In June, Aucklanders reached two important milestones - 100 million public transport trips in the past year, and one million trees planted through my Million Trees Project.
Every person on public transport is one less car clogging up the roads and adding carbon to our atmosphere; every tree planted helps to green our city, offset carbon emissions and protect water quality. I'm proud that Aucklanders have achieved these goals - thank you to everyone who has helped make our city a better, greener place to live.
The planting of the millionth tree came in the same week that Auckland Council declared a climate emergency, signalling the urgency of the action we need to take to reduce emissions and also to adapt to the rising world temperatures and extreme weather events, which are already happening.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we have only around 12 years to reduce global carbon emissions to limit temperature rises to 1.5 degrees. While national and international actions are critical, at a local and personal level we need to play our role in achieving that target.
Projects like Million Trees, our record investments in transport infrastructure and the environment and the development of our Climate Action Framework will increase Auckland's resilience to climate change and help ensure a better world for our children and grandchildren.
Phil Goff, Mayor of Auckland
