Climate action plan will address impact of climate change

Rachel Keedwell is co-chair of the Manawatū-Whanganui Climate Action Joint Committee. Photo / Bevan Conley

A joint climate action plan aims to clarify councils’ roles in addressing climate change impact.

The inaugural Manawatū-Whanganui Joint Climate Action Plan was released by Horizons Regional Council earlier this week.

Rachel Keedwell, co-chair of the climate action joint committee and chairwoman of Horizons said the development of the plan brought together the region’s councils and tangata whenua.

She said mayors of each city or district council in the region, which included Tararua District, as well as seven tangata whenua, participated in the committee.

“The plan contains recommendations to councils, including incorporating climate change impacts into planning processes, agreeing on areas where councils can work together and talking to communities about potential impacts of climate change in the region.”

Councils would need to consider how climate change was going to be addressed in each district and implement recommendations in the plan.

Climate change affects whānau, farms, businesses and communities. Photo / Leanne Warr

Keedwell said the plan was timely as climate change was happening now and would affect whānau, farms, businesses and communities.

“We need to work together to make positive changes for our region to lessen the impact of climate change. This plan is a collaborative effort towards that goal.

Committee co-chair Dr Huhana Smith said the committee had strived to create an action plan that reflected diverse communities within the region.

“As we adapt to climate change, councils are committed to making changes in a fair and equitable way and upholding the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi.

“There’s a strong focus in the plan about working with communities, tangata whenua and central government to adapt to the changing climate, to make our region more resilient, and reduce emissions.”

She said the plan embraced a te ao Māori world view that was holistic and put te taiao (the natural world first).

The plan included case studies from across the region that highlighted climate action already under way.

Smith said while the examples were specific to a location, the challenges they addressed were present in many places across the region.

The plan would also include recommendations about things everyone could do to make their households more resilient to the impacts of a changing climate.

“Each of us doing what we can, no matter how small, to reduce our carbon footprint and prepare for more severe weather, will move us further along the path of climate action,” Smith said.