Climate change pact not signed

None of South Canterbury’s mayors have signed a climate change pledge acknowledging the need to address climate change for future generations, and urging the Government to take action.

The Local Government Leaders’ Climate Change Declaration was released ahead of the start of the Local Government New Zealand Conference on Monday.

It was signed by 39 mayors, from Southland to Auckland. However Timaru mayor Damon Odey, Waimate mayor Craig Rowley and McKenzie mayor Graham Smith were not among them.

The councils involved in the declaration pledged to do a number of things such as working to improve the resource efficiency and health of homes, businesses and infrastructure in the district, and working with central government.

They called for central government to develop an ambitious plan to transition New Zealand into a low-carbon economy ready to take on the dangers that climate change may present, such as rising sea levels and intense storms.

Rowley was not available to comment on Monday and Tuesday, and Smith declined requests for comment.

Odey said via email that the council did support the manifesto.

‘‘We also already support and use the core principles, as per our [Growth Management Strategy].’’

Timaru District Council candidate Owen ‘‘OJ’’ Jackson said he believed climate change was well outside the council’s remit, and Timaru councillors had to focus on tangible things they could change.

Not everyone even believed climate change was man-made, he said.

‘‘Our job is fixing drains and bridges, not getting involved with climate change.’’

Fixing slippery tiles in Timaru’s CBD and revamping the Theatre Royal had to take priority, he said.

Fellow candidates Murray Cleverley and Nigel Bowen disagreed, with Cleverley saying the council had to have a position on the issue.

Bowen said he thought Timaru should get behind the initiative and should have signed the declaration - even if it was doing some of the things already.

‘‘I see no harm in signing if we are already doing those things.

‘‘It makes sense, it’s sort of an international issue.’’

LGNZ represents about 78 councils from around the country. Councillor Dave Jack said he was unsure why the declaration, which also involved councils committing to promote walking, cycling, public transport and other low carbon transport options, had not been signed.

‘‘I support all those initiatives on a broad brush basis.’’

The council had to be careful not to introduce something that would cost ratepayers ‘‘aeons of dollars’’, however.

Fellow councillor Peter Burt said he supported the declaration from a personal point of view, and the council was aware of climate change in all its policies.

Candidate and former councillor Anthony Brien, who is running in this year’s by-election, said he had not seen a copy of the declaration but he believed the council supported a lot of the declaration’s aims already.

It was about balancing environmental and fiscal responsibility, and the district not committing to something it could not afford.

Mark Rogers, who was also running for council, said while he supported having a clean environment, the council needed to have autonomy when it decided what it would support and what it would not.