Bay Harbour: November 22, 2023

‘We need
to see
NEWS 7
Wednesday November 22 2023 Bay Harbour News
ADVERTORIAL
ADVERTORIAL
Help pick a path for
Canterbury’s future
ourselves
in our
stories’
• From page 1
“There is very little in a New Zealand
setting that’s dystopian, that’s post-climate
change in speculative fiction,” said Dixon.
She hopes young New Zealanders will
connect more with a climate change story
set in a place they can relate to.
“We need these New Zealand stories for
New Zealanders. We need to see ourselves
in our stories.”
Born in Wales, Dixon moved to New
Zealand with her then husband in 2002
to find a quieter life. Her son Reuben, 19,
was born in Dunedin, where they initially
lived in a waterfront property.
“We were a little bit reluctant to move
to Christchurch till we drove over the hill
and found Governors Bay.”
The family made the move in 2005. Her
daughter Sasha, 16, was born there.
“I love the environment here. I love Governors
Bay. I love being able to watch the
sun rise out of the sea and over the hills.”
The 49-year-old author said spending
time walking and biking in the local environment
helped inspire the setting.
“It’s much easier for me to write authentically
about Lyttelton than other places in
the world,” she said.
The novel follows themes of science
versus faith and trust in authority as the
young characters work to understand the
truth behind their society.
Dixon said her story reflects the pressure
put on young people to be the drivers of
climate action.
“I think young people feel that weight
of responsibility. I wanted to write a
book that could perhaps provide a bit of
hope that there are possibilities to make
change.”
Despite always being law abiding and
cautious, the protagonist in Dixon’s story
starts to question what she can do to make
change in her world devastated by climate
change.
“I would like there to be a message that
everybody can be empowered to make
changes and that we don’t have to accept
the world as it is, particularly if we work
together,” Dixon said.
She travelled to Auckland to receive the
Storylines award on November 4.
“It feels really good. You know, obviously
it’s huge recognition. As a writer it can
quite often be quite a lonely career. It was
really motivating to finish the trilogy and
get the next two books out there.”
Readers can find out what happens
next in the second instalment of The Edge
of Light trilogy, expected to be released
next year.
SETTING: In
Dixon’s futuristic
novel, a young
apprentice
scientist lives on
Banks Island,
formerly the
Port Hills, after
Christchurch is
submerged.
PHOTO: GETTY
Earlier this year, you told
Environment Canterbury what’s most
important to you for our natural
environment. Now we’re asking
you to rank your priorities for three
themes: water and coast, land use and
biodiversity, and climate action.
This feedback will help us develop
new climate action plans and set the
direction for regional and district plans
through the Regional Policy Statement
(RPS).
We work across Waitaha/Canterbury
to support initiatives that balance
the management of water quality
and quantity while enabling a
largely agricultural economy and the
communities it supports to thrive.
Our soils produce the food and
natural products we consume and
export, but our unique biodiversity
has seen significant losses due to
Let’s
pick a
path
modification of habitat, development
and the introduction of invasive pests.
We also face a range of climaterelated
risks, and careful thought needs
to go into where we focus climate
actions in coming years, and how
climate hazards and risk should be
managed.
We need your feedback on how
we look after our rivers, lakes and
coastal areas, and ensure our land
remains productive while allowing
safe and healthy spaces for a range of
activities and improving outcomes for
our precious flora and fauna. And, by
working together on climate action,
we can help protect and adapt where
we live and make the most of the
opportunities climate change brings.
Help us pick a path at
ecan.govt.nz/ourfuture
Water & coast
Climate action
Land use & biodiversity
We’ve heard what’s important to you, and now we’re asking
you to think about your priorities for the outcomes and
actions we set for our future.
Help us pick the right path at
Closes 3 December 2023.