Media release: Clear strategy, community engagement, and regular reporting the key to councils’ climate response

Councils will need clear climate strategies, strong community engagement, and robust reporting to meet the challenges posed by a changing climate, says the Auditor-General in a new report.

How well four councils are responding to a changing climate, looks at the actions of Environment Canterbury, Christchurch City Council, Nelson City Council, and Whanganui District Council in responding to the local impacts of climate change. These four councils represent a cross-section of size and type of local authority.

New Zealanders regularly see the damaging consequences of a changing climate on our lives, our livelihoods, and our environment. Understanding the long-term nature of the impacts of climate change and establishing enduring strategies and a commitment to address them, is important if councils are to effectively play their part in how our country adapts.

“Our work showed that all four councils are making progress with their responses to climate change and doing so in an uncertain and evolving national policy environment,” says Auditor-General John Ryan.

“However, managing the impacts of climate change requires all councils to have a long-term commitment to clear climate strategies and plans, and effective governance arrangements. It also requires sustained and meaningful engagement with communities, other councils, and with central government.”

All four councils have declared a climate emergency, identify climate change as a strategic priority, and are taking action to ensure they are well-informed about climate risks. This included examples of collaboration between councils and the use of online risk mapping technology.

The report showed that effective engagement by councils with their communities is an important part of any council’s climate change response.

“Maintaining community support is critical to the success of climate-related actions, and keeping the community well informed of progress is fundamental to maintaining that support,” John Ryan says.

“Formal reporting on performance is also important for community engagement and is a critical part of councils’ accountability to their communities. I encourage all councils to make greater, and better, use of formal public performance reporting frameworks and measures that reflect their climate-related strategic priorities.”

The Auditor-General’s recommendations and observations about good practice are aimed at supporting the positive efforts of the four councils. It will also be useful to other councils considering and implementing their responses to climate change.

ENDS