West Coast Conservation Board defers climate change policy after Ngāi Tahu boycott
The West Coast Conservation Board has put its proposed climate change policy on the backburner, following the latest iwi boycott of the board . Ngai Tahu representatives have withdrawn their participation for the second time this year, citing concerns over the number of environmentalist board members who the iwi says do not reflect the West Coast community. Ngai Tahu are also unhappy with board's take on its Treaty obligations. The board had planned to vote last week on a comprehensive policy that aims to tackle climate change, at least in a small way but deferred a decision until Ngai Tahu members returned to the table. READ MORE: * Conservation minister responds to Ngai Tahu boycott of West Coast Conservation Board * Ngai Tahu pull out of West Coast Conservation Board - again * Conservation minister affirms conservation board's right to meet despite iwi boycott * Iwi reps pull pin on West Coast Conservation Board * Call to shake up West Coast board with no 'mandate of kaitiakitanga' "Given the growing awareness of the enormous threat posed by anthropogenic (human-made) climate change and the strong direction from Government, the board should have its own policy," the board's climate change committee reported. Its suggested policy includes support for activities on public conservation land that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and no support for those that do not, such as coal mining. The Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act, passed last year, sets clear targets of zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in support of worldwide efforts under the Paris agreement to limit the global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. "The motivation for developing this policy in the West Coast is particularly strong given that our region is especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change," the climate change committee said. Melting glaciers , sea level rise, stronger and more frequent storms, coastal erosion and changing ecosystems were already having a dramatic impact on the West Coast and these would become worse in future, it said. With 84 per cent of the West Coast in the conservation estate, the activities on it including tourism, mining and recreation had a significant impact on net emissions from the region. "The board recognises that anthropogenic climate change is an all-pervasive threat ... impacts are likely to include biodiversity loss. Many of New Zealand's native flora and fauna such as tuatara and Powelliphanta snails , are threatened by rising temperatures and invasive pests to an extent that they can no longer adapt." While the conservation board does not make decisions about the Department of Conservations (DOC) commercial concessions , it can advocate for or against them and has some say on conditions. It also plays a leading role in writing management plans for national parks. According to the draft policy, the board would: The aim was to halt any growth in carbon emissions from commercial activities on West Coast conservation land from 2021, and to reduce those levels from 2025 inward in line with the Zero Carbon Act. In a foreword to the policy, board chairman Keith Morfett appealed for action on the "existential threat" posed by global climate change. "Across the planet glaciers and polar ice sheets are retreating at record rates. Pacific island nations face frequent inundation of their land and salination of their potable water ... "Closer to home, State Highway 6, our essential West Coast road link, has seen prolonged closures on three occasions due to weather events in 2019 . Access to the Fox Glacier, a major tourist attraction, has been lost . " Erosion threatens our coastal settlements and the same wild weather has battered our forests with consequent damage to much of our track network. Our indigenous flora and fauna struggle to adapt to rising temperatures and waves of damaging animal and plant pests. "On the positive side of the ledger, 2019 was the year in which our world woke up to climate change. Multiple organisations across the world, many of them youth led, are calling for urgent change. "The Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill is our Government's reply to this existential threat ... If we cannot lower the carbon footprint of activities across all our public conservation lands, national parks, reserves and stewardships lands, then what hope is there to do so in our cities?