Hybrid utes needed for Horizons action plan on climate change
Horizons Regional Council is pledging to try to cut its carbon emissions by 43% by 2030 to play its part in responding to climate change. But what largely stands in its way is a fleet of 102 diesel utes, with no hybrid or electric vehicles yet available to replace them. The council adopted its climate action strategy and plan at its meeting on Tuesday. It also reconfirmed its statement, that climate change is a serious and urgent issue that needs significant attention from Horizons Regional Council. READ MORE: * Government agencies buy more petrol and diesel cars despite big EV subsidies * Utes get the boot as climate change alarm bells ring louder at city council * Utes sidelined in switch to electric fleet Horowhenua-based councillor Sam Ferguson led the charge to have the statement endorsed. He said the council needed to show leadership in its public stand for urgent action. Cyclone Gabrielle was a recent reminder of the change that was happening, and the impacts it had on peoples way of life, from food production to the security of peoples homes and jobs, he said. While the statement was unanimously supported, Whanganui councillor Alan Taylor said it was a little bit timid, as he would have been open to declaring it was a climate emergency. The region contributes 7.4% of national greenhouse emissions, the fifth-highest-emitting region in New Zealand. On a per capital basis, the regions emissions were above the national average at 22.7 tonnes compared to the national average 15.3 tonnes per person. The latest projections for the region, without action, were that temperatures would rise by 0.7 to 1.1 degrees Celcius by 2040, that summer flows in the Manawatu River would decrease by 14% by 2090, and the number of high flow events would increase. Rainfall would increase 15% to 20% in the north of the region, and drop by 20% in the south-east. Horizons chairwoman Rachel Keedwell said in her introduction to the action plan that the window for meaningful action was closing fast. Our region is seeing [the] effect of climate change now. In recent years, drought and extreme weather events have affected public water supplies in parts of the region. Reduced water availability has affected farmers and growers. Cyclone Gabrielle, the most severe weather event to affect Aoteroa so far this century, very likely became wetter and wilder due to climate change. One of the Horizons regions biggest emitters was agriculture, but for the council itself, it was use of petrol and diesel to power its fleet of 136 vehicles. While 26 of its passenger vehicles were hybrids, there were still eight running on petrol, and 102 diesel utes. Horizons climate action co-ordinator Andrew Watt said two-thirds of the councils emissions came from petrol and diesel. He said the goal of a 43% reduction was aspirational, and there were challenges, such as the councils reliance on some new technologies emerging that would enable reduced use of diesel utes. But he was confident that within seven years there would be fit-for-purpose vehicles available. It was not possible, yet, to say how much the transition might cost. Any further actions within the plan that needed increased budgets would be referred to the councils long-term plan deliberations next year. Watt said at the moment the council had little influence over what vehicles its contractors used, but there was potential to write those considerations into future procurement processes. Ferguson said that was a timely conversation. He said letting the recent contract for an all-electric bus fleet was an example of what could be achieved. If we give the signal, the market does respond.