Climate Change Working Party

Wednesday 25 May 2022 at 9.30am

 

 

AGENDA

 


Climate Change Working Party

25 May 2022

Climate Change Working Party Agenda

 

Meeting to be held remotely via zoom link

on Wednesday 25 May 2022, commencing at 9.30am

 

Please note: working parties and working groups carry NO formal decision-making delegations from council. The purpose of the working party/group is to carry out preparatory work and discussions prior to taking matters to the full council for formal consideration and decision-making. Working party/group meetings are open to the public to attend (unless there are specific grounds under LGOIMA for the public to be excluded).

 

MEMBERSHIP OF THE Climate Change Working Party

Chairperson, Councillor Amy Macdonald

Councillor Joce Yeoman

Councillor Jack Craw

Councillor Marty Robinson

Councillor Penny Smart

TTMAC representative Thomas Hohaia

TTMAC representative Rowan Tautari

TTMAC representative Nora Rameka

Te Rūnanga o Whāingaroa Rihari Dargaville

 

 

 

KARAKIA

 

RĪMITI (ITEM)                                                                                                                                                                Page

1.0       Ngā Mahi Whakapai/Housekeeping

2.0       Ngā Whakapahā/apologies   

3.0       Ngā Whakapuakanga/declarations of conflicts of interest

4.0       Reports

4.1       Record of Actions – 23 February 2022                                                                                                 4

4.2       Receipt of Action Sheet                                                                                                                             8

4.3       Emissions Reduction Work Programme Update                                                                            10

4.4       Progress of Ngā Taumata o Te Moana Implementation Plan                                                    12

4.5       Tracking Progress on Ngā Taumata o Te Moana                                                                            22

4.6       Climate Change Governance Review                                                                                                 25


 

 

 

 



Climate Change Working Party                                                                                                                                  item: 4.1

25 May 2022

 

TITLE:

Record of Actions – 23 February 2022

From:

Nicky Hansen, PA to GM Community Resilience

Authorised by Group Manager/s:

Victoria Harwood, Pou Tiaki Hapori - GM Community Resilience, on 18 May 2022

 

Whakarāpopototanga / Executive summary

The purpose of this report is to present the Record of Actions of the last meeting (attached) held on 23 February 2022 for review by the meeting.

 

Attachments/Ngā tapirihanga

Attachment 1: CCWP_20220223_MINUTES   


Climate Change Working Party  ITEM: 4.1

25 May 2022Attachment 1

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Climate Change Working Party                                                                                                                                  item: 4.2

25 May 2022

 

TITLE:

Receipt of Action Sheet

From:

Nicky Hansen, PA to GM Community Resilience

Authorised by Group Manager/s:

Victoria Harwood, Pou Tiaki Hapori - GM Community Resilience, on 18 May 2022

 

Whakarāpopototanga / Executive summary

The purpose of this report is to enable the meeting to receive the current action sheet.

 

Nga mahi tutohutia / Recommendation

That the action sheet be received.

 

Attachments/Ngā tapirihanga

Attachment 1: Action Sheet   


Climate Change Working Party  ITEM: 4.2

25 May 2022Attachment 1

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Climate Change Working Party                                                                                                                                  item: 4.3

25 May 2022

 

TITLE:

Emissions Reduction Work Programme Update

From:

Natalie Newson, Zero Carbon Transition Advisor

Authorised by Group Manager/s:

Victoria Harwood, Pou Tiaki Hapori - GM Community Resilience, on 18 May 2022

 

Whakarāpopototanga / Executive summary

The purpose of this report is to provide an update on progress with the emissions reduction work programme. The key development to date has been the engagement of Toitū Envirocare with the intention to commission the provision of a corporate carbon footprint, audit, and verification service. This is an important step to establish our baseline carbon inventory and then identify emissions reduction options to set us on a path to net zero by 2050.

Ngā mahi tūtohutia / Recommended actions

1.         Upon completion of the carbon footprint audit an optimised greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan will be developed and shared.

2.         As part of the development of the above plan, a framework will be developed for regular reporting on organisational emissions internally and externally (public facing).

 

Background/Tuhinga

Implementing the Strategy – the ‘stocktake’

The Implementation Programme that was developed to support and deliver on Ngā Taumata O Te Moana – Our strategy for tackling climate change, is being worked through to establish a priority order of implementation.

 

There are multiple emissions reduction workstreams outlined in the implementation programme, and this piece of work has been identified as a priority – to develop a corporate carbon footprint, audit and verification for the organisation. This is an important step to establish our baseline carbon inventory and identify emissions reduction options to set the organisations path to net zero by 2050. The report specifically focusses on the progress around actions 18 and 26 of the implementation plan as shown below:

 

Project # 

Area 

Project 

Brief project description 

18 

Internal climate change planning 

Corporate climate positive transition plan 

Development of corporate climate positive transition plan including an optimised greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan and carbon removal/offset investment plan. Will define organisational GHG emissions reduction and carbon removal targets using standard approach (UN Race to Zero criteria) and set out prioritised actions for council to become net-zero emissions before 2050, with an end goal of reaching climate positive.

26 

Emissions reduction 

Corporate carbon footprint audit and emissions reduction options 

Commissioning of corporate carbon footprint audit and verification using accredited provider. Investigate corporate emissions reduction options across major emissions sources. Implement consistent and verifiable emissions reporting and forecasting methodology across organisation, using standard protocols (e.g., UNFCCC Race to Zero criteria). 

 

One of the three pou in Ngā Taumata O Te Moana – Our strategy for tackling climate change is to reduce emissions and endeavour to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement targets by transitioning to a net-zero emissions organisation. To do this an accurate emission measuring and reporting framework must be first established. Then set emissions reductions targets by investigating direct emissions reduction and emissions removals options. This makes action 26 the priority focus.

 

Selection of Toitū Envirocare as service provider

Toitū Envirocares Carbon Reduce Certification Programme provides assurance that the organisation has prepared its greenhouse gas emissions inventory in conformance with ISO 14064-1, developed an emissions management plan, set emissions reduction targets, and made progress in reducing emissions. Their CarboNZero certification is the world’s first internationally accredited greenhouse gas certification scheme under ISO 14065. They also manage carbon offsetting and have a partnership with the New Zealand Green Building Council for building certification.

 

As part of the Climate Change Working Party meeting on 10 March 2021 Matt de Boer presented a report titled ‘’NRC Zero Carbon Transition’’ of which the recommendation was to investigate options to progress proposals for a supplier for the commissioning of our corporate carbon footprint, audit and verification and to obtain quotes. Toitū was approached initially and in February 2021 a quote for approx. $24K was received. However, nothing was progressed further at the time due to lack of budget.

 

A request was made and granted to approach a sole supplier to speed up initiating a robust carbon accounting and auditing system. This work is anticipated to commence in May 2022 and is the critical first step in developing a detailed Corporate Climate Positive Transition Plan described in action 18.

 

Ngā tapirihanga / Attachments

Nil

 


Climate Change Working Party                                                                                                                                  item: 4.4

25 May 2022

 

TITLE:

Progress of Ngā Taumata o Te Moana Implementation Plan

From:

Tom Fitzgerald, Climate Change Manager

Authorised by Group Manager/s:

Victoria Harwood, Pou Tiaki Hapori - GM Community Resilience, on 18 May 2022

 

Whakarāpopototanga / Executive summary

This update outlines the progress made to date of the Ngā Taumata o Te Moana Implementation Plan which can be read in conjunction with the implementation plan and its associated notes.

 

Ngā mahi tūtohutia / Recommended actions

1.         An update on the implementation plan will be presented at each reporting cycle.

 

Background/Tuhinga

The implementation plan, Attachment 1 outlines in the notes section the status of each priority action.

 

Climate change staff are working to review the 43 priorities outlined in the implementation plan and assessing the work required under each priority action. The review enables thorough planning; the identification of outcomes being sought, and resources required to achieve each priority.

 

Progress has been made across the implementation plan actions since the last reporting cycle, but time is now being taken to pause and review the priority actions as this is vital to the future monitoring, evaluation, and achievement of the desired outcomes in the longer term.

 

 

Ngā tapirihanga / Attachments

Attachment 1: Copy of latest update to Ngā Taumata o Te Moana Implementation Plan  

 


Climate Change Working Party  ITEM: 4.4

25 May 2022Attachment 1

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Climate Change Working Party                                                                                                                                  item: 4.5

25 May 2022

 

TITLE:

Tracking Progress on Ngā Taumata o Te Moana

From:

Tom Fitzgerald, Climate Change Manager

Authorised by Group Manager/s:

Victoria Harwood, Pou Tiaki Hapori - GM Community Resilience, on 18 May 2022

 

Whakarāpopototanga / Executive summary

At this point in time, we have no way of knowing if our actions to address the climate crisis are getting us any closer to ‘success’. This paper starts that kōrero and points to new work the Climate Change team are commencing on tracking progress under the umbrella of Ngā Taumata o Te Moana | Our strategy for tackling climate change.

 

Ngā mahi tūtohutia / Recommended actions

1.    Note that staff will be undertaking a stocktake of the current implementation plan and bring an updated version to the next CCWP meeting.

 

2.    Note that in parallel to that process, staff are also investigating options for tracking progress against actions identified in the Implementation Plan.

 

Background/Tuhinga

Ngā Taumata o Te Moana | Our strategy for tackling climate change sets us on a path toward a resilient region and a thriving zero-carbon society before 2050. But how are we going to get there? Or even more critically, how are we tracking toward that goal?

The Implementation Plan that was produced alongside Ngā Taumata o Te Moana lays out specific projects or areas where actions to address the climate crisis wil be undertaken. The plan is a living document and comprises 43 actions across four (4) key areas – climate change planning, adaptation, emissions reduction and carbon removal.

The Implementation Plan notes a review (of both the Strategy and the Implementation Plan) is scheduled to occur in conjunction with the Long-Term Planning process in 2024. It also identifies the frequency of reporting on progress:

1.    to the CCWP every three months

2.    the Executive Leadership Team (every six months)

3.    to full Council every year

 

Why Measure Progress?

Measuring progress is critical to support our ongoing work in a number of ways, it provides:

1.    Improved communication and public engagement:

a.    Communicating hope and desirable goals to work towards

b.    Defining a common vision among diverse stakeholders

2.    A foundation for deliberate planning and decision-making:

a.    Setting clear goals, aligning means and ends (internal consistency)

b.    Best fit with other policy goals (external consistency)

3.    Justification of expenditures

4.    Accountability/good governance

5.    Support for learning and adaptive management

 

Challenges

But there are no standard set of metrics. We will need to carefully consider methodological challenges, conceptual challenges, practical and empirical challenges, and political challenges (e.g., differing values).  Our own particular context in Tai Tokerau also provides its own unique set of challenges. This will require a bespoke set of progress and success indicators to be developed.

For some areas this will be easier than others e.g., our carbon footprint. However, tracking our progress with other, less well-defined actions will be trickier – such as Action 33 in the Implementation Plan:

33 

Drought vulnerability

Development of further information on drought risk to community and rural water supplies with climate change. Development of climate vulnerability assessment of community and primary industry water supplies, drawing on information from Three Waters review process. Investigation of approaches for communicating drought as a natural/climate hazard. 

 

This action speaks about developing new information to highlight drought risk and vulnerability and investigating approaches for communicating drought risk. The above statement requires some ‘unpacking’ – what is drought risk? To whom? What scale is appropriate? Who gets to decide? Is communication of drought as a natural hazard sufficient to address risk and vulnerability? What would ‘success’ look like when it comes to drought vulnerability?

Work planned

Whilst some of these questions may appear esoteric or academic, they are crucial. They highlight that each action in our Implementation Plan needs further definition. The stocktake new staff are undertaking presently will help in this regard.

Staff are also investigating what additional work could be completed to lay out a sufficiently detailed Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) matrix. This will include further discussions with our Science team on State of Environment reporting, discussions with our corporate team on things like Long-Term Plans and Annual Reports and some key decisions on just how much to integrate climate reporting across sectors, departments, policies, programmes and scales.

Other elements such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals[1], Treasury’s Living Standards Framework[2], He Ara Waiora, the new Te Ao Māori Framework for decision-making being developed by Whangarei District Council as a key action under the Te Tai Tokerau Climate Adaptation Strategy will also be considered. We will also investigate how other organisations are undertaking M&E, including but not limited to other councils, and identify current and potential future reporting requirements under the Local Government Act 2002, the Climate Change Response Act 2002 and others.

Staff will also look to the market to procure additional guidance and support on this and expedite progress.

Key questions will include decisions on the appropriate scale and frequency of reporting, where it sits and how publicly accessible it will be, how practicable it is to support on an ongoing basis and ultimately how much will it help us know if we are tracking in the right direction.

 

Figure 1 The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

 

Ngā tapirihanga / Attachments

Nil

 


Climate Change Working Party                                                                                                                                  item: 4.6

25 May 2022

 

TITLE:

Climate Change Governance Review

From:

Tom Fitzgerald, Climate Change Manager

Authorised by Group Manager/s:

Victoria Harwood, Pou Tiaki Hapori - GM Community Resilience, on 18 May 2022

 

Whakarāpopototanga / Executive summary

In July 2021 NRC adopted Ngā Taumata o Te Moana | Our strategy for tackling climate change – including an ambitious programme of 43 actions. Since then budgets to support the climate change work programme have been confirmed and two new staff members have started.

The finalisation of the Te Tai Tokerau Climate Adaptation Strategy (TTCAS) in April 2022 is also significant milestone for our region and illustrates both the importance and challenges of regional collaboration.

As we progress toward local government elections in October 2022 and begin implementation in earnest of critical actions identified in Ngā Taumata o Te Moana and the TTCAS – it is an opportunity to reflect on current governance arrangements for climate change within NRC and work toward a more robust and streamlined approach immediately post-election for the next Triennium.

This paper highlights some key challenges with existing climate governance structures and seeks to clarify and engender discussion on the nature of those arrangements and how they can best support adaptation and other climate change action over the long-term. Greater clarity of role and function will help determine the governance needs (democratic and operational), allow for rationalisation, and greater focus on delivery.

This paper is for discussion on governance structures only and no recommendations are made.

 

Ngā mahi tūtohutia / Recommended actions

nil

 

 

Background/Tuhinga

 

Climate governance

The importance of climate governance is identified and reinforced in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report:

“Climate governance, acting through laws, strategies and institutions, based on national circumstances, supports [climate action] by providing frameworks through which diverse actors interact, and a basis for policy development and implementation. Climate governance is most effective when it integrates across multiple policy domains, helps realise synergies and minimize trade-offs, and connects national and sub-national policy-making levels. Effective and equitable climate governance builds on engagement with civil society actors, political actors, businesses, youth, labour, media, Indigenous Peoples and local communities.”

The IPCC further defines ‘governance’ as: The structures, processes and actions through which private and public actors interact to address societal goals. This includes formal and informal institutions and the associated norms, rules, laws and procedures for deciding, managing, implementing and monitoring policies and measures at any geographic or political scale, from global to local.

Climate governance in this context is therefore broader than that defined by the Local Government Act 2002. For us though, it can be understood simply as referring to the circular connection between democratic, representative decision-making at the strategic level all the way round to on-the-ground action and our commitment to our communities.

Ensuring we have the appropriate arrangements in place will meet our requirements under the Local Government Act 2002 but also ensure that our ability to address the climate crisis is enhanced.

Current climate governance in Te Tai Tokerau

Northland Regional Council is a key factor in supporting and shaping climate governance in Te Tai Tokerau and New Zealand. To support discussion of climate governance arrangements in our region, this paper makes a distinction between democratic structures and operational collaboration. Current climate-related governance arrangements can be further split into two frameworks (1) NRC-specific and (2) region-wide collaborative.

Figure 1 below maps out our current climate governance arrangements.

Figure 1 This diagram sets out a simplified model of the current Te Tai Tokerau climate governance arrangements, noting a split between NRC-specific to region-wide (left and right) as well as the split between democratic arrangements and operations (top and bottom).

Democratic climate governance

Each council makes its own decisions about how it will structure or organise itself to work for and on behalf of its community. The Local Government Act 2002 sets out how a council can delegate decision-making, including delegations to a committee or sub-committee of the Council, or other bodies that it considers appropriate.

Aside from full council, there are two (2) specific bodies established that contribute to climate change decision-making – (1) the NRC’s Climate Change Working Party and (2) the Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee.

(1)          Climate Change Working Party

The Climate Change Working Party (CCWP) was established for the 2019-2022 Triennium (see Council paper of 19 November 2019) with the first meeting taking place on 11 March 2020. The initial remit of the CCWP was to oversee council’s climate change work programme with a key focus being on adaptation planning and development and implementation of a regional adaptation strategy.

Figure 2 Extract from Council report establishing new governance arrangements (Item 6.1, 19 November 2019) showing new Climate Change Working Party.

 

Meeting frequency

The CCWP currently meets four (4) times per year, this year’s meeting dates are: 23 February, 25 May, 31 August and 30 November 2022.

Terms of Reference

The CCWP operates under a Terms of Reference current as of July 2021.

Support

The CCWP is an NRC-only group and is hosted and supported by NRC. This function is undertaken by the GM Community Resilience.

Membership

The CCWP is made up of four (4) elected members and four (4) non-elected members of the Te Tai Tokerau Māori and Council Committee (TTMAC) – a 50:50 split.

There is potential for some overlap in membership between the CCWP and the Council’s Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee (JCCAC), via NRC’s nominated member and alternate on the JCCAC.

Reporting requirements

Agenda items are mailed out the week prior to the meeting. However, the decisions on agenda items, work required to identify relevant items, and completed reports are required from staff at least 2-6 weeks prior to the meeting.

This structure provides little time to allow staff to focus on and undertake specific tasks to implement what is a significant climate change work programme. This also does not allow much flexibility to participate and be responsive to an incredibly dynamic legislative and policy landscape drive by our central government partners (e.g., National Adaptation Plan and Emissions Reduction Plan) and our local government partners (e.g., contributing to and guiding proposed natural hazard District Plan changes).

Role and function

As defined in the Terms of Reference, the role and functions of the CCWP remain relevant – particularly as the climate change work programme is rolled out.

There is some overlap in function between the JCCAC and the CCWP – both currently include adaptation as a focus.

Now that Ngā Taumata o Te Moana | Our strategy for tackling climate change has been published, the function of the CCWP has largely shifted to oversight - to monitor and review progress on climate change work programme. It should also be noted that overlaps in reporting occur through the CEOs report attached to every full Council meeting. It would appear to be possible to use this mechanism to provide monthly or bi-monthly reports on climate change progress and undertake that same monitoring and reporting function.

(2)       Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee

In 2020 the Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee (JCCAC) was established.

It is not the intent of this paper to subvert the democratic decision-making processes and the collaborative intent of the JCCAC or any other region-wide collaborative mahi. Rather this is the first step in a broader discussion that new staff have identified as being useful to streamline and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of current governance and reporting requirements. Ultimately any improvements made in governance arrangements should only benefit our communities by allowing greater focus on implementation.

Meeting frequency

The JCCAC is required to meet at least two (2) times per year, but currently meets four (4) times per year. This year’s meeting dates are 7 March, 30 May, 29 August and 28 November.

For NRC staff, these dates nearly coincide with meeting dates for the CCWP.

It is recommended that after the adoption of the TTCAS, all members of the JCCAC discuss the frequency of future meetings.

Terms of Reference

A Terms of Reference is required to operate a joint committee. This has been in place since formation and has recently been changed to ensure that the JCCAC is not disestablished post-election.

Support

The JCCAC is hosted, supported and chaired by NRC. This function is undertaken and coordinated by the GM Community Resilience.

Membership

Membership of the JCCAC is 50:50 split between one (1) elected member from each of Northland Regional, Kaipara District, Far North District and Whangarei District Councils as well as one (1) tangata whenua representatives as nominated by each member council. Alternatives are also provided for.

Reporting requirements

Agenda items are mailed out the week prior to the meeting. However, the decisions on agenda items, work required to identify relevant items, and completed reports are required from staff at least 2-6 weeks prior to the meeting.

As this is a collaborative process it requires agreement by members. This takes more time and will require the development of a linear process that links the operational Climate Adaptation Te Tai Tokerau (CATT) group with the JCCAC.

As with the structure of the CCWP process, this structure provides little time to allow staff to focus on tasks at hand, including implementation of a significant climate change work programme. This also does not allow much flexibility to participate and be responsive to an incredibly dynamic legislative and policy landscape drive by our central government partners (e.g., National Adaptation Plan and Emissions Reduction Plan) and our local government partners (e.g., contributing to and guiding proposed natural hazard District plan changes).

Role and function

As defined in the Terms of Reference, the role and functions of the JCCAC remain relevant – particularly as the climate change work programme is rolled out across the region and by each partner.

The Terms of Reference are clear, the focus of the group remains adaptation. This narrow focus was specifically decided at formation as it was thought there would be little benefit in sharing work on emissions reduction and carbon removal. However, it may be worth considering broadening out the focus of the JCCAC to include all climate change mahi as there is significant benefit in collaborating across those workstreams also. Many staff in smaller councils like ours are tasked with doing all aspects of climate change work, not just adaptation. There would be benefit in apportioning part of the discussion to allow cross-council, cross-community sharing of efforts that support emissions reduction, carbon removal and may also have adaptation co-benefits (e.g., CoastCare, planting programmes, blue carbon initiatives etc.).

Inter-council networks on climate change have already sprung up in this space to encourage practitioner support, sharing and efficiency (e.g., the Aotearoa Climate Adaptation Network, Taituarā and LGNZ hosted groups etc.). It would make sense to use our existing region-wide forum to host these important conversations.

 

Operational Structures

For NRC, climate change implementation work is led by the Climate Change Team under the Community Resilience Group. As climate change touches upon all aspects of council business, every team within council has climate change responsibilities and undertakes work that helps address the climate crisis.

From a region-wide perspective there are two operational climate change groups: (1) the Climate Adaptation Te Tai Tokerau (CATT) group, and (2) the council staff CATT Crew.

(1)          Climate Adaptation Te Tai Tokerau (CATT)

 

Meeting frequency

Although no formal arrangements or schedules are in place, the CATT group also meets four (4), sometimes six (6) times per year. Over the last few years, the number of meetings has responded to changing demands, particularly as the joint regional adaptation strategy was in development.

Aside from ongoing reviews to the TTCAS, the function of the CATT will largely shift to monitoring and review of adaptation actions. Specifically, each of the 46 Priority Actions identified in that document. There is a significant workload in each of those actions.

Terms of Reference

A draft Terms of Reference has been in existence since at least 2018, however it has never been finalised or formally adopted. The relationship between this group and the JCCAC requires further clarification (including in each Terms of Reference).

This is a operational level group that provides advice to the JCCAC.

The interaction between each Council’s communications and engagement teams and the work of this group requires further clarification.

Support

The CATT is sponsored by KDC, however there is no agreement as to the sharing of administrative support services across councils

There exist gaps in meeting administrative support e.g. logistics, mailing lists, agendas, minutes and easily accessible shared IT systems.

An ad-hoc Microsoft Teams platform has been established, initially to support cross-council communications and engagement teams collaborate on development of a joint regional communications and engagement plan.

Membership

There is an evolving membership list to this group. The draft Terms of Reference outline that membership includes staff from each of the four (4) councils, plus tangata whenua representatives as nominated by each council’s own Māori advisory group (e.g., TTMAC, Te Huinga, Te Kahu o Taonui, and KDC’s two Trust entities – Te Roroa and Te Uri o Hau). Without a clear mandate and sufficient resourcing, appropriate representation and participation by tangata whenua is a critical but ongoing struggle. Current arrangements do not allow for a clear distinction between democratic and operational functions potentially leading to risks around transparency, accountability and workload. This lack of clarity has the potential to undermine collaborative efforts and our Tiriti partnership. 

It is also unclear as to what role Group / General Managers from all four councils should play in this group.

Additional members also include other relevant agencies, although this is done on an ad-hoc basis. Current agencies include Northland Lifelines Group, Northland Transport Alliance, Four Waters Advisory Group and the Northland DHB.

Reporting requirements

There are no set reporting requirements for this group.

Role and function

There is no set role or function of this group. The draft Terms of Reference identify three main areas of focus for this group – data and modelling, planning and engagement.

The role and function of both this group and the JCCAC has been queried by members because of the branding and identity work package that was initiated in 2021 to support the roll out and release of the TTCAS. This initiative has highlighted some of the current challenges around climate governance – in particular the potential for overlap between democratic and operational climate governance arrangements.

(2)          CATT Crew – staff operations

This group now meets fortnightly and acts as the engine room of climate change related mahi within each of the four (4) JCCAC member councils. This is an operational, key staff led group consisting of at least two (2) staff from each Council with one role being the climate change or adaptation lead and the other being the communications lead.  There is no tangata whenua participation in this group.

Current climate governance structures in the region are presented in Figure 3 and Figure 4 below.

 Figure 3 Current configuration of region-wide collaborative climate governance arrangements.

Figure 4 Current climate governance arrangements at Northland Regional Council. Note that Ngā Taumata o Te Moana | Our strategy for tackling climate change includes the three (3) climate change pou of adaptation, mitigation and carbon removal. This sits in contract with the Te Taitokerau Climate Adaptation Strategy which only focuses on adaptation..

Concluding comments

Getting the right governance arrangements in place to support climate action is critical. It has been recognised as a key risk in the National Climate Change Risk Assessment, the draft National Adaptation Plan (in how it seeks to address system-wide risks), previous and ongoing adaptation efforts in other jurisdictions and in the latest scientific literature (including in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Reports).

Te Tai Tokerau is well positioned already in this space, but more could be done. This paper attempts to highlight existing climate governance arrangements and identify opportunities for improvement and discussion with partners. There are many challenges ahead.

The coming elections also pose a challenge in that the make-up of each council, including the number of councillors and inclusion of Māori wards is changing.

Staff suggest an open discussion begins on the most appropriate governance arrangements to support climate change work (across all three pou – adaptation, emission reduction and carbon removal). This mahi must seek to work against existing patterns of inequity and strive to tackle vulnerabilities at their root.

For adaptation, detailed consideration will need to be given to the respective roles of regional and district councils, including those mandated by legislation (e.g., RMA, LGA, Building Act etc.), funding and financing (refer to the ongoing discussion in the Hawkes Bay that has arisen from their first coastal adaptation project at Clifton to Tangoio), overlapping or conflicting responsibilities (e.g., around the Coastal Marine Area). The sooner these arrangements are finalised and entered into, the better. This will require intensive and robust negotiations between JCCAC partners. Staff are in the process of engaging a governance consultant to build on work the Far North District Council has undertaken for their district, with a focus on NRC led governance and the interactions and tensions between regional and district climate related policies.

The intent of this work is to highlight further opportunities to support each other as partners in our collective climate change work programme. This will support several Priority Actions in Appendix 1 of the TTCAS as well as critical actions under the Ngā Taumata o Te Moana work programme. Further updates can be provided as work progresses.

It is noted that appropriate governance structures will also be critical in supporting and shaping the success of Community Adaptation Planning processes, like that already begun in Ruawai/Raupō.

Consideration should also be given to developing an appropriate delegation for joint committees and enhancing the process for joint regional submissions into new legislative or policy developments from central government.

Following discussions, and in conjunction with partners (including iwi/hapū representatives) staff would be happy to draft up a new potential governance structure for presentation at a subsequent meeting or workshop.

The challenge will be to ensure an appropriate balance of efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability without limiting the organisation’s ability to respond proactively to the climate emergency.

 

Ngā tapirihanga / Attachments

Nil

 



[1] See https://sdgs.un.org/goals

[2] See https://lsfdashboard.treasury.govt.nz/wellbeing/