Ashburton Courier: April 29, 2021

NEWS
22 Ashburton Courier, April 29, 2021
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
It’s time ... to talk climate change
LINDA.CLARKE
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
TheAshburton District Council is
joiningaregional campaign that says it’s
timetotalk about climate change.
Local government authorities around
Canterburyare being encouraged to join
thecampaign started by Environment
Canterbury, which acknowledges it
needs local councils’ support to be
successful.
Messages will soonappearin
community spacesand on socialmedia,
saying it’s time to start theclimate
changeconversation.Stage two will be
more localised messages.
The“it’s time” message has been
developed to have enough urgencyand
seriousness without beingscary.Itis
politically neutraland non­polarising.
It aimstoencourage better
understanding of the effects of climate
changeand forpeople to stay informed
and engaged.
The campaign was outlined to
Ashburton districtcouncillors recently
andthey decided to opt in, thoughnot
withoutsomerobust discussion.
Cr Angus McKay said people in the
district werealreadyworking hard to
make sure that they could still produce
foodand grow crops when the
temperature was warmerand the soil
drier thoughirrigation.
Ashburtonpeople had also paid for
stopbanks on the AshburtonRiverto
guard against theextremefloodsthat
are predicted in the future with climate
change.
He said Ecanseemed to be making it
harderfor ratepayers to protect
themselves and the district by
introducingahostofregulationsand
compliance.
Deputy mayor Liz McMillan said some
of the climate change messages were not
relevant to Mid Canterbury, like those
encouraging people to use public
transport rather thantheir own car.
“We need differentadvertising
relevant to our district.”
Council CEO Hamish Riach said
Ashburtonwas oneofthe first local
authorities to adoptclimate change
policy in 2019.
“Our policytalks aboutour
community being prepared and
resilient.”
Theit’s timecampaign would present
an opportunity to talk to the community
aboutthat and council could cash in on
workalreadydoneonoverarching
messages.
Left: Cr Carolyn Cameron
Cr Carolyn Cameron said it was a
clever, simple and adaptable campaign.
“Climate change is happening andthe
world is warming up and we have to deal
withtheresult of that.”
Cr McKay was the onlyone to vote
against council joiningthe Ecan­led
campaign.
He said Ashburtonwas already light
years ahead of others in protecting their
communitiesand most of the work had
beendonevoluntarily at some cost.
Dr Fiona Shanhun, of Ecan, said the
planet had warmed by 1.1 degrees
Celsius since 1909and sea levels had
risen 21cm as polar regionsmelted.
“That does not sound alot but it effect
where andhow we live …and our
economy.”
If the world did nothing, that would
continue to rise on thebackof
greenhouse gas emissions.
She said it was timetobuild people’s
understanding and levelofcomfort
about adifficult subject.
LOCAL LISTENING
Peter Mac l 1pm to 6pm
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Close eye on river work
Warning bells rangfor at leasttwo Ashburton
District Councillorswhen they learneda
Rangitata River flood restoration project
had been widenedtolookatthe whole river.
Water fromthe Rangitata is the lifeblood
of MidCanterburyfarmers, who have
consents to use water from the river to
irrigate their land and grow crops even in
drought times. The water is delivered by a
canal builtinthelate 1930s.
Ariverrestorationgroup wasformed on
the Timaru side of the waterway after the
south branchbroke its banksinDecember
2019, severingState Highway 1and the main
railwayline.
The group invited the Ashburtoncouncil to
joinafter decidingtobroadenthe scope of
the project to include the wholeriver.
Cr Stuart Wilson said theRangitata was of
vitalimportance to the district.Hewas
worried the group’s focuswould morph into
capping or even reducing water abstraction.
Cr LynetteLovett said she was concerned
that no farmers were on aseparate working
group, thatincluded ariver ranger,
consultants,advisors and Fish and Game.
Council CEO HamishRiach, whositson
the steering group of the Rangitata Awa
Restoration Project,said abstraction was
governed by theconsent process.
It would be an issue of concernonly if the
group felt volumes should be less than what
is beingtakennow,hesaid.
Council could ask for farmers to be
included too.
Cr Stuart Wilson
The working group’s aim is to develop
visionand goals,river restoration plans and
annual work plans for the river. Theywant to
visibly improvethe river’s natural
characteristics.
One actioninadocument presentedto
councillors was for an abstractioncap by
2025. It had not beendefined how that would
happen.
Cr Angus McKay said councillors needed to
be kept fully informed.
I’mMarythe Delivery
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Please email mary.summerfield@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
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forfurther details.
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