Praise for ORC's "common sense" Climate Strategy

Otago Regional Council has adopted a Climate Strategy despite some “Green” councillors trying for an eleventh-hour redo.

The council Climate Strategy document sets out a series of climate-relate goals around, the environment, natural hazards resilience, and transport.

 Actions included to work towards those goals include collaborating with Queenstown Lakes District Council on adaptation needs, including regarding wildfire risk on Mount Iron, Ben Lomond and other red zone locations and Gorge Road alluvial fan risk, as ell as on the Head of Lake Whakatipu Natural Hazard Adaptation Strategy to inform adaptation in Glenorchy and Kinloch,

considering climate and other natural hazard risks.

It will also see ORC ollaborate with Otago’s city and district councils to reduce car use and “encourage public transport uptake” through “traffic demand management initiatives”, such as parking plans, active transport, micro-mobility and carpooling.

However, it does not include content around issues that will be addressed in separate plans such as council procurement strategy and a separate assessment and a council emissions plan.

Councillor Alan Somerville tabled a motion that the strategy first go to a council workshop and then brought back before the council for adoption.

Dunstan ward Councillor Alexa Forbes acknowledged the strategy had some useful and very important things in it, but said bringing it back to the council after a workshop would allow for “an even better plan”.

“In its current form, it doesn't get enough of a guide to achieve what it could if it was really strongly articulated. I appreciate it's a starting point and a first step, but I think that we could do better if it was brought back to a workshop and reshaped a bit, and with its really clearly outlined where it's going and what it's trying to do and what needs to fall out from underneath it because I don't think a lot's going to fall out from under this.”

Councillor Elliot Weir said while the strategy showed the council was taking Climate Change seriously, he had concerns about it

Dunstan ward Councillor Michael Laws however, was full of praise  the staff involved in compiling ta “common sense” strategy but was critical of Councillor Somerville, Dunstan Councillor Alexa Forbes and Dunedin ward Councillor Elliot Weir.

“What Councillor Somerville is really saying and his fellow Green councillors sitting around this table is that you don't like the current climate strategy because it doesn't do enough to satisfy your particular ideological lens.

“Now, what the council did and what the council staff did is they brought back a timid document, that is true, but it's a timid document based upon our statutory responsibilities and an acceptance and awareness of the political environment in which this council exists. Climate change policy doesn't come from this council. This is not the body that is responsible for adapting this particular country to whatever climate change mitigation strategies there might be.

“I looked at this particular document and I have to say I looked at it and went well done. That's quite a good political balancing act you've got there. Because at the end of the day you don't have a mandate from central government and you don't have a mandate from the Otago region to interfere in the commercial or personal lives of the citizens of this region by adopting particularly ideological or environmental views and then into closing them upon this region.”

Council Chair Gretchen Robertson spoke for several councillors.

“Having been on this council for a long time, that we've been waiting a very long time for a climate strategy.

“I've heard around the table from people who are speaking now that actually there's a diversity of councillors who will support the strategy essentially pretty much as it is now. That's pretty damn awesome. So I think that we should be getting on with it, to be honest.”

Councillor Somerville’s motion was defeated and the original motion to accept and adopt the Climate Strategy was approved by majority decision.

Main image: Councillors at today's Otago Regional Council meeting.