Environment Southland councillor Robert Guyton has asked the council to declare a climate change emergency in the region.

However, the regional council chairman Nicoll Horrell said at a meeting today that the declaration was not necessary. 

It was the second time Cr Guyton has sought a declaration by the regional council.

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He said the council’s approach to climate change needed a re-think, and it should be doing more to keep up with the government’s stance, following Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s climate change announcement this month. 

He read a pre-submitted question aloud during today’s council meeting.

“In light of the Government’s declaration of a climate change emergency, will this council, which now finds itself out-of-step with, and behind, central government’s position on climate change, upgrade its present approach to match that of many other councils around New Zealand and that of central government?”

Cr Horrell said the council was taking the climate change issue seriously. 

“We absolutely support the government,” he said. 

“[But] it’s actually much better to have national direction, this will give us an opportunity as a region to feed in that regional flavour going forward.”

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And as for being “out-of-step,” he said that the council’s action plan, despite being held up by COVID-19 this year, was working well. 

Cr Horrell said the council had looked solidly at science, supported by a 2018 NIWA report, on the implications of climate change in Southland.

“I think we are well on the way and I think we are leaders not followers,” he said. 

“From my point of view, we will continue to do the job that we need to do for our community.”

He added that rather than having an “ad-hoc national direction, regional flavour is really the way forward”.

Cr Peter McDonald said the council should be doing more for combatting climate change in the region. 

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“I wasn’t here on the council when that vote has been declined for the climate emergency, but I understand we have a commitment to Southland around one of urgency,” he said.

“My suggestion would be for this council in the new year to have serious discussions about setting up a standalone, resourced committee to deal with climate change and its effects on the province and the infrastructure that serves the people of Southland.”

Cr Horrell said Cr McDonald’s suggestions were “remarkably close” to previous recommendations from the subcommittee.

Cr Linda Ludlow said climate change was something the council needed to consider every time it made a decision.  

The subcommittee had done good work so far, but more needed to be done to stay on top of the issue, she said.