The first round of Whakatāne District Council’s climate change project reporting was well-received at the Organisational Performance Committee meeting held last week. The report captures progress made towards the targets and actions outlined in the climate change strategy and actions plans, which were adopted in September 2020.
Committee Chair, Councillor Julie Jukes, says the reporting marks a significant milestone in the Council’s climate change journey.
“The strategy and action plans set ambitious targets and goals, and this report demonstrates that we are tracking toward achieving several,” Councillor Jukes explains. “For example, the short-term organisational mitigation target is to reduce Council’s carbon footprint by 15 percent by 2022, and we have already exceeded that expectation.”
Councillor Jukes notes that this target excludes biogenic methane and nitrous oxide, which are produced by wastewater processing.
Council’s Climate Change Coordinator, Katri Harmoinen, says Whakatāne District Council is proactive in its climate change approach and this is being recognised throughout the country.
“I’ve received lots of feedback from both local government and NGOs commending our Council’s climate change initiatives, including the strategy, action plans and reporting, and also our ‘e-learning hub’ that we developed late last year,” she says. “We appreciate how far we still have to go, but it’s great to celebrate our successes along the way.”
One major project success is the prioritisation of heat pump use at the Whakatāne Aquatic and Fitness Centre, which historically functioned primarily using natural gas boilers. The new approach, recommended in the energy management audit conducted by Emsol, has contributed towards the 40 percent reduction in Council’s total natural gas use compared with the baseline from 2017-18.
Councillor Jukes says it is rewarding to see this type of reporting, as it highlights which actions are completed, those that are progressing well, and those that have yet to be started.
“It provides a clear snapshot of all current Council activities, and raises the question of what else needs to be done long-term to reach our goals and targets, such as becoming a carbon zero organisation by 2030,” she says. “This step forms part of the climate change journey for Whakatāne District Council, which is designed to be fluid with updates and adjustments as our understanding and knowledge grows.”
The six-monthly reports cover emission reduction targets, leadership, transportation, energy management, waste and circular economies, water services and land use and the built environment. The reporting will also guide case studies on specific project achievements, so that other organisations and communities can gain insight into what can be accomplished in the climate change space.
The climate change report and other climate change project information, including case studies, are available through the climate change portal on the Whakatāne District Council website.