Climate ChangeDiscussion Document

Contents3 Mayor’s Foreword

4 Executive Summary

5 Vision

6 Part One: Introduction

6 Purpose and scope

7 Context

7 Whanganui Leading Edge Strategy 2018

7 Whanganui District Council Long Term Plan 2018-2028 and 30 Year Infrastructure Strategy

7 Climate change in New Zealand

8 The Legislative Context

8 International

9 National

10 Local

12 Part Two: Background

12 What is climate change?

12 Have we made an impact?

13 How will this impact Whanganui?

14 New Zealand’s GHG emissions and removals by source

17 Part Three: Targets, Goals and Actions

17 Why do we need targets, goals and actions?

17 Greenhouse gas emissions target

17 Goals and actions for mitigation and adaptation

18 Potential goals and actions for mitigation

20 Potential goals and actions for adaptation

22 Part Four: Next Steps

22 Gathering community feedback

22 Keeping abreast of national developments

22 Draft Resilient Whanganui 2050: Climate Change Strategy

22 Environmental monitoring

23 Ways to have your say

23 Bibliography2

Our climate is changing. It has always changed and always will, but now it is changing more rapidly than ever before. Atmospheric scientists overwhelmingly agree that humans are responsible for much of that change. That makes it our problem.

This is a global crisis. It affects everybody and it is imperative that we act now to begin building the necessary resilience for the future. This will involve our Government, your Council and each of you.

Changes in our climate threaten society in many ways. Our health, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, water supplies, transport, homes, education, and businesses; in fact, just about everything in our lives will be impacted by these changes. From the relatively calm and benign climate that we have experienced for the last century, we will see increased rainfall and frequency of storms. The sea will have higher spikes in temperatures and our weather will be warmer. Our river is likely to flood more regularly and with greater severity.

In 2017, on behalf of Whanganui District Council, I signed the Local Government Leaders’ Climate Change Declaration to acknowledge the need for urgent action and to support central government to develop an ambitious plan toward a low carbon and resilient New Zealand.

At Whanganui District Council we acknowledge the crisis and seek to take you with us in our quest to respond to climate change challenges. The Council has a moral and legal responsibility to address this crisis on behalf of our citizens.

This is why we are asking you to become involved in a comprehensive discussion towards developing Whanganui District Council’s Climate Change Strategy. This discussion document is a starting point for engagement with our community as we determine how best to respond to the disruption that the next generations will face.

The document does not pose any answers. It has been drafted to provoke thought and generate ideas about what we need to do to live in a world facing adverse climate change.

I strongly urge you to be part of the solution, to read this document and to engage actively with our Council as we seek ways to adapt to, and mitigate, climate change. Email your thoughts, ideas and feedback to policysubmissions@whanganui.govt.nz

Once we receive your feedback on this document, we will develop a Climate Change Strategy to inform other Council policies, day-to-day processes and initiatives, mitigate the Council’s own carbon footprint, and continue work to adapt to a new climate-induced future.

We are all in this together. We must all respond together. The best time to act was yesterday, the second best time is now.

Hamish McDouall

Mayor’s Foreword

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Executive Summary Whanganui District Council is committed to acting on climate change. We want to be a leading edge, climate smart, and resilient district that has an informed and proactive community in the face of a changing climate.

This discussion document provides a starting point for discussion on climate change action: what we as a Council and as a community should be doing, and what our main goals should be.

Causes of Climate Change

Increases in greenhouse gases in

the atmosphere

Impacts of Climate Change

Changes to temperature,

precipitation patterns, wind and storm

activity, sea level, ground water levels

Responses to Climate Change

Mitigation:Measures to reduce

the causes of climate change

Climate ChangeNatural processes and

human influences

Adaptation:Ways to adjust to a changing climate

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Vision 

A leading edge, climate-smart and resilient district that has an informed and proactive community in the face of climate change.

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Part One: IntroductionPurpose and scopeIn August 2018 Whanganui District Council decided:

That a Climate Change Outcomes Strategy be developed and costed which identifies actions that Council could take to demonstrate its commitment to addressing climate change – a lead by example approach.

The purpose of this discussion document is to start a conversation with our community on the topic of climate change, in order to gather feedback and ideas and establish priorities to address local climate change related issues.

This document identifies potential mitigation and adaptation options to address the impacts of climate change. We look forward to hearing views and ideas from our community.

The next step will be to develop a Climate Change Action Strategy. This will establish a clear direction for the Council and community as we mitigate and adapt to climate change.

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ContextWhanganui Leading Edge Strategy 2018A strategic objective of Whanganui: Leading Edge is to increase our resilience to climate change. Another is to recognise the values held by mana whenua under kaitiaki for the environment – preserving and conserving our natural resources and heritage by seeking sustainable and innovative green solutions.

A key action is to lead community responses to the risks and opportunities of climate change as per our Infrastructure Strategy and other key documents.

Whanganui District Council Long Term Plan 2018-2028 and 30 Year Infrastructure StrategyWhanganui District Council’s long term planning has considered the potential impacts of climate change and factored in measures to enable our community infrastructure to adapt to the effects of climate change.

The Council’s 30 Year Infrastructure Strategy identifies the likelihood of warmer temperatures, increased winter rainfall, changes to river flows as a result of less winter snowfall and earlier spring melt, and an increase in storm activity, local wind extremes and thunderstorms.

This could lead to increased sedimentation of the river and increase the impact of high tides and storm surges at the coast. This is likely to increase damage and disruption to infrastructure, transport, utility networks and other public services. It will put more pressure on stormwater systems and power supplies.

Climate change in New Zealand

Climate change is already affecting our climate here in New Zealand.

It is likely to impact our agriculture and other climate-sensitive industries, our native ecosystems, infrastructure, health and biosecurity, as well as having broader social and economic impacts.

New Zealand can expect to see changes in wind and sea current patterns, storm tracks, the occurrence of droughts and frosts and the frequency of heavy rainfall events, as well as rising temperatures. The impacts of climate change in New Zealand will become more obvious as time goes on.

A report, Our atmosphere and climate 2017, released by the Ministry for the Environment, highlights that there has been a 24% rise in

New Zealand’s gross GHG emissions since 1990.

It also states:

• New Zealand has lost 25% of its glaciers since 1977.

• New Zealand has seen a 14-22cm sea level rise at its four main ports since 1916.

• There have been 169,000 hectares of deforestation since 2000.

• There has been a 23% increase in levels of CO2 since 1972 (now at 401 parts per million).

The projections for temperature change show a trend of rising over the next decade. The mid-range estimate for New Zealand’s projected temperature change is for an expected increase of about 0.8°C by 2040, 1.4°C by 2090 and 1.6°C by 2110, relative to the 1986–2005 period. It is also projected that there will be an increase in rainfall over the next decade in winter and spring, with extreme rainfall events increasing in much of the country. Drought severity, however, is also projected to increase.

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InternationalThere are three main pieces of international policy that guide climate change adaptation and mitigation. These are:

• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

• The Kyoto Protocol

• The Paris Agreement

The most recent of these is the Paris Agreement, which came into force on 4 November, 2016 and will take effect from 2020. This means New Zealand’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will apply from 2021 and need to reduce by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030.

Key outcomes of the Paris agreement are to:

• Keep the global average temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C.

• Strengthen the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change.

• Make sure that financial flows support the development of low-carbon and climate-resilient economies.

New Zealand’s ratification of the agreement also commits us to regular reporting of our emissions against our target and to plan for adaptation.

The Legislative Context

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NationalCurrent legislationCurrently, New Zealand has a range of legislation relevant to climate change.

Two of the main pieces are:

• Climate Change Response Act 2002

• Resource Management Act 1991

The New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) was created through the Climate Change Response Act 2002, which was passed in recognition of New Zealand’s obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. It was officially adopted by the Government under the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading) Amendment Act 2008.

Currently, the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) is the Government’s main tool to achieve its long-term commitment to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Local government has responsibilities under the Resource Management Act 1991 in terms of Section 5 – Purpose, to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources; Section 6 - Matters of National Importance; and Section 7 Other matters, which requires:

All persons exercising functions and powers under it, in relation to managing the use, development, and protection of natural and physical resources, shall have particular regard to –

(a) Kaitiakitanga.

(aa) The ethic of stewardship.

(f) Maintenance and enhancement of the quality of the environment.

(g) Any finite characteristics of natural and physical resources.

(i) The effects of climate change.

(j) The benefits to be derived from the use and development of renewable energy.

Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment BillIn early 2018, the New Zealand Government introduced information on the proposed Zero Carbon Bill for public consultation.

This Bill sets the long-term commitment to transition to a low emission, climate-resilient economy. It puts in place the core building blocks that will give certainty to New Zealanders that, no matter what government is in power, there will be a long-term approach to climate change that endures political cycles.

More than 15,000 New Zealanders had their say in 2018 and almost all supported a 2050 target.

In May 2019 the Environment Select Committee called for submissions from 7 June through to 16 July, 2019. The Bill seeks to:

• Establish a Climate Change Commission to provide independent expert advice and monitoring.

• Set long term greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

• Establish short to medium term emissions budgets as stepping stones to facilitate achieving long term reduction targets.

• Establish a range of climate change adaptation measures to make sure New Zealand understands the risks we face, and has a plan to address them.

The Government’s intention is to finalise this legislation and have it enacted by the end of 2019.

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Local government responsibilitiesAll local authorities (city, regional, district and unitary councils) are at the front line of climate change adaptation and have a role to play in mitigation. Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has been working on a project to develop:

• An evidence base to support a comprehensive framework for risk reduction and/or retreat.

• A comprehensive adaptation plan for New Zealand.

• A local government view on emission reduction targets and how to achieve these for New Zealand.

An LGNZ study in January 2019 has estimated that approximately $8 billion of New Zealand infrastructure is exposed to a 1.5 metre elevation increment of sea level rise. To address this issue LGNZ has set proposed actions:

• To lead a national conversation about levels of service and what can be anticipated in the short, medium and long term.

• To establish a climate change adaptation fund.

• To establish a Local Government Risk Agency.

• To create a National Master Plan for exposed infrastructure.

Local

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  Whanganui District Council’s ActionsThe Council is committed to leading by example in its own organisational practices and ensuring it supports Whanganui to become a leading edge, climate-smart and resilient district that has an informed and proactive community in the face of climate change.

The initiatives the Council currently has in place to support environmental sustainability are:

• A Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy.

• Whanganui’s Resource Recovery Centre and investigating implementation of a Council kerbside recycling service.

• The Let’s Go cycling and walking programme.

• Pathways development e.g. Te Tuaiwi (The Spine) and the City to North Mole shared pathway.

• Community gardens.

• A Healthy Streams initiative.

• Supporting installation of electric vehicle charging stations.

• Conversion of street lighting to LED (completed).

• A Town Centre Regeneration Strategy and initiatives e.g. new bike racks.

• Support for Plastic Bag Free Whanganui.

• Stormwater network enhancement.

• Identification and zoning of land susceptible to land stability hazards.

• An energy audit of the Council.

Other actions Council has identified that it can take include:

• Pursuing green tech approaches and taking a responsible approach to the disposal of waste.

• Developing and implementing a coastal plan.

• Enhancing our responsibilities in relation to sustainable land use.

• Pursuing innovative partnerships to value resources and eliminate waste.

• Managing our assets, facilities and infrastructure responsibly and sustainably on behalf of the community.

• Promoting environmentally sustainable practices to divert more waste from landfill and positioning disposal as the last choice behind reduced waste producing habits, reuse of products and recycling.

• We know there will be additional actions we can take and we look forward to hearing your suggestions.

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Part Two: Background

1 http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/environment/environmental-reporting- series/environmental-indicators/Home/Marine/coastal-sea-level-rise.aspx

What is climate change?Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge of our time. It is already affecting our climate, agriculture, native ecosystems, infrastructure, health and biosecurity. If left unchecked it will have broad social and economic impacts.

Earth’s atmosphere is made up of oxygen, a large amount of nitrogen and a small percentage of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane.

Greenhouse gases act like a blanket around the earth. They trap warmth from the sun and make life on Earth possible. Without them, too much heat would escape and the surface of the planet would freeze. However, increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere causes the earth to heat more and the climate to change. Over the past 200 years, there has been a big increase in human-generated greenhouse gases from activities such as burning fossil fuels, farming and cutting down forests.

This process is often called global warming, but it is better to think of it as climate change. This is because it is likely to change other aspects of climate as well as temperature, and also bring about more extreme climate events such as floods, storms, cyclones and droughts.

Have we made an impact?Humans have influenced the earth’s climate cycle by altering the planet’s surface through fossil fuel burning and land-use activities. Land-use changes, such as deforestation, urbanisation, and agricultural practices are increasing the amount of carbon that is being released into the atmosphere, altering the global carbon cycle.

The global climate is changing, the world has already warmed about 1°C since 1900 and the increase in greenhouse gases is the main reason for this. The temperature will continue to rise and, if we do not dramatically lower emissions, the risks of harmful effects on people and ecosystems will increase.

An increase in the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases, increases the radiative energy available to earth’s surface and to the lower atmosphere, which leads to an increased warming of the earth. While half of the carbon dioxide that humans emit goes into the atmosphere, the other half is absorbed by oceans and the biosphere, also referred to as carbon sinks. A carbon sink is a natural or artificial reservoir that accumulates and stores some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period.

We are already feeling the effects from a changing climate. In the past 100 years, seas have risen around 171 centimetres in New Zealand ports.

Part Two: Background

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How will this impact Whanganui?Climate change will affect different parts of the world in different ways. Without concerted action it is expected that, within the lifetime of children living in our district today:

• Temperatures will rise significantly, with consequences both for health and for our agriculture sector, as well as our native flora and fauna.

• The annual rainfall in the northern part of the district will increase significantly, increasing our flood and slip risks.

• Storm events will become more frequent and more severe, increasing our flood and slip risks as well as coastal erosion.

• Sea levels will rise, potentially impacting low lying areas and increasing coastal erosion.

• Droughts will occur more frequently, impacting our agricultural sector and potentially restricting the availability of clean water.

• The risk of forest fires will increase.

As a district with suburbs located along both the coast and the Whanganui River, a low lying central business district, a significant agricultural sector and major employers in our industrial and manufacturing zone located near the river mouth, these changes will have a major impact on future generations. It is essential that we take action to mitigate and to adapt to climate change.

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New Zealand’s GHG emissions and removals by source

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Part Three: Targets, Goals and Actions

Why do we need targets, goals and actions?To ensure we fulfil our vision to become a resilient and climate-smart district and community, we need to set targets, goals and actions to monitor and report back on our progress.

Greenhouse gas emissions targetThe Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill has proposed new greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets to:

• Reduce gross emissions of biogenic methane within the range of 24% to 47% below 2017 levels by 2050, with an interim requirement to reduce emissions to 10% below 2017 levels by 2030.

• Reduce net emissions of all other greenhouse gases to zero by 2050.

The Council intends to play its part to ensure Whanganui meets its share of the national goals.

Goals and actions for mitigation and adaptationMitigation Aims to reduce the causes of climate change.

Adaptation Involves modifying our decisions, activities and ways of thinking to adjust to a changing climate.

We want to know what is important to the community, and what the focus should be in terms of our aspirations and outcomes. To help inform this discussion, we have prepared a list of possible goals and actions that could be the focus of our climate action strategy. These are listed in the following tables, which are divided into mitigation and adaptation examples.

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 Potential goals and actions for mitigation

1: Cut down on greenhouse gas emissions

Mitigation action examples Explanation

Waste reduction and prevention – reuse, reduce and recycle.

Developing sustainable e-waste reuse/recycle programmes.

Reducing emissions from Council-run facilities e.g. the Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Waste to landfill creates methane gas, so things like methane capture and keeping organics out of landfills can reduce methane production.

Every time a new product is made from raw materials, large amounts of energy are consumed. Recycling decreases the amount of energy it takes to produce these items which reduces the amount of CO² generated into the atmosphere.

Whanganui District Council and the Tupoho Whanau Trust operate the Maria Place Resource Recovery Centre. Council has also surveyed the community regarding a kerbside recycling service.

The operation of wastewater treatment plants results in direct emissions from biological processes as well as indirect emissions resulting from energy generation.

Reuse of existing buildings. Some research suggests that reuse of our existing building stock is more sustainable, given the materials used in the construction of traditional buildings, because it minimises waste and because demolishing buildings uses a considerable amount of energy. Add this to the energy cost of producing new materials, transporting them to site and constructing a replacement building, and it makes environmental sense to reuse existing buildings and/or their materials where possible.

Sustainable building design including home insulation.

Sustainable building design and efficient appliances save energy which helps control greenhouse gas emissions.

Increasing understanding around the options for carbon-negative buildings and identifying ways to support people and organisations will help them to make this choice.

Encourage renewable energy provision and use for example, solar and wind, to replace fossil fuels.

Fossil fuel burning contributes to climate change as it releases greenhouse gas emissions.

Some councils provide the option of adding the installation costs of solar panels (by an approved provider) to their rates bill. Ratepayers then pay back the council over a period of time. The schemes encourage the switch to solar power in an effort to make clean home heating and energy supply more affordable.

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Mitigation action examples Explanation

Energy conservation through energy efficient technology.

Reducing energy use helps control emissions of greenhouse gases.

The Council has already began to participate in this area, by replacing all street light bulbs with LEDs. We could look at other high energy usage activities and seek opportunities to be more efficient.

Sustainable transport e.g. hybrid and electric vehicles, public transport and active transport e.g. cycling and walking.

Sustainable and active transport reduces use of fossil fuels and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Whanganui District Council is already developing new pathways including Te Tuaiwi (The Spine) and the City to North Mole shared pathway.

The Council could investigate converting its vehicle fleet to hybrid or electric vehicles.

Green places and spaces – plant more trees.

Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and their shade keeps places cooler. Trees also support ecosystems and biodiversity.

More trees could be planted to provide carbon sinks within the Council’s parks and open spaces.

The Council is also investigating the potential to enhance and rejuvenate its wetland environments such as the Titoki Wetland and Balgownie Wetland.

Community and home gardens. This involves encouraging the establishment and ongoing maintenance of individual and community gardens. This would reduce the need to import food over long distances and by extension would reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. It would also potentially reduce plastic waste.

Water conservation. Climate change is increasing pressure on natural water resources e.g. agricultural irrigation. Managing water use can ensure it is not used up faster than it is replaced.

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 Potential goals and actions for adaptation

2: Increase our capacity to adapt

Adaptation action examples Explanation

Inform and educate the community on how to make a difference in their everyday lives.

Having a community-wide strategy will help people understand how the things they do will make a difference to current and future generations. Providing ongoing information is also important, as it will ensure the community is educated and up to date on climate change-related issues and is empowered to make small but meaningful changes in their own lives.

Currently, the Council support the Enviroschools programme, a programme that goes into schools and aims to foster a generation of people who instinctively think and act sustainably.

Support local government initiatives and work in partnership with central government.

Local Government New Zealand is working to assist all councils and communities to take a proactive approach to their climate change responsibilities.

Horizons Regional Council has indicated that they intend to undertake further catchment specific climate change impact assessments focused on the Whanganui River.

Whanganui District Council will also ensure it assists the government with its goals and obligations in terms of climate change, and will meet or exceed any national direction given.

Build climate change into Council policies and planning.

Council policies and plans (e.g. the District Plan) can be used as tools to build understanding and support mitigation and adaptation methods.

Development can be guided into areas not susceptible to flooding, inundation or land instability.

The Council could encourage medium/high density housing within its existing urban footprint to minimise the need for new roads and reduce the number of people who will become dependent on the use of cars to undertake everyday activities.

Develop and implement a coastal plan.

Coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to many of the effects of climate change. A plan could be developed to assess the impacts on habitats and species, infrastructure and operations along with hazards to coastal housing and industries.

Support and work with local community groups.

Working with local community groups on the topic of sustainability and climate change helps to build resilience in the community and grow knowledge on the topic.

The Council could consider appointing a Sustainability Officer to drive sustainability and climate change initiatives.

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3: Improve our ability to thrive under different climatic conditions

Adaptation action examples Explanation

Invest in infrastructure to build network resilience.

This would involve increasing our network infrastructure capacity, such as stormwater, to cope with more frequent and higher intensity rain events.

With climate change, groundwater levels will rise. The Council does not currently provide a ground water service. Should it?

Develop green infrastructure. Green infrastructure can help manage high temperatures and flooding, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourage walking and cycling. Wetlands/ponding areas for stormwater management can help manage peak flows from storm events.

4: Build resilience to extreme weather events

Adaptation action examples Explanation

Increase flood protection measures.

Flood protection measures provide protection to homes and businesses from the increasing likelihood and intensity of flooding.

Examples of this are the use of stop banks, which we already have around the Heads Road industrial area and Kowhai Park.

Manage retreat from hazard zones.

Where protection from natural hazards such as erosion or inundation is ineffective or inefficient, buildings and infrastructure could be removed.

Prepare the community to cope in natural disasters.

This involves ensuring the community is prepared and can recover quicker in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

The Council’s Emergency Management team undertakes work to support community preparedness and the Council monitors this through its Community Views Survey.

Technology can help us understand and respond more rapidly to changing risk events.

Investigate ways to change agricultural practices and crops.

Agricultural practices contribute to greenhouse gases and climate change will influence crop suitability and farming practices.

Not all practices will remain sustainable in the long term. It is important research is done into changing practices to match the changing demands and climate.

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Part Four: Next StepsGathering community feedbackDo you think we should adopt a target? Do you support any of the mitigation or adaptation options identified in this document? Have we missed anything? Is there an idea that you think we haven’t covered? Please let us know.

Keeping abreast of national developmentsWe also intend to keep abreast of national initiatives and direction, in particular those being developed by Local Government New Zealand, to ensure the work we are doing aligns.

Draft Resilient Whanganui 2050: Climate Change StrategyAfter we have gathered community feedback, we will begin the preparation of the draft Resilient Whanganui 2050: Climate Action Strategy. This document will be circulated for public consultation, before a final strategy is adopted.

Environmental monitoringA key factor in the implementation on ongoing effectiveness of the strategy will be ensuring we undertake environmental monitoring, to check how the strategy is progressing, its effectiveness, and whether any changes need to be made.

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BibliographyInformation has been sourced from:

Ministry for the Environment www.mfe.govt.nz

Stats NZ www.stats.govt.nz

Local Government New Zealand https://www.lgnz.co.nz/climate-change-project/

New Zealand Parliament www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-submission/document/52SCEN_SCF_BILL_87861/climate-change-response-zero-carbon-amendment-bill

Productivity Commission https://www.productivity.govt.nz/inquiry-content/3254?stage=4

Legislation

Ways to have your say• Visit our website and take

part in our online survey: www.whanganui.govt.nz/haveyoursay

• Email your thoughts to policysubmissions@whanganui.govt.nz

• Share your ideas on our online forum Viewpoint Whanganui: www.whatdoyouthink.org.nz

• Complete a feedback form, available at Whanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street or your local library.

• Check out our Facebook page for public events: www.facebook.com/whanganuidistrictcouncil

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Climate Change Discussion Document

06 349 0001

yourcouncil@whanganui.govt.nz

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