Regional climate change strategy submissions being heard this week

Submissions on the proposed Regional Climate Change Strategy for Murihiku Southland will be heard at Environment Southland on Thursday.

The four Southland councils (Environment Southland, Gore District Council, Invercargill City Council and Southland District Council) alongside Te Ao Mārama Inc, have worked together to develop the strategy.

Environment Southland Councillor and Regional Climate Change Working Group Co-Chair Phil Morrison said there had been 48 submissions received on the strategy with a wide range of community views expressed.

“We are delighted with the response and look forward to hearing what people think about the proposed strategy.”

Among the key themes arising from the submissions was both support and scepticism around councils’ plans, that climate change action in Southland will not make any difference to climate change globally, mistrust of the science, that consideration of equity is required, as the impacts of climate change on communities will not be experienced equally, that the strategy is not enough on its own and action needs to be taken, and concern about the cost to ratepayers of regional climate change action.

The submissions will be heard on Thursday from 10am, with deliberations to take place the following Monday, 20 May.

The proposed strategy has been endorsed for consultation by all four Murihiku Southland councils.

Members of the public had been asked for feedback on the strategy as a whole, the aspirations, Southland becoming a Net Zero region by 2050 or earlier, and what local climate change impacts they are most concerned about.

Phil Morrison said feedback has the potential to influence both the strategy and the framework for action on climate change, which is underway, in addition to individual council work programmes.

The submission hearing will be livestreamed and can watched at www.es.govt.nz/live

ENDS

For further information contact the communications team on 0800 76 88 45.