A plan to push Dunedin towards carbon neutrality has been adopted by the city council, which has kept faith with 2030 targets and signalled a high-investment track could be pursued for implementation.
Much of the Dunedin City Council’s spending to curb carbon emissions would need to be aimed at transforming transport.
The council voted 11-4 yesterday to adopt the draft 2030 zero-carbon plan.
The council also rejected an initial slower-speed investment pathway for implementation suggested by Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich.
Mr Radich, backed by Cr Brent Weatherall, had advocated for adopting the plan but signalled a preference for a low-investment scenario.
"The main thing is that we do get started," the mayor said.
"It’s better to start slow and finish strong."
A majority of councillors did not favour the low-spending path and the council voted 9-5 to declare a preference for the high-investment scenario and for a medium option to be presented to the public as the leading alternative.
Cr Steve Walker was one councillor who argued the low option would clearly not be adequate.
Cr David Benson-Pope agreed the "low scenario is no scenario" worth pursuing.
Cr Christine Garey took the rare step of standing while presenting her speech, arguing the city needed to be bold and "there is no time to lose".
Cr Carmen Houlahan said she wanted to be on the right side of history and this meant favouring the medium-to-high investment range.
Cr Sophie Barker drew attention to "the costs of not acting" and Cr Mandy Mayhem said transport must be decarbonised.
Both the high and medium overall investment trajectories will go into the council’s draft 2024-34 long-term plan for public consultation.
Yesterday’s voting came after an extensive public forum and then lengthy discussions at the council table.
University of Otago business school deputy dean Sara Walton called for an organised response to climate change, rather than resorting to catch-up mode later.
Dunedin Forest & Bird committee member Nigel Paragreen presented a petition signed by more than 500 people urging the council to adopt the plan and take meaningful action to reduce the city’s emissions.
Otago University Students’ Association president Quintin Jane said the council needed to "put money where its mouth is".
However, Cr Lee Vandervis said he believed the plan’s purpose was to "send us back to the stone age".
He described carbon-zero as being like a new religion.
Cr Andrew Whiley abstained from two votes relating to implementation and said he intended to bring before the council the possibility of a targeted rate to fund zero-carbon work.
How they voted
That the council adopts the 2030 zero-carbon plan:
For (11): Mayor Jules Radich, Crs Cherry Lucas, Sophie Barker, David Benson-Pope, Christine Garey, Carmen Houlahan, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Jim O’Malley, Steve Walker, Brent Weatherall.
Against (4): Crs Bill Acklin, Kevin Gilbert, Lee Vandervis, Andrew Whiley.
That the council requests further development of the low-investment scenario for plan implementation as its preferred option in time for consideration for the draft 2024-34 long-term plan:
For (5): Mr Radich, Crs Lucas, Acklin, Gilbert, Weatherall.
Against (9): Crs Barker, Benson-Pope, Garey, Houlahan, Laufiso, Mayhem, O’Malley, Walker, Vandervis.
Abstention (1): Cr Whiley.
That the council requests further development of the high-investment scenario for plan implementation as its preferred option, and alternatively a medium-investment scenario, for consideration in the draft 2024-34 long-term plan:
For (9): Crs Barker, Benson-Pope, Garey, Gilbert, Houlahan, Laufiso, Mayhem, O’Malley, Walker.
Against (5): Mr Radich, Crs Lucas, Acklin, Vandervis, Weatherall.
Abstention (1): Cr Whiley.
