Proposed plans to tackle climate change in Albert-Eden will be a major focus for the local board in the next three years, with the community being asked to provide feedback on the proposed plan.
The board proposes to focus on climate education and useful actions that households and neighbourhoods can take, while the board advocates for larger-scale changes like public transport and urban planning.
Albert-Eden Local Board Chair, Margi Watson explains, “With each electoral term, we develop our strategic three-year vision that outlines our community’s priorities.
“For this vision, we used feedback from previous engagements and utilised our local knowledge. But we need to know if we’ve got this right so please have your say and send in your comments,” says Chair Watson.
Community bike workshop at Gribblehirst Hub.
To address the knowledge gap in climate action, the board will focus on supporting communities in rapidly-changing neighbourhoods, areas of deprivation and those most at risk of flooding or impacts of climate change.
More than ever, the board knows water needs to be better managed to reduce risks to people and property. To progress this, it plans to work alongside the community in response to flood events, to ensure local information flow, advice and education.
Further initiatives include increasing tree coverage in the area and to support community to plant trees. Another proposal is to support resource consents and landowner approvals that aim to minimise impacts on local streams and their environments and avoid development in flood plains exacerbating flooding.
For people to live low-carbon lives and know how to take climate action, the board proposes to promote local waste minimisation and resource recovery initiatives, such as the Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre.
The plan also prioritises projects that aim to reduce climate impacts, such as EcoNeighbourhoods, Climate Activator, developing climate action hubs and sustainable food projects.
“We recently approved $180,000 of funding towards our environmental work programme, designed to align with outcomes for year three of our 2020 local board plan. Going forward, we’re keen to hear from residents if this work should continue to be prioritised for the next three years,” says Chair Watson.
Transport options are a major challenge, and the board aims to tackle it by enabling infrastructure that will provide a range of alternative options, such as walking and cycling paths, bike parking and shelters and bus shelters.
It’s now over to Albert-Eden residents. Has the local board got it right? What are your thoughts on this plan?
Have your say here.
