just released its Sixth Assessment Report on climate change. It is now clear that major changes to our planet are already unfolding now, rather than likely to start happening later in the century. What we as human beings choose to do now will determine how ‘normal’ our lives remain and, frankly, how many people will die prematurely due to climate change-related impacts. However, the report makes it clear that we can still avert large-scale collapse of ecosystems and human societies. In this article we look at what this means from a local government perspective.
FutureFit for Councils
FutureFit for councils is a climate action resource to enable councils to embed low-carbon-emitting behaviour within their communities. Auckland Council is thrilled to now announce their first FutureFit for councils partner – Tasman District Council.
Is your council prepared to live in a disrupted climate?
Climate disruption is a reality and councils and communities are already dealing with the consequences. With temperatures and sea levels rising, increased flood risk and more frequent severe weather events occurring, the widespread impact of this climate disruption on human, economic and natural systems are occurring more frequently, and councils need to adapt to this new reality.
Taituarā urges specifics and speed to the Climate Commission
The direct and speedy implementation of road user charges is a key recommendation in the Taituarā — Local Government Professionals Aotearoa submission to He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission.
New insulation standards consultation
The Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) has just released a proposal to alter the Building Code to increase the energy efficiency of new homes, as well as a raft of other improvements in terms of energy efficiency and housing densification. This is hugely significant as it will affect all councils across the country both in terms of well-being and regulatory enforcement. Therefore, we strongly encourage councils to make a submission on the proposal. Council input could come from building regulators, those in sustainability or policy, and anyone with an interest in this matter.
The Emissions Trading Scheme and local government
In June 2020, our Government made changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). These changes have introduced auctions and removed price certainty for New Zealand Units (NZUs) within the ETS and have been stated to be an important step in New Zealand moving towards meeting the carbon targets it has set for itself, both domestically and internationally. In this article Brett Johanson and Melanie Craxton from PwC explain how the ETS now works and how councils with surrender obligations can operate under the new rules and structure, outlining key risks and how they can be mitigated.
Central and local government collaboration key to meeting Climate Change Commission’s goals
Aotearoa New Zealand is getting hotter year by year. More and more drought, flooding and extreme weather events are already being driven by climate change. We know we need to act now. In the Climate Change Commission’s final advice to the Government, joint action by central and local government is highlighted as being pivotal to achieving emissions targets and doing so in an equitable way.