Wellington’s plan to tackle climate change

WELLINGTON’S regional councillors have made a public commitment to reduce their carbon footprint, but by how much remains to be seen.

Councillors unanimously approved an official climate change strategy, which will guide how the council works to combat global warming, which threatens to thrust more storms, droughts and sea-level rise on the region.

The strategy document is full of aspirational goals but light on actual targets for reducing emissions – for now, at least.

Councillors were told at a meeting yesterday that Greater Wellington staff would need to measure the council’s corporate emissions before any targets could be inserted into the strategy.

Council chairman Chris Laidlaw said it was time for the council to get on with the nitty gritty of bringing emissions down, as well as encouraging other councils across the region to jump on board with the plan.

‘‘There is interest in a general joined-up approach to this,’’ he said.

Despite not nailing the council down to any targets, the strategy document does throw up some of the scenarios for if the council tries its hardest to get emissions down, or simply continues with business as usual.

Under the ‘‘business as usual’’ scenario, net greenhouse gas emissions are projected to increase from 1,683,376 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2012-13 to 1,739,825 tonnes in 2019-20 – a 3 per cent increase.

The alternative ‘‘high ambition’’ scenario involves developing additional renewable electricity generation, improving landfill collection and waste water treatment systems, doubling the current number of electric buses while replacing 50 per cent of diesel buses with hybrid-diesel busses, and more use of biofuel for land transport and aviation.

This would cut emissions by 30 per cent by 2020, from 1,683,376 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2012-13 to 1,185,920 tonnes.

Councillor Jenny Brash said the cost of converting the council’s entire car fleet to fully electric vehicles should be investigated.