Over the past year, Auckland Council has engaged over 74,000 Aucklanders in leading climate action. Through grants, education and advocacy programmes, over 61 community groups have been empowered to take action and build their resilience to the impacts of climate disruption. Collectively, Aucklanders have reduced 6,600 tonnes of carbon pollution. That’s the equivalent to removing 3,400 cars from the roads for a year.
Councillor Richard Hills, Chair of the Policy and Planning Committee, says bringing communities’ experiences, actions and strengths to the climate challenges we face in Tāmaki Makaurau is a wise approach to create a future where all people thrive.
“By harnessing the collective wisdom and ingenuity of iwi and communities, we are supporting and enabling bold, community-led climate action,” says Cr Hills.
“As well as financial support, we’re providing community leaders with the resources and connections they need to understand the impacts of different climate solutions and equipping them to leave a positive legacy for future generations.”
Through working closely with communities, the council has:
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Given more than $360,000 through the Auckland Climate Grant to help communities lead climate projects
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Allocated 20 per cent of grant funding to support Māori, Pasifika, Asian and youth-led climate projects
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Generated $700,000+ of non-rates revenue to extend the reach of several initiatives from localised pilots to region-wide projects
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Implemented eight marae Māori-led responses to climate change through energy resilience, improving infrastructure and employment projects
Spongy Schools, Spongy Cities programme
The Spongy Schools, Spongy Cities programme at the Auckland Botanic Gardens Experience Centre has been funded by the Storm Response Fund since early 2024. Students learn hands-on about building flood resilience to heavy rainfall events.
To date, over 520 people from five schools have explored how nature-based solutions can prevent flooding, improve water quality, and enhance biodiversity. The programme also funds students to take follow up action back in their schools, motivating wider collective action on climate disruption.
Susie Bettany, Auckland Council Senior Sustainable Schools Advisor, sees this programme as vital for community planning to climate disruption.
“As we experience more extreme weather events due to climate disruption, communities in Auckland are experiencing repeated flooding and damage to the places they care for.
“Due to the disruption to our climate, experts predict that 20 to 30 per cent more rain will fall in short timeframes during weather events with nowhere for the water to soak into,” Ms Bettany says.
“We're supporting schools to become more spongy and soak up this extra water. It’s a great opportunity for students to learn and be empowered to make a difference in their communities,” says Ms Bettany.
Check out the video about Spongy Schools, Spongy Cities, here.
Māra kai and food resilience programmes
Through Mana Ora: Students Decarbonising Schools and Mātātahi Taiao, Auckland Council is supporting the development of māra kai (food gardens) and food resilience programmes in kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori.
With combined funding from Auckland Council, the Westpac NZ Government Innovation Fund, and the Ministry for the Environment five kura kaupapa and kōhanga reo have been supported to establish food gardens to grow kai and provide storage for ongoing food security and resilience.
Auckland Council Senior Māori Advisor, Erana Whaiapu, says the māra kai serve as learning hubs for the whole community.
“The aim is to protect future generations by fostering intergenerational learning with whānau in the community. By drawing on traditional Māori knowledge systems of our ancestors, we’re taking climate action through a Māori worldview,” says Ms Whaiapu.
“The council is providing resources, tools, and support to empower communities to not only understand their local challenges, including water and flooding risks, but also to take action.
“For example in our neighbouring region, Kaipara, we’ve seen recent storms disrupt the supply of kūmara, driving up the prices. As these events become more frequent, it’s essential that communities have the skills and resource to grow their own food – iti noa, he pito mata, a small seed can support many.”
One māra kai project enabled students to learn how to grow kūmara and saw 135kgs of produce harvested and distributed to kura whānau last year. The remaining kūmara were used as seed for the following harvest to create a circular economy, reducing waste and carbon pollution.
Find out more about the community climate action projects delivered in the last year.
Schools or teachers interested in Spongy Schools, Spongy Cities can find out more info here.
