Climate Emergency Action Framework

We've heard calls from our residents, businesses, and citizen groups that Council need to take stronger action on climate change, so we've adopted a Climate Emergency Action Framework.

This framework sets out the overarching vision, objectives and principles we follow when we make decisions about climate change mitigation and adaptation. 

Council adopted the framework on 29 July 2021, following public consultation as part of our Long-term Plan 2021–41. The framework aligns with the community outcomes of the Long-term Plan 2021–41, and are based on feedback we've received from Iwi, residents, businesses, and other stakeholders for the past several years. 

Vision

Toitū Kāpiti reflects our drive for a vibrant and thriving Kāpiti, consisting of strong communities that are deeply connected to the natural environment. To achieve this, Council has a responsibility to support and promote sustainability and resilience within Council and across the district, particularly in the face of the climate emergency and the need to transition to a low-carbon future. 

Objectives

The framework’s primary objective is to establish a common aim and set of principles to embed climate change action across the organisation. 

The framework will:

• guide Council decision-making to ensure consistent practices
• embed sustainability across Council
• provide a platform to raise awareness about Council’s existing workstreams
• provide a platform to agree plans and priorities for future work.

Principles 

The summarised principles of the framework are:

1. We’re strong and effective leaders around climate change, supporting Toitū Kāpiti and the climate change emergency, and take action using the best scientific information available.
2. We honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and our partnership with Mana Whenua, and acknowledge the significant value of māramatanga (lessons learned through centuries of kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, and whanaungatanga).
3. We meet all our climate change-related statutory obligations.
4. Our decision-making is inclusive, transparent, and based on ongoing collaboration and consultation with the wider community, businesses, social service organisations, and key sectors from industry and science.
5. When making decisions, we consider best practice; costs and benefits; risk (particularly of not acting); urgency; effectiveness of the action; how we can avoid worsening inequity or compromising future generations; Mana Whenua advice, community feedback, and aligning with neighbouring councils; and the long-term effectiveness of proposed actions.
6. Sustainability, resilience, and climate change-related work is integrated and coordinated across Council.
7. We participate in government reforms of national policy and legislation – particularly around climate change mitigation, adaptation and the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).
8. We advocate for policies and programmes that support the Toitū Kāpiti vision, and actively look for funding opportunities.
9. We look for and take opportunities to lead, facilitate and empower community projects and initiatives that will build sustainability, resilience, and green innovation.

Next steps

Having adopted the framework, we're working on:

• firmly embedding climate change considerations in all Council decisions
• publicising our work so our community knows more about the work we do in this area.

Some of our programmes have already been agreed, like the Wellington Region Waste Management and Minimisation Plan, while others will require further discussions like those that are currently starting for the Takutai Kāpiti community-led coastal adaptation project.