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Resolution
number WTK/2021/11
MOVED by Chairperson G Presland, seconded by Deputy
Chairperson S Toms:
That
the Waitākere Ranges Local Board
provide the following feedback to
Auckland Council and to Central Government on He Pou a Rangi – the
Climate Change Commission's draft advice for consultation report:
a)
the general recommendations and
proposals are supported. Climate change clearly poses an existential
threat to humanity.
b)
the Board wishes to emphasise the
following:
i)
urban trees provide an important
contribution not only in terms of carbon sequestration but also in regulating
and managing increased temperatures. Meaningful urban tree protection
and planting must be a priority. Steps that can be taken include
reversing the Resource Management Act ban on including urban tree protection
rules in district plans, amending processes so that the scheduling of notable
trees can occur, and the protection is meaningful, and that tree planting be
required in sites being intensified to increase urban tree forest and provide
ecological linkages.
ii)
the emphasis on changing transport
patterns by building quality walkways and cycleways is appropriate. The
difficulty is however that although there are good intentions at a local
level, Local Government lacks the ability to fund the urgent completion of
existing walkways and cycleways. As an example although the Waitākere
Ranges Local Board has a greenways plan we do not have the resources to
construct it, especially after the loss of $3.5 million of transport capital
project funding because of budget pressures. The Waitākere Ranges
Local Board fully supports recommendation 4(b) of the Commission’s
draft report (page 42).
iii)
local planning and implementation can
provide the best solutions because of contact with local communities and a day-to-day
appreciation of issues and problems.
iv)
protection and retention of
biodiversity is important. The board's preference is that native
biodiversity is preserved, and native forests are planted in preference to
exotic forests because they provide more enduring carbon sequestration and
enhanced habitat for native species. Exotic forestry provides poor
habitat for native biodiversity, harbours pest animals and plants, creates
pest plant problems with wilding pines, depletes soil which contributes to
erosion, sedimentation of waterways and destruction when harvested.
v)
currently in the Auckland region
indigenous forest is severely under threat from pest animals and plants but
there is no recognition in the report that the existing forest will only
survive (and provide its carbon benefits) if it is healthy and there is investment to restore and maintain healthy
forests. In Auckland, regional parks provide the significant amount of over
35,000 ha of forest but these suffer from under-funding.
vi)
public transport has a very important
part to play in reducing transport linked greenhouse gas emissions. A
quality mass transit corridor on the North Western Motorway and the return of
train services to Helensville using the existing train line to service growth
areas of Huapai, Taupaki and Kumeu need to be treated as a priority.
vii)
urban form is important and the
compact city model is clearly preferable. In achieving this the need to
provide high quality open space and well-designed town centres are vital.
viii)
we support the accelerated use of
electric vehicles. It is important that councils provide or ensure the
provision of electric vehicle charging stations in all of their centres and
villages. Councils can provide leadership by electrifying their fleets
as soon as possible.
ix)
the need to increase electricity
supplies poses particular issues to the Waitākere's bush and coastal
villages whose existing supply infrastructure is already not fit for purpose.
x)
we fully endorse the recommended
necessary actions proposed to reduce emissions from waste. Waste
reduction including climate change impacts assessments in relation to
renewals - at points of consideration of whether renewals are needed, to what
extent and the carbon impact of sourcing and resourcing materials etc,
including building things to last, local and carbon neutral or positive
materials and building things to last, and looking at materials in a way that
is consistent with product stewardship approaches
xi)
we urge the implementation of policy
that requires climate change impacts assessments in relation to
renewals. When renewals are needed there should be an assessment of the
carbon impact of sourcing and resourcing materials, a preference to building
things to last, and the use of local and carbon neutral or positive
materials.
xii)
protect the ability for private
harvesters of energy to be able to feedback excess power into the national
grid and be reimbursed for it, by enshrining “buy-back tariffs”
in law.
xiii)
where possible, local and central
government organisations should prioritise local contractors recognising the
climate benefits of keeping activity local and reducing emissions.
xiv)
timeframes are absolutely
vital. To achieve the recommendation of becoming carbon neutral by 2050
which necessitates all new vehicles being electric or hydrogen powered by the
early 2030s decisions relating to funding and planning for walkways and
cycleways and new public transport infrastructure need to be made within a
very short period. As an example the decision to electrify Auckland's
rail and completion of the work took over a decade. We do not have that
long.
c)
That the Waitākere Ranges Local
Board urges the Governing Body of Auckland Council work with local boards to
develop an action plan that would support the targets of the Climate Change
Commission report and reset the outcomes of the Council’s Climate
Action Plan.
CARRIED
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