Dunedin climate experts, public sector leaders and campaigners are clamouring for the Dunedin City Council to immediately adopt a plan to reach carbon zero by 2030.
On Monday, city councillors will vote on the council’s draft Zero Carbon Plan.
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich — who last year voted against a zero carbon policy for the council — declined to discuss his position ahead of the meeting.
He said the additional content about the plan received this week had not "changed his attitude" to the plan.
"It is a substantial plan, there is a lot to think about."
University of Otago environmental policy expert Prof Lisa Ellis said anything short of adopting the plan would be a "betrayal".
It was "clear as a bell" the city should work to keep global warming under 1.5°C.
In June 2019, the council declared a climate emergency and moved to develop a plan with a net zero carbon target by 2030 and interim milestones.
The council had agreed to develop a plan that "quantifies actions available to council, community and central government to ensure these targets are met."
City councillor Sophie Barker called on the city to "get moving" after four years of planning since the climate emergency was declared.
"The plan should be adopted. It’s time to stop talking and take action."
Cr Barker said members of the Dunedin Zero Carbon Alliance — which includes the university, polytechnic, and hospital — would be "devastated" if the council did not adopt the plan.
"The DCC needs to show leadership and work hard with our partners to achieve change."
University of Otago’s acting vice-chancellor Prof Richard Blaikie said the city needed to "aggressively" reduce greenhouse gas emissions to reach and hopefully exceed the target.
"Should Dunedin fail to have a Zero Carbon Plan in place soon, backed by the necessary level of investment, this is likely to impact negatively the attractiveness of the city for visitors and students."
In a letter to the city’s mayor Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (HNZ) — expressed its support for the plan’s adoption.
"The adoption of the plan would help Te Whatu Ora achieve its own carbon zero aims, and support improved health outcomes for the people of Dunedin . . . We urge the council to adopt the plan." Southern operations group director Hamish Brown said.
"With every tenth of a degree of warming we lose lives and livelihoods," Otago Regional Council councillor Elliot Weir said.
University of Otago Associate Prof of environmental health Alex Macmillan said: "Already at over 1°C of average heating, we are seeing devastating effects from super-heated storms, extreme heatwaves, droughts and wildfires. The effects are being felt here, including pushing up food prices and cost of living."
She said a key part of the plan was low carbon transport options instead of driving to "take pressure off our overstretched health services by reducing air pollution illnesses and building some exercise back into people’s daily lives."
350 Aotearoa climate campaigner Adam Currie called on the council to adopt its "high investment" scenario outlined in the draft plan.
A failure to pass the plan is "not a realistic option" and would "be a massive setback to climate action in Dunedin".
"We need to hurry up and pass the plan, and then get stuck into the bold implementation stage, which is what really matters.
"Redesigning our streets, transitioning away from gas boilers, cutting speed limits, funding public/active transport infrastructure, using regulatory levers — the DCC needs to do all of this and more."
Dunedin Forest and Bird committee member Nigel Paragreen said mitigating climate change was a matter of life and death.
"I can’t see how councillors could choose not to adopt Dunedin’s Zero Carbon Plan in good conscience."
