Regional Council accelerating climate crisis engagement

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is accelerating its response to the climate crisis through a series of upcoming projects and engagement with the community.

Chief executive James Palmer said the Council was at the forefront of preparing the region for the impacts of climate change, and recognises there is a need for transformational change within the region and to raise awareness about the climate crisis in the community.

 “We are launching a campaign in September to communicate our current comprehensive activities to foster climate resilience, educate about the local impacts of the climate crisis, and engage directly with the community about what they would like to see in terms of a climate response.”

 The Council is currently undertaking a comprehensive survey to capture the community’s views on the climate crisis, whether people have changed their practices in response, and their perceptions of Council work in this area.

 “The results from this survey will help inform us about our direction and the sort of measures that need to be taken to foster a climate resilient economy and community,” he said.

The Council is also consulting on whether to establish a dedicated semi-autonomous Climate Mitigation Hawke’s Bay unit, as proposed by Councillor Rick Barker.

 The intention of the unit would be to encourage and assist individuals, families and industry to take steps to cut their greenhouse gas emissions and ensure the region is carbon neutral by 2050.

30 July 2020

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