Climate change emergency declared by Ōpōtiki council

Ōpōtiki District Council declares a climate change emergency, the latest council in the country to do so. Photo / File

Ōpōtiki District Council has today become the latest council in the country to declare a climate change emergency.

Climate change emergencies have been declared by a number of local government bodies in New Zealand, including the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Environment Canterbury, Christchurch City Council, Nelson City Council and Auckland Council.

Ōpōtiki mayor, John Forbes, who moved the recommendation to do so, said this was an opportunity to add "another voice to the international chorus".

"It is already something that we consider in everything we do. Councils look much further ahead than many businesses can because our infrastructure needs to last for generations.

"We are already building to specifications that predict things like higher sea levels and more frequent severe rainfall events."

Forbes said declaring this emergency was to give climate change the recognition it deserved.

"It's also to raise awareness of the impacts we're already starting to feel here close to the coast," he said.

"To avoid the worst effects of climate change, we will need to take local and global action. We will need to make changes as councils, as businesses and as individuals.

This declaration is our way of raising awareness of the changes and the extent and speed with which we all need to act," Forbes said.

The UK, Ireland, Wales, Canada and France have all declared a climate change emergency.

More than 50 New Zealand scientists have called on the Government to declare a national climate emergency.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern previously said the Government was keen to do so but work was needed to get more MPs to come on board.