Protecting Pōneke: Wellington's Endeavors for a Sustainable Future
by Barbara McKerrow, Chief Executive, Wellington City Council
Pōneke has been my home now for a few years, and my love affair with this vibrant city gets stronger every year I’m here. I have the privilege of channelling that aroha into my work, to help the Mayor and Council deliver their vision of an inclusive, sustainable and creative capital for people to live, work and play. Yet this mahi holds a very real challenge. The places and lifestyle we all care about are under threat from an increasingly warmer world, so I take the challenge of this city’s climate and ecological crisis to heart personally and professionally. It’s a privilege to work for a Council so committed to using the powers and role of local government to protect the city for Wellingtonians today and for our mokopuna.
In our ten-year Māori strategy, Tūpiki Ora, we say:
Kia mauri ora te taiao, kia mauri ora te whānau, kia mauri ora te ao Māori
The vitality of our environment is nourished, the wellbeing of our whānau is fostered, te ao Māori is embraced and celebrated. Caring for te taiao is a central to our mahi. This is what Wellingtonians have told us that they want, and they are playing their part in this mahi too.
Back in 2019 the Council declared a climate and ecological emergency and adopted Te Atakura – First to Zero, our climate action strategy. We committed to increasing the city’s resilience and set targets for reducing the capital’s contribution to climate change. So much of Council’s work is now designed to support our communities to shift to low carbon ways of living. Our Green Network Plan builds on and protects our incredible natural assets and makes green spaces more accessible for everyone. Our Zero Waste Strategy is an investment in creating a circular economy in Wellington, that addresses both the climate emergency, and the ecological pressures on our precious natural resources. We’re reducing our own emissions as an organisation too – converting our vehicle fleet to electric, reducing our energy use, and working with our suppliers and partners so they can do the same. The good news is that we’re seeing results in reducing Wellington’s carbon emissions. Since 2020, the city has achieved a 9% reduction, even while our GDP and population continues to grow.
Wellington is globally recognised for our positive impact in this space. In June this year we were amongst the winners of the prestigious Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling, and in 2021 we were named the top city for environmental security by the Economist Intelligence Unit. In addition, we’re one of the only cities in the world where bird biodiversity is increasing, thanks largely to Zealandia Ecosanctuary and the hundreds of Wellingtonians who volunteer their time to regenerating this precious space at the heart of our city. We are renowned for our natural beauty and urban wildness, but even I am amazed that we have been able to release 50 kiwi in the capital earlier this year, a testament to the collective efforts of so many motivated individuals and organisations across our rohe.
Local government has an important role in protecting our natural capital in Aotearoa. Our greatest contribution to the climate response is through our role in city-shaping so it’s easier for all to thrive. Our Proposed District Plan will provide a framework for more housing near transport corridors, and we’re making it easier for people to move around by active and public transport through our investments in Paneke Pōneke (our bike network plan) and Let’s Get Wellington Moving.
We can’t do this mahi alone. Addressing the climate and ecological emergencies is going to take everyone, everywhere, all at once. We’re supporting the city to shift to zero-carbon lifestyles and business models, through education, practical support, facilitated workshops and planning processes, bringing local solutions to global and national challenges. We’re also supporting Wellington businesses and communities to lead change themselves, through funding opportunities like the Climate and Sustainability Fund, the Active Workplace Travel Fund, and the Environmental and Accessibility Performance Fund for building developments.
In the years ahead as we hurtle towards our first major milestone of more than halving the city’s emissions by 2030, our goal is to increase the integration of how we take impactful action for both the emergencies we’re facing. Te Atakura – First to Zero and our newly adopted Climate Change Adaptation Community Engagement Roadmap will guide us on our journey to cope with the impacts of climate change we can’t avoid. In the spirit of collaboration, we’re working with our regional and mana whenua partners on this mahi to achieve the best outcome for all.