“Our climate is changing and the time for action is now," says Mayor Phil Goff.
"Climate change threatens our communities, our environment, the Auckland region, and the world. It presents risks and challenges to nearly every aspect of our daily lives and will continue to do so into the future.
“Making major changes to our personal choices and individual behaviour, to our systems and to our structures will create collective action.
"The reality is, we will need to transform our economy, our relationship with the environment, and our way of life. We are asking Aucklanders to help us develop the actions we need to take to prepare our region for the challenges of climate change.”
Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Action Framework
This year, young people around the world took strike action, calling for a safe climate future. People across Aotearoa called for decisions and action to protect the country and the planet from the impacts of climate change. Auckland Council responded to this call, and the irrefutable evidence of climate change, by declaring that we are facing a climate emergency.
Since this declaration, Aucklanders have been asking ‘What now? What do we need to do?’ In response, we invite all Aucklanders to have their say during public consultation on Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Action Framework, which opens today. The framework outlines 11 key moves to radically reduce emissions and to rapidly increase Auckland’s resilience to the impacts of climate change.
Councillor Penny Hulse, chair of the council’s Environment and Community Committee, encourages Aucklanders to share their views on climate change and the future.
“We want to test whether we are heading in the right direction to bring about the change that must take place,” says Councillor Hulse.
“We’ve worked with mana whenua, science experts, businesses, community groups and individuals. Now we want people to tell us if they think we’ve got it right. We want to know if there are areas we need to change or give more or less focus to. We are committed to listening and responding to the feedback we receive.”
The council’s Chief Sustainability Officer, John Mauro, hopes Aucklanders will contribute and be a part of positive change for Auckland and New Zealand.
“We need a major shift in how Auckland grows and develops, how we get around, and how we power our homes and businesses,” says Mr Mauro.
“Auckland Council plays a major role in delivering the change we need, and we will lead many of the actions and build climate action into the next 10-year budget. But it’s all hands on deck. A challenge this significant requires all of those sectors and individuals who helped us develop the framework – and many more – to help us deliver it.
“Tell us what you think, encourage others to do the same, and join us to create a better, climate-ready and zero-carbon Auckland.”
Public feedback will help finalise Auckland’s Climate Action Framework and identify detailed council-specific actions and funding requirements to be consulted on through the council’s next 10-year budget.
Consultation is open until 6 September 2019.
To read the draft framework and to have your say, visit akhaveyoursay.nz
