Decisions from DCC meeting 2 September

The Dunedin City Council has voted to explore two possible options for future climate adaptation work in Dunedin.

At today’s full Council meeting, Councillors voted 9-5 in favour of investigating two options (Options 3 and 4) out of a possible four options for its future Climate Adaptation and Resilience service levels.

The options – a Balanced Delivery (Option 3) and the DCC’s preferred Participatory Delivery (option 4) – will be consulted on as part of work on the draft 10 year plan 2027-37, which is to be finalised next year.

Those voting for the move were Mayor Barker and Councillors Chambers, Garey, Hall, Laufiso, Simms, Treadwell, Walker and Weatherall.

Those against were Councillors Galer, Lucas, Lund, Ong and Vandervis.

The vote came after Councillors considered a staff report seeking direction on the Climate Adaptation and Resilience programme for inclusion in the 10 year plan.

The four service level options considered ranged from a minimum viable approach, designed to meet anticipated legislative requirements, through to a participatory approach that maximises community engagement.

The options differ in their cost, quality of outputs, level of community involvement, and support for implementation of adaptation actions, community resilience activities and climate capability within council.

Option 1 (reactive planning)

Would take a minimal, compliance-focused approach, and cost $6.72 million over 10 years.

Option 2 (planning delivery)

Would use a three-person adaptation team focused on statutory planning requirements, at a cost of $7.55 million over 10 years.

Option 3 (balanced delivery)

Would use a four-person team to maintain citywide climate risk assessment and a Resilience Explorer platform, includes community engagement, resilience initiatives, partnerships and a moderate level of implementation support, at a cost of $9.14 million over 10 years.

Option 4 (participatory delivery)

Would use a five-person team to fully implement the Climate Adaptation Policy and Climate Resilience Framework. It would also focus on in-house participatory adaptation planning, implementation support, community resilience initiatives, climate capability development and climate mainstreaming across DCC, at a cost of $11.59 million over 10 years.

Staff recommended Option 4 but Councillors, following debate, decided to investigate both it (as the preferred option) and Option 3 as part of the 10 year plan process.

Final funding decisions will be made through the 10 year plan 2027-37 process following community consultation.

More information: Item 7 report – Climate Adaptation and Resilience Programme Options Report

DCC sets new emissions reduction targets

The Dunedin City Council has set new emissions reduction targets following an earlier decision in July to replace the city’s 2030 emissions targets.

After considering a staff report at today’s Council meeting, Councillors decided to:

Set a 30% reduction by 2030/2031, compared with 2018/2019, as its short-term gross emissions reduction target (excluding biogenic methane) for Dunedin.
Set net zero emissions by 2040 as its long-term net zero emissions target (excluding biogenic methane) for Dunedin.
Retain the existing Dunedin 2030 biogenic methane target of a 10% reduction against 2017 levels.
Set a 35-47% reduction compared with 2017 levels as its Dunedin biogenic methane reduction target.

The new Dunedin emissions targets will be incorporated into the 10 year plan 2027-2037 and form part of a light refresh of the Zero Carbon Plan to incorporate the new targets.

Decisions on the level of DCC funding towards Dunedin city-wide emissions reduction will be considered throughout 10 year plan deliberation processes.

Councillors voting in favour were Mayor Sophie Barker and Councillors John Chambers, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Benedict Ong, Mickey Treadwell and Steve Walker.

Those against were Councillors Jo Galer, Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Andrew Simms, Lee Vandervis and Brent Weatherall.

More information: Item 8 report - Dunedin City Emissions Targets Options Report

DCC backs native revegetation partnership pilot

Councillors also voted 13-1 in favour to establish a native revegetation partnership pilot on DCC-managed land, and authorised staff to negotiate and enter into agreements with participating Zero Carbon Alliance partners.

Staff will provide an update to Council following the establishment phase of the pilot.

Those in favour were Mayor of Dunedin Sophie Barker and Councillors John Chambers, Jo Galer, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Marie Laufiso, Cherry Lucas, Russell Lund, Benedict Ong, Andrew Simms, Mickey Treadwell, Steve Walker and Brent Weatherall.

Councillor Lee Vandervis voted against.

More information: Item 9 report - Carbon Removals Partnership Pilot

Consultations and submissions agreed at today’s DCC meetingDunedin residents bask in the good life

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