3 November 2020
Media: NZHerald Local Focus
Topic: Rotorua Climate Action Plan
Enquiry
Reporter requested video interview and asked the following questions:
- Tell us about some of the human activities that impact on the environment
- In terms of the action plan - can you tell me what are some of the steps council will take to reduce harm to the planet?
- Can you tell us how long will this take?
- Who are the stakeholders?
- How can we as the public of Rotorua contribute to a better environment?
- Is there anything else you'd like to add?
Response
Responses from Council's Senior Strategic Advisor Niki Carling:
In global terms the largest contributor to climate change has been industrialisation and the production of energy. In NZ the largest contributor is agriculture, transport and waste.
RLC has a number of partners and have been working on an action plan for the last 12 months. It has mitigation options and adaptation options where we try to reduce and try to adapt.
We do things like encouraging the public to use other modes of transport.
If you read the plan you'll see there are timeframes against the actions. Some are already underway and have been for quite some time. Many of our partners have been already been doing things in this space.
This is an ongoing piece of work there is no finite end to it.
Te Arawa Climate Change Group, BOPRC, DOC, large industry and the general public
There are many ways, transport and waste are two areas you and I can contribute e.g instead of taking our cars to do short trips we could work, bike or bus. With regard to waste the big thing we could think about doing is consuming less and making sure we don't buy things unnecessarily. And recycling.
Just to encourage people to give their feedback on the plan. Although it has closed for submission we will still continue to take feedback and comments.