Climate change  |  16 Jun 2021

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Climate change and environmental initiatives could receive an additional $11 million funding boost over ten years as part of Christchurch City Council’s 10-year budget.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel says the investment in targeted initiatives is additional to the millions of dollars already invested through infrastructure and parks spending to better understand and be more resilient in the face of climate change.

The Council consulted in parallel on its Draft Long Term Plan 2021 – 31 and the draft Kia tūroa te ao, Ōtautahi Christchurch Climate Resilience Strategy. The draft strategy outlines the four climate goals for our district and identifies the areas we need to focus on to reduce greenhouse gas emissions so that Christchurch achieves its target of net zero emissions by 2045.

 “Although they were separate consultations, many of the submissions received for both had common themes about action required around climate change/ resilience. It came across very strongly in the submissions that our community cares about climate change,” Mayor Dalziel says.

“We have listened to our community and heard loud and clear that it wants the Council to be bolder, braver and make decisions that will take effect sooner rather than later.”

During the period covered by this Draft Long Term Plan 2021–31 our investments to meet this challenge include:

  • $421 million to improve our ability to cope with more extreme rain and flooding, through measures to reduce flooding and improve waterways.
  • $347.9 million to improve the sustainability and resilience of our transport network, including $235.8 million on all cycling projects (excluding government subsidies), $90.7 million to improve Public transport facilities  and $4.3 million for EV charging facilities  within Council parking buildings; and
  • $13.1 million on planting across the city.

“We also heard that our community want us to take a stronger role on educating people, to help our city meet its climate change targets,” Mayor Dalziel says.

While the bulk of Council’s climate related actions are woven through existing programmes and budgets, the additional $11 million in funding is proposed for the following specific climate change initiatives:

  1. $700,000 a year to enable the Coastal Hazards Adaption Planning (CHAP) programme to proactively work with communities in areas most likely to be affected by the impacts of climate change.
  2. Extending funding for Enviroschools Canterbury at $75,000 per year to allow more Christchurch schools to access this education programme.
  3. $100,000 per year to fund an additional travel plan coordinator to work with schools to design, champion and implement travel plans that encourage students to walk, bike, scooter or bus to school.
  4. $350,000 per year for three years for an Environment and Climate Change Fund to support partnering with organisations on the protection and enhancement of native biodiversity and climate solutions in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula.
  5. Increasing the Biodiversity Fund by $60,000 per year, to $250,000 per year
  6. $150,000 to fund a communications and behaviour change programme in 2021-22 and $50,000 per year thereafter.

Councillors will vote to adopt the revised LTP and climate change strategy on 21 June 2021. Read the agenda here. You can watch the 21 June Council meeting via our live-stream. The meeting starts at 9am.

Check our website to find out more about Council’s response to climate change.

Please note that the full list of Mayor's recommendations on the Draft Long Term Plan will be available later today.