John MacDonald: Is climate change a major issue in Christchurch?

Phil Mauger is back on board the climate change bandwagon today – just like he was before the last election.  

I remember asking him three years ago what he thought the most pressing issue facing Christchurch was and he said climate change.  

And he’s at it again today. So is current city councillor Sara Templeton, who also wants to be the city's next mayor. 

It won’t be any surprise to anyone that Sara rates climate change as a top issue or a top priority. And good on her for saying so, because I agree. I think we’ve had our heads in the sand for too long.   

So she’s talking today about the need for the city to get on with solid planning for dealing with climate adaptation. Which is easier said than done, of course. Especially with all this talk coming from Wellington about central government washing its hands in terms of helping local communities dealing with things like sea level rise.  

As for Phil Mauger, I’ll believe his commitment to climate change when I see it.   

He’s talking today about wanting to reduce greenhouse gases and is saying that converting trucks and other vehicles to hydrogen will make a difference.  

But, no disrespect to Phil, anyone can bang-on about that and it probably sounds good. But like I say, the proof’s in the pudding. My message is the same for Sara Templeton.   

But thank goodness they’re talking about it because I agree that climate change needs to be a top priority. But it does raise the question as to whether you agree with these two that addressing climate change has to be top of mind. Whether you think addressing climate change is a top priority for Christchurch.  

We can bang-on about getting the basics done well, but what good is that going to be if we have city leaders who are quite happy to kick the climate change can down the road?  

So it’s full marks from me to both of them for at least putting it out there as a top priority for the city.  

Especially Sara Templeton, with her view that we need to get on with deciding how Christchurch is going to adapt. But she is bang on because the council already knows that $14 billion worth of property in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula could be at-risk from sea-level rise.   

That’s the figure that came out a couple of years ago when the council made a submission to Parliament’s environment select committee.  

And since then, what’s happened? What’s been done about it? Next to nothing.   

The only person around that council table who has said anything of substance since is Sara Templeton herself who, in February last year, floated the idea of a new ratepayer levy to help with the cost of adapting to climate change.  

Her argument was simple. How can we say it’s fair to expect future generations to not only live with the consequences of climate change, but to pay for it as well? To carry the financial burden?  

As you might expect, that didn’t go down too well with a lot of people. Because a lot of us are focused on the here and now and don’t give two hoots about what might be on the way.  

Not to mention the people who don’t believe climate change and sea-level rise even exist.   

What’s more, climate change doesn’t win elections, does it? Which is why you get people wanting to be mayors and councillors only talking about rates and rubbish and sticking to the basics.  

Whereas what we really need are city leaders who will get out of the weeds and not worry about the minutiae of every little thing and actually get on with the job of ensuring we are ready.  

Ready for the day —whenever that day might be— when $14 billion worth of property in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula is more than just at-risk from sea-level rise. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from News Talk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Well, Phil Major PILM Major is back on board the
climate change band wagon today, just like he was before
the last election. I remember asking him three years ago
he was right here where I am and I remember
asking him what he thought the most pressing issue facing
christ Church was and he said climate change. And he's

(00:35):
added again today, so is a challenger current City Council
of Sarah Templeton. Now, so far as you'll know, Phil
and Sarah are the only people who have officially announced
that they're going to run for mayor in this year's
local body elections. There will be others coming out of
the woodwork though, Toby Hanson, you're there, Tubby, he'll turn up.
There'll be all the usuals. Maybe even the Wizard will

(00:57):
give it another nudge this year. But for now it
is Phil Major and Sarah Templeton and it won't be
any surprise to anyone that's said it rates climate change
as a top issue or a top priority. And good
honor for saying Sie, because I agree. I think we've
had our heads in the sand for too long. So

(01:18):
she's talking today about the need for the city to
get on with soddid planning for dealing with climate adaptation,
which is easier said than done, of course, especially with
all this talk coming from Wellington about central government washing
its hands in terms of helping communities deal with things
like sea level rise and retreat or managed retreat. As

(01:40):
for film Major well I believe his commitment to climate
change when I see it. But he's talking today about
wanting to reduce greenhouse gases and saying that converting trucks
and other vehicles to hydrogen will make a difference. But
no disrespect of Phil. Anyone can bang on about that

(02:01):
and it probably sounds good. But like I say, proof
is in the pudding. My message is the same for you,
Sarah Templeton, if you're listening, the proof is in the pudding.
But thank goodness they're both talking about it. Because I
think climate change must be a priority, must be a
top priority for christ Church. It does raise the question

(02:23):
as to whether you agree with these two that addressing
climate change has to be top of mind, whether you
think addressing climate change is a top priority for christ Church.
You know, we can bang on about getting the basics
done well first, but you know, what good is that
going to be if we have city leaders who are
quite happy to kick the climate change can down the road.

(02:45):
And you can bet there'll be no shortage of people
raising the eyebrows about Sarah Templeton in his psycho waves
and Sarah Templeton being Ady Karr and Sarah Templeton raming
climate change down alm throats. You know there're no shortage
of that, and others organising their eye browns too. It
Phil talking about climate change again three years on from
when he did before the last election. But it's full

(03:07):
marks from me, Full marks from me to both of
them for at least putting it out there and saying
that it's a top priority, that it needs to be
a top priority, especially Sarah Templeton with her view that
we need to get on with deciding how christ Church
are going to adapt and she has bang on. And
here's why. Fourteen billion dollars fourteen billion, that's the value

(03:30):
of properties in christ Church and Banks Peninsula that the
Council says could be at risk from sea level rice
fourteen billion. And that figure came out a couple of
years ago when the Council made a submission to Parliament's
Environments Select Committee, which was leading an inquiry into climate adaptation.
And since then, what's happened, what's been done about it?

(03:54):
Next to nothing. The only person around that council table
who has said anything of substance since then is Sarah
Templeton herself, who in Februy last year floated the idea
of a new rate payer levy to help with the
cost of adapting to climate change. Their argument was simple,
how can we say it's fair to expect future generations

(04:14):
to not only live with the consequences of climate change,
but to pay for it as well, to carry the
financial burden. That didn't go down too well with a
lot of people because a lot of us are focused
on the here and now and we don't really give
two hurts about what might be on the way, not
to mention the people who don't even believe climate change
and sea level rise exist. What's more, climate change doesn't

(04:37):
when you elections, does it, which is why you get
people who want to be mayors and counselors only talking
about rates and rubbish trucks and sticking to the basics,
whereas what we really need, so what we really need
when in city leaders, he will get out of the weeds,
and I'll worry about the monu shay of every little
thing and actually get on with the job of ensuring
we are ready, ready for the day, whenever that might be.

(05:00):
Whenever that day might be, but ensuring that we are
ready for the day when there is more than to
prospect of fourteen billion dollars worth of property in Christchurch
and Banks Peninsula being at risk from sea level rise.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
For more from Category Mornings with John McDonald, listen live
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