Bay of Plenty Business News Year Book 2023

Tauranga City Council
RISING TO THE CLIMATE
CHANGE CHALLENGE
AS A GROWING
COASTAL CITY,
Tauranga Moana has
to be ready to face
the significant impacts
climate change will
bring. Rising to this
challenge requires a commitment by
countries, communities and individuals
to move towards a low-carbon future
that is both sustainable and inclusive.
To ensure our city continues to be a great
place to live, work, learn and play in the
decades to come, Tauranga City Council
is working with a variety of partners on
a Climate Action and Investment Plan
(“Climate Plan”) – the first of its kind for
the city. Tangata whenua, neighbouring
councils, businesses, and the wider
community have all played a critical role
in shaping the collective climate goals set
out in the plan.
“Tauranga is already experiencing
more extreme weather events, longer
drought periods, warmer temperatures,
and rising sea levels,” says Commission
Chair Anne Tolley. “Our Climate Plan
helps us understand our risks and
identifies the best course of action for
our city to address those risks.”
The Climate Plan is currently in a working
draft format and will be finalised in
August this year once community
feedback has helped to prioritise the
proposed actions.
“The role of our business community is
essential in achieving the Climate Plan’s
aspirations. Whether it be investing in
clean energy, retrofitting a building so
it’s more energy-efficient, decarbonising
supply chains, shifting to electric vehicle
fleets, introducing staff incentives to
use public transport, restoring local
ecosystems or reducing waste, we can all
help shape a better future,” Anne says.
Tauranga City Council is already
undertaking work to manage the effects
of Tauranga’s climate-impacted future
through the design of our urban spaces
and delivery of essential community
services. The Climate Plan expands on
this through things like our infrastructure
resilience work, where we ensure
potential natural hazards and climate
risks for Tauranga’s transport and water
systems are well understood and
mapped.
Community engagement in developing
the Climate Plan included multiple
sessions with iwi and hapū through Te
Rangapū Mana Whenua o Tauranga
Moana Partnership. Tauranga City Council
also consulted with young people, who
shared what climate action they hope to
see in their city and emphasised that the
decisions made today – or not made –
will impact on all future generations.
“The diverse communities who call
Tauranga home have told us that their
vision for the city is one where we
prioritise nature, fuel possibility, and lift
each other up – a place that lives up to
its name as a place of safe anchorage of
wellbeing. The Council is committed to
realising this vision, and the Climate Plan
is pivotal in getting us there.”
“It’s vital for our community that we carry
out this work now, as investment in the
six key areas of the Climate Plan will
help address climate change impacts
in the short and long term,” Anne Tolley
concludes.
07 577 7000
WWW.TAURANGA.GOVT.NZ
26 | YEAR BOOK 2023