​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Contact

Search

Developing the Climate Plan

Following the development of the internal Corporate Carbon Emissions Reduction plan, the Council wanted to take a co-development approach to create a Climate Action Plan for the whole district through the establishment of a Community Focus Group. The Climate Change Community Focus Group was formed in July 2021 after taking expressions of interest from the community. A total of ten participants were selected by a panel of elected members for the Focus Group. The participants came from a range of different backgrounds including forestry, farming, climate science, social science, central and local government policy, mana whenua interests, and hazard management

A series of workshops were held with the Focus Group, council staff, and elected members to explore different themes related to climate change and to analyse potential solutions for the district. The ideas generated in the workshops were used to develop a list of actions which were consulted on with the wider community and went on to inform the Climate Action Plan.

Community Consultation

The Council adopted the draft Masterton District Climate Action Plan consultation document and the proposed list of climate actions for public consultation on 29 June 2022. In total, 118 proposed climate actions were consulted on. These actions were split across nine theme areas:

  1. a coordinated regional approach,
  2. transport,
  3. energy/electricity,
  4. built environment,
  5. natural environment,
  6. waste and circular economy,
  7. agriculture and forestry,
  8. water,
  9. community empowerment.

A total of 87 written submissions were received, including 23 who presented to Council at the oral hearing. The submissions reflected overwhelming support for a Masterton District Climate Action Plan. Submitters gave a wide range of different opinions on what types of actions should be included in the final plan. A deliberations meeting took place on 24 August 2022, during which the Council discussed the submissions, analysis, and proposed recommendations that were to be carried forward into the final Climate Action Plan.

These recommendations included reducing the number of actions, reducing the number of themes, with some being merged, and changes to the goals and subgoals to align with changes to the themes. The final Climate Action Plan was adopted by elected members at the September 14, 2022, Council meeting.

Share this page

Sharing...