Ashburton

Ashburton Mayor Donna Favel signed the New Zealand Local Government Leaders’ Climate Change Declaration in 2018. Signatories are committed to making and implementing plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, engaging with tangata whenua and promoting resilience within local communities.

The District Council adopted its first formal climate change policy (PDF, 341kb) in 2019 and it was subsequently reviewed in 2022. During the review, Council identified the need for an 'action plan', to help meet the goals of the policy. The Ashburton District Council adopted the final Climate Resilience Plan on 17 August 2022.

The policy states that it will respond to climate change in ways that:

• Ensure the sustainability of Council assets and services for the present and future wellbeing of the Ashburton District
• Enhance the resilience and preparedness of Ashburton households and businesses in the present and for the future
• Reduce carbon emissions from its own activities

Resilience is the ability to anticipate and resist disruptive events, minimise adverse impacts, respond effectively, maintain or recover functionality, and adapt in a way that allows for learning and thriving. In essence, it’s about developing the ability to remain effective across a range of future conditions.

Ashburton District Council is currently working on structure planning for the district to help shape the scale and location of future development. This will include planning for infrastructure, new development, open spaces and community facilities.

It will take into account climate-related and other natural hazards, steering development towards areas where the risks of flooding and storms are more easily managed.

In time, this will flow through into the District plan and inform existing policies and rules to support population and economic growth.

Council is continuing to work with local communities to develop local emergency response plans.

Helping communities to understand the risks they face (including climate-related risks), and the resources available to them, helps people be prepared for adverse events and identify the best way to respond.

Alongside our governance and land use, regulation and public safety actions, the Ashburton District Council has also:

• Begun work to manage energy use and, from there, map its own carbon footprint, which will lead to further opportunities to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions. Studies funded by EECA have identified energy saving opportunities at a number of council sites, which are to be taken
• Almost completed a project to replace all Council street lighting across the district with LED lightbulbs. This will reduce electricity use, maintenance costs and waste from replaced light bulbs
• Upgraded its Resource Recovery Centre to improve recycling and recovery and reuse of materials
• Set aside disaster relief funds for flooding
• Incorporated sustainable features into the design of the new Library and Civic Centre, including use of laminated timber in construction (which reduces the carbon emissions required for concrete and steel production and sequesters carbon in the timber) and minimising the cost of heating and cooling by use of heat exchange technology and bores into groundwater
• Adopted a walking and cycling strategy to promote the health and energy benefits of active transport
• Supported use of electric vehicles by enabling EV charging stations to be located on council land, in association with EA Networks (electricity company)
• Continued to enhance biodiversity through the activities of its Biodiversity Subcommittee and community grants for habitat protection