We are seeing millions of people around the world strike, led by youth calling for a safe climate future.
People across Aotearoa North Island - now used as the Māori name for New Zealand. have called for decisions and action to protect our regions and our planet from the impacts of climate change.
In June 2019, Auckland Council responded to this call and the irrefutable evidence of climate change by declaring that our region is facing climate emergency.
By declaring a climate emergency, the council commits to:
- incorporating climate change considerations into work programmes and decisions
- providing local government leadership in the face of climate change, including collaborating with local and central government partners advocate for greater central government leadership and action on climate change
- increasing the visibility of our climate change work
- leading by example in monitoring and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions Gases emitted to the atmosphere which contribute to the greenhouse gas effect, in which more than the normal amount of atmospheric heat is retained in the atmosphere. These emissions include water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, ozone, halocarbons and other chlorine and bromine-containing substances.
- including climate change impact statements on all council committee reports.
Responding to the climate emergency will require rapid and transformational change in how we live, work and travel.
Our eight priorities identify the actions we need to take in our emergency response.