Climate Change: Aucklanders urged to put heat on council compromise
Aucklanders are being urged to the thump on the table if they think a proposed Auckland Council compromise plan on climate action falls short of what is needed. The councils draft 10-year budget proposes a $150 million bundle of climate action over a decade, but councillors failed to agree to put a bigger investment out as an option in public consultation. There also was no consensus on ring-fencing climate spending in a targeted rate, meaning the proposed sum will come out of the general rates pot. Im hoping Aucklanders say pretty loud and clear in the 10-year budget, that they demand faster and more investment in climate , said Richard Hills, chair of the environment and climate change committee. READ MORE: * Climate change: Lobby group threatens legal moves to make Auckland Council act * Auckland 10 Year Budget: Record rates rise plan needs public support * Auckland's public transport fare rises contradict its climate action goals The budget includes a one-off rates rise of 5.34 per cent for an average value home, boosted from the previously proposed 3.5 per cent, due to a Covid-19-related financial hit expected to last for years. That fiscal pressure collided with the councils need to fund carbon-reducing initiatives, after declaring a climate emergency in 2020 , and renewing its pledge to a global cities group , to halve by 2030 the 2016 level of carbon emissions. Hills said that in trying to get consensus around a proposed climate package, there was insufficient support for putting out investments as targetted rates, with a choice of investment levels. We were trying to be collaborative and trying not to be like other councils which are in disarray, he told Stuff . The targetted rates seemed to scare some (councillors) off, because when it was included into a higher (general) rates rise, everyone sort of came on board, said Hills. Consultation documents outline an alternative climate investment plan of $320 million, that would have had double the impact, but it is not offered as an option. Those making submissions can only support or reject the smaller package, and offer their own alternative view under the Other category. Hills said the bulk of the higher investment was to accelerate the replacement of diesel buses with electric ones, but that could not have been done before the next three yearly budget review. The proposed investment is focussed almost entirely on what the council itself can do within its own operations, and the effect over a decade is likely to be only about a 1 per cent emission cut across the region, compared with the 50 per cent cut needed. I obviously want it faster, but Im only one vote politics is all about relationships people who have been telling council about this for 30 years, arent going to be happy. Hills said attention also needs to be paid to two 10-year transport investment plans due to emerge within weeks, which he might also not be happy with. The proposed Regional Land Transport Plan, (RLTP) and the council-government agreement in the updated Auckland Transport Alignment Project, will show the balance of investment between roads, public transport and active modes such as cycling and walking. Lawyers for Climate Action have already warned the council that if the plans dont reflect their commitments to reducing carbon emissions, they may be challenged before the courts. Aucklanders have until March 22 to offer views on the proposed 10 year budget , which will be finalised in June.