Auckland's new top challenge - climate change

Monday, 10 June 2019

A report concludes that climate change will hit poorer communities in Auckland harder. (Video published March 2019)

OPINION: For the nine years of Auckland Council's life, it has been a coin toss whether its biggest challenge was traffic congestion, or the shortage and high cost of housing.

That looks set to change. Climate Change is emerging as an issue that will test city politicians.

It barely rated a mention just three years ago in the 2016 mayoral campaigns, and so far barely a word four months out from the next election.

Auckland Councillors debate this week declaring a 'climate change emergency' but that symbolism will soon give way to decisions that will cost ratepayers money, if real action is to be taken to curb greenhouse gas emissions that are driving global warming.

* Who should get Auckland's clever ideas over the line?

* Auckland set to decide on tougher global warming moves

* Fully-electric double-decker buses hit Wellington's streets for the first time**

Young New Zealanders have shown their views on Climate Change in demonstrations in March and May

The council has signed all the right bits of paper, four years ago becoming a member of the global C40 Cities climate leadership group.

Auckland and 89 other cities are committed to bringing in policies that will help limit a temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The estimates are that the supertanker of global warming needs to be turned by 2030.

The worrying sign in Auckland is that in the process of creating a Climate Action Plan, the draft document has had a name change, and is now a 'framework' rather than a plan.

Nevertheless, council executives note that 'work continues on developing detailed and costed actions'.

'These detailed Auckland Council actions will be brought to the committee in early 2020 for consideration.'

Next year, with a different mix of councillors following October's election, is when the council has to start updating its 10-year budget, locking in its plans for the next three years of the budget decade.

If you accept the C40 forecast that increased measures to counter global warming need to be having an effect in 12 years time, next year is by no means an early start for Auckland Council.

Obvious and costly measures include accelerating the purchase of zero emission buses in Auckland's 1300-strong fleet.

Auckland Transport has a conservative plan which allows new diesel buses to be bought up to 2025, meaning those could be on the city's roads until 2040 or beyond.

For the purchase of costlier electric buses to happen sooner, ratepayers will likely have to stump up in some form.

Similarly the introduction of electric ferries on commuter routes will require a bigger ratepayer contribution.

Auckland's rate rises almost certainly will rise from their current historic low of an average 2.5 per cent.

Next year, 3.5 per cent has been pencilled-in already without climate change getting a mention, and a bow-wave of other financial pressures building.

The council has made all the right noises, signing agreements and staging its own high-level climate change symposium in March.

Noises are no longer enough, and two nationwide demonstrations by secondary school students should be a clear message to councillors.

The way of life lived by most of today's councillors cannot be the life they deliver to the next generation, and the political challenge of recognising that, and the possible financial cost to today's ratepayers to cut pollution, is considerable but must be confronted.