Climate champion stepping down
The man tasked with spearheading the Nelson City Council’s ‘‘climate emergency’’ response has resigned, just over a year after taking up the role.
Chris Cameron said personal circumstances spurred his decision.
Cameron started as the council’s ‘‘Climate Change Champion’’ in December 2019. The job was created after the council declared a climate emergency in May of that year.
He said plans to move his family from Alexandra to Nelson had not come to fruition – not least because of Covid-19 – and his family wanted to respect their ties with other parts of the country.
Cameron’s resignation came amid criticism of the council’s backing for proposed costly infrastructure projects near the Maitai River mouth. Climate campaigners say councillors shouldn’t have opted for a proposal to build a $44 million library close to the river, or a $16m revamp of the council’s main offices, pending the release of full information about the climate changerelated flood risk at those sites.
The council is preparing a response to the concerns. Cameron declined to comment on the council decisions.
He said there was a ‘‘shortage of expertise’’ to help councils grappling with climate change impacts and adaptation, and he was ‘‘moving into consultancy’’.
‘‘What I’m hoping is I can work with councils across the country and with central government and other organisations, to start to really consider how to deal with climate impacts.
‘‘That’s a long-term and ongoing discussion with the community.’’
The Government’s decision to replace the Resource Management Act with legislation including a Climate Change Adaptation Act (CCA) would allow councils to think about climate impacts and adaptation in a way ‘‘perhaps councils haven’t been able to easily do in the past, in terms of their mandate’’, Cameron said.
The CCA was intended to help councils address issues associated with managed retreat, and funding and financing adaptation.
The council says it intends to replace Cameron.