Climate change debate heats up at ICC

Testy moments arose when Invercargill city councillors were updated on progress towards Southland councils’ collective attempts to develop a coherent regional reaction to climate change.

The document is still at the principles and aspirations stage, but even at that level was causing friction around the council table.

First-term councillor Barry Stewart revealed at the August 22 ICC meeting that as things stood he didn’t believe in climate change for a second – “unless you can prove to me and show me documents. Then I might start believing it’’.

An openly exasperated Cr Lesley Soper said she was tempted to play devil’s advocate and state that the earth was flat.

“Is there a seconder for that?’’ Mayor Nobby Clark brightly asked.

Soper, who with Deputy Mayor Tom Campbell represent the council on the group preparing the regional strategy, said a great deal of scientific data had been presented to it, and Environment Southland was sourcing a great deal more.

Stewart wasn’t alone in having concerns about whether there was sufficient science to work on. Cr Ian Pottinger said there was no doubt about sea level rise, but that the council still needed the science about what else was happening with weather patterns.

“We don’t want to act like frantic people trying to save the planet without sensible science.’’

Campbell said it would be absolutely negligent to wait until waters were lapping Tay St.

“I did not say that Tom,’’ Pottinger interjected.

Campbell said not being 100% sure about climate change was the same as him not being 100% sure his house was going to burn down, but he still felt he needed an insurance policy.

The probability of climate change was high enough to require insurance too, he said.

The council’s role in mitigating climate change was very small, but adapting to it was a different matter: “In terms of adaptation, nobody is going to do it except us.’’

Cr Allan Arnold said he did not deny the climate was changing but it had been doing so long before people were around. He believed there was a lot of scaremongering going on when in reality it was “not such a scary thing’’. He said the best thing for the council was not letting people build houses at sea level.

Cr Darren Ludlow said climate change was more than sea level rise. “The bottom line is change is happening and it included some significant change around weather patterns.’’

An ICC survey of residents concerns on various issues showed climate change received the lowest rating of 14 regional issues. Mana whenua representatiave Evelyn Cook said sometimes the council needed to make leadership decisions that it knew were necessary whether or not the public recognised it.

“We can’t close our eyes and say people aren’t ready for this, so we won’t do it.

“We have got significant infrastructure we know will be impacted by sea level rise within the foreseeable future. If we don’t start making decisions now it will be too late and the cost to our community, and the pain it will cause, will be more significant.

Cr Ria Bond said the scientific evidence was there.

“Our youth council sat here weeks ago telling us it was up to us to pick up the reins and look after their future,’’ she said. “Look at the floods happening in the North Island. We do have to show leadership.’’

Among the agreed targets in the regional strategy is that by mid 2026 all Southland’s councils will have developed their own emissions reduction targets to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Campbell said many of the statements in the strategy at this stage may seem like the bleeding obvious.

“So were then 10 Commandments’’.