What Wellington can do to fight climate change
OPINION: Were lucky to have reached the stage in our climate conversation where, for the most part, whats in question is how we deal with climate change as opposed to whether it is happening or not, or whether it is the consequence of our own actions. As the national debate on climate heats up, Wellington has some big choices to make. With 92 per cent of Wellingtonians supporting climate action, the mandate is clear. On Sunday, the Climate Change Commission issued its first three draft emissions budgets for Aotearoa New Zealand, setting out what we need to do in order to hit, among other targets, net zero emissions by 2050. With more than 80 per cent of New Zealanders living in cities and urban centres, local councils will have to be at the centre of the solution. The increase in global average temperatures will have dramatic environmental, social and economic consequences, but humans ability to survive allows us to be agile and flexible. Importantly, we can hold to account the institutions and wealthy private interests that have wilfully ignored the warning signs for decades. READ MORE: * The change that'll make Rogernomics 'look like a trial period' * Wellington region's traffic causes 'worrying' 14 per cent transport emission leap in one decade * Planning for climate change amid the pandemic recovery New Zealand emits three times its fair share of global emissions. The Wellington region contributes about 4.6 per cent of national emissions and, fortunately, our main sources of emissions are transport and stationary energy, two categories which, with the right support, we can address swiftly and with well-understood solutions. The citys current operative climate plan, Te Atakura , relies on major active and public transport projects, smart infrastructure for electric vehicles, diverting sewage sludge from the Southern Landfill, higher-density housing, circular economic systems, and boosting native biodiversity in order to halve emissions by 2030 and hit net zero by 2050. For its part, Greater Wellington Regional Council has accelerated the citys transition to an electric bus fleet and is pushing hard for more electric trains. The council is phasing out grazing in regional parks and is rebuilding natural climate infrastructure like wetlands and native forests. By 2030 it will have net zero emissions, and by 2035 will be a climate-positive organisation, absorbing more emissions than it produces. Worryingly though, the regions transport emissions have risen 14 per cent over the past two decades, mainly from a massive increase in cars. With transport as the regions biggest emissions lever, the No 1 climate priority for Welliington City Council and GWRC over the next few years must be to make it easier for people to get around by walking, cycling and taking public transport. This year, councils have a chance to demonstrate leadership. The Long-Term Plans for Greater Wellington and for WCC are opportunities to put all options on the table, even though many will be controversial, costly and involve changes to our everyday lives. This means far more public transport capacity, including light rail, and many more electric buses on their own priority lanes. It means congestion charging, much more space for cycling and walking, and gearing up for more cross-harbour electric ferries. This year, these 10-year budgets for our respective councils must be climate budgets, first and foremost. Similarly, Wellingtons new District Plan and the major new Wellington Regional Growth Framework will shape our climate action success. They should facilitate higher-density, energy-efficient public housing, especially on key transport corridors like Adelaide Rd and around handy transport nodes like Tawa and Johnsonville. With big-ticket housing and construction projects on the horizon, including the Central Library rebuild, we can change the way we build, power and manage our buildings, drastically reducing energy and water consumption. Councils are creatures of statute, which means it is our partnerships with central government that determine the success of our climate action, both with funding and with procedures. Waka Kotahi could support us to pilot free public transport trials and congestion charging, for example, as well as help put more trains and buses on our roads and rails. Central government could help us build the infrastructure for a low-carbon future by easing the traffic-resolution requirements that hamstring the construction of active transport infrastructure. Wellington citys critical infrastructure malfunctions serve as a warning of whats to come if we neglect advice from scientists. We have a chance now to listen to the experts warning what will happen to our natural and urban environments if we decide not to act swiftly, bravely and proactively on climate change. Both councils will submit strongly on the Climate Change Commissions advice, supporting ambitious and urgent climate action. We hope Wellingtonians will join us in doing so. Tamatha Paul is a Wellington city councillor and climate portfolio lead; Thomas Nash is a Greater Wellington regional councillor and climate committee chair.