Murihiku local government agencies align on climate change response

A Regional Climate Change Strategy for Murihiku Southland aligning local government efforts in the region has passed its final hurdle.

At today’s Environment Southland Strategy and Policy Committee meeting, the Revised Regional Climate Change Strategy (Phase one) was adopted.

Environment Southland councillor and Climate Change Working Group co-chair Phil Morrison said it was very encouraging that the five agencies involved were aligned on the region’s response to the issues and opportunities a changing climate presented.

“The purpose of the strategy is to help identify opportunities, align communications and engagement efforts and activities between the four Southland councils andTe Ao Mārama in the climate space,” he said.

Gore District Council adopted the revised Regional Climate Change Strategy at their Council meeting held 20 August, with three councillors voting against. Invercargill City Council unanimously adopted it in late August, while the Te Ao Mārama Board endorsed it in late September. Southland District Council adopted the strategy at a meeting on 2 October, with one councillor voting against.

Phil Morrison said some key themes that arose during these meetings were concerns about the cost implications of adopting the strategy; the length of time that it had taken to produce the strategy considering the need for action; and the need for much broader engagement with our communities on this topic.

“These matters are foremost in our minds as we work on developing a regional framework for action on climate change in Murihiku Southland,” he said.

The working group was looking in-depth at possible financial implications alongside developing priority actions around how best to support people and organisations to adjust to actual or expected climate variability and its effects, as well as emissions reductions, Phil Morrison said.

The strategy has been in development since early 2023 as a collaborative inter-agency undertaking, via the Regional Climate Change Working Group.

It was consulted on from 29 February to 8 May and attracted 60 submissions. People were asked for feedback on the strategy, the aspirations, Murihiku Southland becoming a Net Zero region by 2050 or earlier, and what local climate change impacts they were most concerned about. Submissions were heard in May, and the strategy has been revised as a result.

There was both support and scepticism around the councils’ plans, including questions about whether climate change action in Southland will make a difference, and some mistrust of the science. Other submitters wanted equity considered, as the impacts of climate change on communities will not be experienced equally.

Some were concerned the strategy was not enough on its own and more action needed to be taken, while there was also concern about the cost to ratepayers, and the need for transparency.

The full strategy is available on the Environment Southland website at: https://www.es.govt.nz/environment/climate-change