On Wednesday, the Ministry for the Environment released the results of latest Health and Air Pollution in New Zealand (HAPINZ) study.
The results were both damning and saddening, with air pollution levels being linked to the deaths of more than 3,300 New Zealanders annually, and the hospitalisation and ill health of countless more.
The associated societal costs are a staggering $15billion nationally. For Auckland, these costs are estimated to be over $4.4 billion, with 81 per cent of those attributed to emissions from transport – the highest in the country.
As Chair of Auckland Council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee, I'm sadly not surprised by the shocking results.
Here in Auckland, our transport emissions account for more than 40 per cent of overall emissions, directly impacting upon air quality levels, particularly in the central city.
The study reinforces what the council already knows; that it needs to reduce transport emissions across the region and quickly, not just to meet its climate action goals, but to protect and improve the health of all Aucklanders. It often gets lost in the debate around climate change, but these two outcomes go hand in hand.
This was at front of mind in 2021 when the Environment and Climate Change Committee unanimously adopted Te Tāruki-ā-Tāwhiri Auckland’s Climate Plan, which highlighted the need to reduce the region’s transport emissions by 64 per cent by 2030.
Auckland has the fifth highest transport emissions per capita in the world, and our cars and light commercial vehicles are the main source (70 per cent),
Collectively, Aucklanders drive more than 10 billion kms each year, and likely unknown to many, over half of these journeys are under 6km long.
With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that it is the council’s priority to provide Aucklanders with other, more environmentally friendly, options for getting around. We know more needs to be done to help people to get out of their cars if we are to make any meaningful impact on our emissions.
The council also knows that it needs to provide a more equitable and efficient public transport system across the entire region, and that investment in the infrastructure that will support people to get around the city safely needs to be prioritised.
It is my hope that one day soon, our kids can ride or walk their bikes to school without fearing for their safety, as I was lucky enough to do when I was growing up.
This is something the council has been advocating for, and progress is being made.
Through public consultation on our Annual Budget, 68 per cent of you told us you supported the adoption of a Climate Action Targeted Rate, which was approved last month.
The funds raised from the CATR will help Auckland get where it needs to go, both literally and figuratively, by providing more frequent and accessible bus services across the region, new electric and low emission ferries and electric buses, key links in the city’s cycling network, and upgrades to footpaths and pedestrian crossings to improve walkability.
It will also boost funding to increase urban tree canopy in the areas most vulnerable to extreme heat due low canopy coverage, again helping to improve air quality in the long term.
In addition, in the council’s last 10-year Budget, as part of a $152 million climate action package, we set the target of replacing half of our bus fleet with clean buses by 2030, rolling out the planting of mature street trees and 200ha of native forests planted in our regional parks, to name just a few.
So, while Auckland is perhaps not currently living up to Aotearoa’s reputation of being clean and green, our council is working hard to get back there - not only to improve the health and wellbeing of Aucklanders now, but to protect our environment for future generations, too.
Councillor Richard Hills
