People can debate the cause of climate change but either way it is happening. There has been an increase in pollution and damaging storms over time and we need to deal with the impact on our communities. The council needs to do its part to clean up its act.
So far, the council’s major investment in this area has been to hire consultants (more hot air?) at a cost of $600,000 to tell it what to do, even though there are already practical things it can do now to both help the environment and save energy (and thus rates money).
Council should be a leader in solar power on its buildings and work sites, and also in the use of electric vehicles. It must stop building facilities on coastal flood plains and complete the rollout of low-power LED street lights.
There will be major challenges for our coastal communities as storms increase in ferocity and sea levels rise. NZ needs a national plan to deal with this but Council also needs to engage with those affected and start thinking about how it will pay its share.