Traffic congestion outside Wellington's Mt Victoria tunnel. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Traffic congestion outside Wellington's Mt Victoria tunnel. Photo / Mark Mitchell
It's believed Greater Wellington is the first to set a binding regional emissions reduction target, which aims to halve net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
It means it will be more difficult, and potentially impossible, to build the car-dependent suburbs that exist in the region today.
The target then moves to net zero emissions by 2050.
It's being proposed as part of a set of sweeping changes to the council's Regional Policy Statement (RPS).
The RPS is powerful in that every other planning document in the region, most notably district plans, have to give effect to it.
Greater Wellington Regional Council also wants to include a new climate change chapter in the RPS.
The chapter is designed to support commitments to reducing emissions as well as assisting communities to "prepare for, and adapt to, the effects of unavoidable climate change".
The council's Climate Committee chairman councillor Thomas Nash said the region would be held accountable to these changes and targets, which would affect urban development and transport in particular.
"It will be much more difficult, possibly impossible, to have the kinds of high emission car-dependent suburbs that we've seen.
"On the other hand, it will be much more likely we see higher density residential development that is automatically connected by very good public transport and walking and cycling networks."
Greater Wellington Regional Council councillor Thomas Nash. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Nash said the RPS will be even more enduring because it's anchored to limiting global warming to the same bounds set by the Paris Agreement- preferably below 1.5C compared to pre-industrial levels.
Climate Change Minister James Shaw said the emission reduction targets signalled by the region were a commitment to bold and enduring action.
"In so many cases, what's good for the climate is also good for people's lives – warmer homes, better public transport, cleaner air, and safer, more liveable cities.
"Tackling climate change is a huge opportunity to build an Aotearoa that is cleaner, safer and fairer. Anything that brings that future closer to reality is a cause for celebration."
Shaw said the plans appeared broadly in line with the Government's own goals, while Nash described the region's 2030 target as going "harder and faster" than national legislation.
Climate Change Minister James Shaw at Owhiro Bay beach. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Nash said Wellington could go further because it has more capacity to do so compared to other regions like Southland or Taranaki.
Wellington's compact urban form, well developed public transport networks, and being less reliant on agriculture made it easier, he said.
"It's the morally right thing to do and financially sensible in the long term because the price of carbon is expected to rise significantly, so the less exposed we are the better."
