Auckland Council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee Chair Richard Hills has welcomed Mayor Phil Goff’s proposal for the 2020-21 Annual Budget as an important step forward for the climate.
“I thank the Mayor for working with us and leading the way on climate change on his annual budget proposal. We have heard loud and clear our community wants us to act and to act faster,” says Cr Hills.
“Cutting the council’s own emissions by nearly 20 per cent is a big step forward in climate leadership – it’s getting our own house in order so to speak.
“We will aggressively reduce our car fleet by 230 and replace 358 diesel or petrol vehicles with electric vehicles. This is not only good for us but will also encourage more charging infrastructure across the city and put more electric vehicles into the city.
“Moving to sustainable energy at council facilities like pools will have a significant effect on our emissions and will reduce operating costs over time as well.
“Funding for education intervention work will play a big part in Auckland’s climate action, these include; the Māori world view, led by the kaitiaki forum, relooking at the Unitary Plan with a climate lens, and giving our officers the tools to measure the impact on emissions from all council decisions
“Encouraging rangatahi (youth) onto public transport is a key component of reducing emissions and congestion in our neighbourhoods. This budget will increase the subsidy on weekday fares for those under 19; make buses, trains and most ferries more accessible and will encourage families to reduce their private vehicle use.
“The proposals, combined with and investment in coastal asset management made in last year’s 10-Year Budget will help us adapt to the effects of climate change but we must play our part in climate mitigation while improving Auckland’s air and water quality at the same time,” he says.
This is the first step
“We need Aucklanders get behind this annual budget and support it’s direction, so we can get our climate action underway, while we wait for Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri (Auckland’s Climate Action Framework) and our 10 year Budget which I expect to do the heavy lifting in our fight on climate change in Tāmaki Makaurau.
“This is a strong signal that there is more to come from Auckland Council – I appeal to all Aucklanders to submit on the Annual Budget consultation early next year and help us to get our planning underway,” says Cr Hills.
Draft climate actions going out for consultation in Annual Plan 2020/2021
- Up to $6.3 million for decarbonising the council’s fleet over the next five years funded from existing budget.
- $9 million for phasing out gas boilers in council aquatic centres over the next five years, with $1.5 million in 2020/2020.
- $2.7 million for planting an additional half a million trees over the next three years, totalling a million and a half trees this term.
- $900,000 for foundation work for climate change interventions.
- $4.13 million per annum to increase the subsidy for those 18 years and under travelling on PT during the week.
