Climate change

Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri, ā muri ake nei (For us and our children after us)

Climate change is one of the biggest and most urgent challenges facing our planet. It is already affecting a wide range of living things - from human communities to the smallest lifeforms in the ocean, and is forcing rapid change upon many parts of the natural world.

You can learn about the facts and science of climate change on this Ministry for the Environment page.

Our great small city of Dunedin is not immune to climate change and its impacts. The city is experiencing more extreme weather, sea levels are rising, ecosystems are under pressure, and communities are being disrupted by new hazards and risks.

Adapting to climate change is important. However, successful adaptation will only be possible if emissions are also reduced to limit the severity of climate change.

As a global community, we have a short window of time to reduce emissions sufficiently to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. If we can limit global warming to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels, we can avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Although small on a world scale, Dunedin has an important part to play to slow down climate change. New Zealanders generate more emissions per person than residents of most other countries. Taking action to reduce emissions will help meet the Paris Agreement (external website) and other global agreements.

Nationally, the Climate Change Response Act 2002 sets the targets and frameworks for New Zealand to reduce its emissions and meet international obligations.

Our climate actions

The Dunedin City Council (DCC) is working on climate change issues through two main approaches. The South Dunedin Future programme is the DCC’s main climate change adaptation work programme, and the Zero Carbon programme is its climate change mitigation programme.

The DCC’s climate emergency declaration in 2019 committed Dunedin to becoming a net zero carbon (i.e. carbon neutral) city by 2030. The Council acknowledged that all levels of government need to act, and that a business-as-usual transition to a low carbon economy is inadequate. As a member of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, the DCC reports annually on progress in emissions reduction and climate adaptation, joining thousands of cities committed to climate action.

The DCC’s Zero Carbon programme is helping Dunedin meet its Zero Carbon targets. The Zero Carbon Plan 2030 maps out the changes that Dunedin needs to become a Zero Carbon city, and the actions the DCC will take to help bring about those changes. The Zero Carbon Plan builds on work already underway and identifies additional actions that are needed for Dunedin to achieve its emissions reduction goals. While there is a long way to go, it is possible for Dunedin to become a Zero Carbon city by 2030 is organisations, businesses and communities work together.

South Dunedin is the city’s biggest challenge from the effects of climate change, because it is home to 12,000 people and 700 businesses, who live and work on a flat and low-lying former wetland which will be increasingly flood prone. The South Dunedin Future programme has a four-year plan leading a decision-making process with the community to adapt the area to these challenges over coming decades.