Climate Change: Auckland Council toughens its emission target

Thursday, 12 March 2020

Auckland councillors have significantly lifted their climate change goal, chasing a halving of carbon emissions over the next decade.

The council has voted unanimously in favour of the new target, instead of the goal being 2050, and the first detailed actions will emerge within months.

However some have questioned whether all councillors will have the nerve to support 'radical' change, signalled in last year's decision to declare a climate emergency.

Several have also questioned whether the council's climate ambition is being reflected in decisions currently being taken. 

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'If we don't show people the way now, if we do nothing, we will fall off the cliff together,' warned Richard Hills, who chaired the Environment and Climate Change committee.

The committee's debate on Thursday has set the course for the completion over the coming months of a detailed plan of action, especially over the next three years.

'We can give the big speeches but the crunch will come with what it will cost and how are we going to pay for it,' said the mayor Phil Goff, who was elected in September on a pledge to cap average rate rises at 3.5 per cent.

While the vote on the climate change direction was unanimous, clear differences over priorities emerged during the debate.

Manurewa-Papakura ward councillor Daniel Newman called for more support for needy communities.

'Public transport needs to concentrate on new services to outer communities – it's a bit boutique, worrying about subsidies for the inner communities,' he told the meeting.

Planning committee chair Chris Darby questioned whether climate impacts had been considered when the council and Auckland Transport backed the accelerating of the $1.3 billion Mill Road arterial road through rural south Auckland, unveiled by the government in January.

'It is contrary to our plans, and contrary to our own decisions – how we came to be supportive of it is beyond me,' he said.

'It goes through a wetland, and while you might think that it will provide housing, my guess it's in the wrong place and is it really our priority?' 

The deputy mayor and Franklin Ward councillor Bill Cashmore rejected the criticism, saying Mill Road would serve a new town at Drury, rapid growth, and allow more people in the south to live and work in the one area.

Cashmore said 88 per cent of the aggregate needed for construction in Auckland came from that area, and Mill Road would carry much of that.

'You don't build a city out of theory, or out of academia but with practical sensible planning,' he said.

Linda Cooper was one of those who asked whether Aucklanders who told a survey they supported radical action, knew what that meant.

'Our young people are enthusiastic (in climate action) but a lot of it is driven by fear – people need to know what they have to give up, and what they have to take up,' she said.

Ahead of the debate, Dr Grant Hewison from the Waitemata Low Carbon Network commended the tougher target, but said it required more work.

'You've got to focus a lot more on how do we monitor progress, over two,three or five years so we get where we need to,' he told councillors.

Councillors in May will consider a more detailed plan of action aimed at halving carbon emissions by 2030.