Govt help for climate adaptation 'wishful thinking' says mayor
A New Zealand mayor has criticized the central government for failing to provide funding for mandatory climate adaptation planning. While the government has introduced legislation requiring councils to plan for climate hazards, it has deferred decisions on cost-sharing.
Why it matters
Local governments face significant financial strain in addressing climate change, highlighting a tension between national mandates and local fiscal capacity.
It's "wishful thinking" that central government will help councils fund their climate adaptation projects, the mayor of a flood-prone town says.
The government announced legislation yesterday that would make adaptation planning mandatory for areas at high risk of climate change hazards like flooding.
City and district councils will need to plan at least 30 years into the future, and spell out the likely cost.
The government has still not announced how the costs will be shared, saying last year that those decisions would be deferred until the next parliamentary term.
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) says decisions about cost-sharing must be a priority, because there are councils that will not be able to afford to adapt.
Yesterday, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts told RNZ the government was "simply not at that point" and the first step was to get the plans in place.
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