Low Carbon Kāpiti

Working together for local climate solutions

Jake

Chairperson’s Report – LCK AGM 22 Sept 2024

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Firstly, thank you to our guest Jessica Palairet from Lawyers for Climate Action NZ Inc for her time, presentation and important work.

My thanks to the committee and everyone who contributed this year.

Thanks especially Jean Fleming for playing host and doing our newsletter. Jean is now standing down after many years service to Low Carbon Kāpiti (LCK).

Thanks to our secretary David Yockney for sorting out our constitution and minute taking.

Thank you to Paul Callister and Linda Hill for assisting with submissions and Stephen Blyth for organising this AGM event.

Last year has been challenging – both physically, politically and emotionally – for those that are determined, like LCK is, to respond to the threat of climate change with the seriousness it deserves.

I don’t need to tell you that despite the world surpassing 1.5 degC of warming, record-smashing loss of Antarctic sea ice and the world being slammed by one massive climate disaster after another, an effective, comprehensive response from human beings is no-where to be seen. The politics has once again become polarised and toxic. NZ collectively has ushered in a government which is actively trying to make things worse and is deliberately avoiding taking advice from impartial experts in favour of doing whatever the business interests closest to them ask (like watering down vehicle emissions standards), or what plays well with a reactionary, selfish short-sighted voter (raising speed limits or bashing cyclists).

Around the world, even supposedly ‘progressive’ governments are propping up the continuation or expansion of fossil fuel use. Look at the US, which in the last 4 years has become the number one producer of fossil fuels in the world by a considerable margin.

Here in Kapiti we had a community group ‘CALM’ pillorying the council for trying to plan for rising seas, and who engaged in climate change denial to play down the risks. Their reasons are understandable – to protect their homes’ sale value for as long as possible. But their actions help the community not one jot with preparing for the inevitable.  Without a plan, we will be scrambling from one crisis to the next with even higher costs and more tragedy for everyone. The episode illustrates how the natural human tendency to focus on self-centred, short-term interests leads us away from addressing the big problems that will harm us all sooner or later.

However, just because things are going badly, it doesn’t mean that those with a brain, conscious and the freedom to act are allowed to give up. For LCK, we continued our advocacy for what it is worth. Examples include submissions on:

  • The Government Policy Statement on land transport
  • Fast Track Approvals
  • Draft Minerals Strategy
  • Emissions Reduction Plan 2

But we also pivoted to supporting more hands-on activities that respond to the climate emergency, albeit in very modest ways.

Supporting Energise Ōtaki seemed the best way forward rather than starting rival initiatives. LCK supported them with included:

  • Bike fix-ups and giveaway
  • Helping clean their solar panels at the waste water treatment plant on Riverbank Rd
  • Supporting the repair café, with an actual café

Down in Raumati, we also had a bona fide win with the Poplar Ave raised crossing being built, and we celebrated this.

So where to from here?

LCK could do more if there were more of us on deck. But all the submissions in the world won’t sway our current crop of central government politicians to change their environmentally destructive agenda. So perhaps we could continue to expand on EO’s good work instead. And finally, the biggest difference we could make is standing up for counciillors who support climate action at the 2024 local government election. As Asher and myself both work for local government, our scope to get involved in this kind of activity is limited.

LCK is a fully functional climate action and advocacy organisation, but it needs new blood who can support our existing activities, do the things that Asher and I can’t and even take things in new directions. If this sounds like you – let’s talk.

Jake Roos, Chairperson

Low Carbon Kāpiti submission on the draft second national emissions reduction plan (ERP2)

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The New Zealand government is consulting on the draft second national emissions reduction plan (ERP2) until 25 August 2024. You can find out more about this here: https://consult.environment.govt.nz/climate/second-emissions-reduction-plan/

Here is the response that Low Carbon Kāpiti submission prepared (summary and full doc):

Introduction

We, like many others, don’t believe the draft ERP2 document does enough to reduce our real emissions – obviously so, as the government’s own analysis of the proposed policies shows we are likely to miss our budgets and targets. 

Our concerns include:

    • The ‘least cost’ approach 
    • Over-reliance on offsetting through forestry and carbon capture and storage 
    • Over-reliance on nascent and non-existent technologies
    • Misalignment of government policies – e.g. in relation to transport
    • Failing to learn from and build on successful past work
    • Over-reliance on existing markets and unfounded optimism that the ETS will deliver
    • The minimal focus on equity, inclusivity or just transition, and, 
    • That New Zealand is not well-placed for ‘world-leading climate innovation’. 

    Conclusion

    ERP2 is a step backwards from ERP1. It is a step backwards from New Zealand doing its part to stop dangerous climate change and our international commitments in this regard. The focus on ‘least cost’ is half a step away from ‘doing nothing’ and a million miles from an effective and credible response that will help safeguard lives and all the things we care about from an intolerable future. New Zealand and the world needs you to step up and do better.

    [Read more…] about Low Carbon Kāpiti submission on the draft second national emissions reduction plan (ERP2)

    AGM and film screening

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    On Monday 4 September 2023, we had our Annual General Meeting, followed by a film screening of a short documentary “We Can Produce Our Own Power”, produced by 350.org Aotearoa and featuring Kapiti Coast charity ‘Energise Ōtaki‘. Energise Ōtaki chairperson Leigh Ramsey gave a talk after, telling the group more about their solar array shown in the film and answering questions. There was a good turnout, tea and cake. Jake Roos (Chair), David Yockney (Secretary), Jean Fleming and Asher Wilson-Goldman (Treasurer) were elected to committee for 2023-24.

    Minutes of the meeting

    Financial report

    President’s report

    Can Aotearoa NZ fly high on biomass?

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    By Paul Callister, Don’t Burn Our Future, 24 June 2023

    The Climate Change Commission is calling for evidence as to whether emissions from international shipping and aviation should be included in the emissions reduction target (‘the 2050 target’). Given the need to dramatically and rapidly reduce all GHG emissions, it is vital all sectors must be accounted for.  If a sector underperforms in this regard, it needs to be compensated for by deeper cuts in other sectors. Yet, we also recognise that both shipping and aviation are especially important to Aotearoa New Zealand given our geographic isolation.

    [Read more…] about Can Aotearoa NZ fly high on biomass?

    Speed Management Plan for Kāpiti

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    From the LCK Committee, 20 May 2023

    KCDC is now looking for feedback on its first Speed Management Plan, which outlines how the transport network is expected to look in ten years time, with an emphasis on lower speeds, and our seeking the views of ratepayers. LCK plans to make a submission on the Plan and encourages everyone who wants safer roads and lower transport emissions to have their say too.

    The proposal has two parts.

    PART A covers speed limitations in “high benefit areas” as outlined by Waka Kotahi. For Kāpiti, it includes 20 schools, three road corridors and five town centres (28 sites amounting to 8 percent of the length of our road network) where speed limitations will be put in place by 2027.

    PART B sets out possible long-term options for plans that deliver safe and appropriate speed limits as required by the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022. These would be put in place between 2027 and 2033.

    In this second part, KCDC is asking for feedback on the following four options:
    Option 1: Expand speed limits in school zones.
    Option 2: Expand 30 km/h neighbourhoods.
    Option 3: Road corridors – install infrastructure to slow down traffic on these roads.
    Option 4: Reduce speeds on all roads to 30 or 40 km/h.

    If we are to halve our emissions by 2030 then getting people out of cars and into active transport is one of the most immediate ways we can get results.

    However, the perception that cycling and walking are dangerous creates a major barrier to the uptake of these modes of transport. As KCDC points out, there is a close correlation between speed and deaths. At 60 km/h, if a car strikes a person, there is a 90% chance of death, at 50 km/h this reduces to 80%, at 40km/h to 30% and at 30 km/h to 10%. Therefore, by reducing speeds, death and serious injuries on our roads will be reduced and people will be more willing to make the change to active transport.

    Therefore, LCK totally supports this transition to slower speeds. We support Part A, but would like to see greater urgency in its implementation. These changes will not be finally implemented until 2027.

    For Part B, LCK will support Option 4 above, a reduction to 30 and 40 km/h on all roads. We would
    also like to see seperate cycle lanes for any roads where speeds are not reduced to 40 km/h or less.
    Also, it should be noted that these speed reductions will actually have minimal impact on the time it
    takes for trips to be completed. For example, dropping the full length of Peka Peka Road from 80 to
    60km/h adds only about 26 seconds to the time. (Council must now take into account what is “safe
    and appropriate”, which is why the Peka Peka Rd speed limit would reduce from 80 to 60 km/h,
    because of its significance as a cycle route.)

    Overall, we feel greater urgency is required in implementing these changes. We need to get people
    using active transport modes now, not in ten years time when we will be well past the 2030 deadline
    for halving our emissions.

    We also feel that enforcement is an important part of the change. There is little point in having these
    speed limits if they can be easily ignored. In Queensland, the Department of Transport and Main Roads is piloting a road safety programme around schools, using portable hi-tech speed cameras attached to powered road signs. Cameras spot anyone above the speed limit and the fine can include demerit points. The Queensland Department also employs bicycle-activated warning signs, to alert and slow motorists on roads not often frequented by cyclists.

    We would like to see everyone that wants safer roads and to reduce transport emissions to speak up in support of lower speed limits. To find more information and to make your own submission online, visit: https://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/SpeedManagementPlan

    If you would like to discuss this with KCDC please email <haveyoursay@kapiticoast.govt> or call 0800
    486 486.

    The survey closes on 9 June.