Climate change issues aired at Whangārei meeting

Green Party leader James Shaw, left and Ash Holwell at Maungarongo Marae, Whatitiri, in August last year.

Dairy farmers, educators and other interested people have got behind an initiative to encourage Northlanders to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Called Project Drawdown, a meeting about the initiative was held in Whangārei on Thursday, facilitated by Ash Holwell, last year's Green Party candidate for Whangārei.

About 20 people attended the meeting, which was a follow-up to the Tai Tokerau Climate Change Action Conference held at NorthTec in June. Climate Change Minister James Shaw launched the Government's roadshow promoting its Zero Carbon Bill in Whangārei during that conference.

On Friday, the day after Project Drawdown was aired, the Ministry for the Environment released the 15,000 submissions and a summary of themes from the Zero Carbon Bill consultation.

Key themes included 91 per cent of submitters wanting a legislated target of net zero emissions across all greenhouse gases by 2050, 96 per cent supported establishing a Government-advisory Climate Change Commission and 92 per cent thought the Bill should include provisions to help New Zealand adapt to the effects of climate change.

Whangarei District Council Coastal Ward member Anna Murphy said much of the discussion at the Project Drawdown meeting was on progressing key areas.

They included raising community awareness about how people can help, focusing on positive solutions, stronger engagement, reducing food waste and promoting Food Rescue Northland, home composting, promoting electric vehicles and electric vehicle sharing, regenerative agriculture, plant-rich diets and forestry.

If people would like to find out more go the website northlandclimatechange.org