The Resource Management Act is currently under review. It sets out the system and rules for planning authorities (mainly councils) to approve or reject applications for new developments of all kinds.
The 2004 amendment to the RMA specifically prohibits planning authorities from considering the global warming effect of greenhouse gas emissions. The offending sections are 104E and 70A both of which state that “…a regional council must not have regard to the effects of (such a) discharge on climate change….”
But none of the proposed changes to the RMA in this bill reverse this, or require consideration of the Zero Carbon Bill.
This is simply outrageous. We are in the midst of a worsening climate crisis and this law means planning authorities must make their decisions as if the applications for developments have no bearing on it, which is absurd. Think of dairy conversions, motorways, coal mines or fossil fuelled power stations – all of it up for approval with absolutely no consideration of what it will do to NZ’s carbon pollution, which needs to come down to net-zero as soon as possible, but is still surging upwards.
This ties the hands of local authorities when it comes to limiting the emissions coming from their districts. They require more powers to help address the climate crisis.
This must be addressed.
The government must use this bill to repeal sections 104E and 70A of the RMA.
The government should also add a clause to the bill that requires planning authorities to have regard to the objectives of the Zero Carbon Act, its targets and carbon budgets in decisions on whether to grant resource consent applications.
Please make a submission to the Government before midnight on Thursday 7 November at this link:
The text of the amendments that are presently proposed is here:
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/bill/government/2019/0180/latest/d1677308e2.html
You can use this text in your submission – adapt as you see fit:
Free text comment section:
The 2004 amendment to the RMA specifically prohibits planning authorities from considering the global warming effect of greenhouse gas emissions. The offending sections are 104E and 70A both of which state that “…a regional council must not have regard to the effects of (such a) discharge on climate change….”
This is simply outrageous. We are in the midst of a worsening climate crisis and this law means planning authorities must make their decisions as if the applications for developments have no bearing on it, which is absurd. It ties the hands of local authorities when it comes to limiting the emissions coming from their districts. They require more powers to help address the climate crisis.
But none of the proposed changes to the RMA in this bill reverse this, or require consideration of the Zero Carbon Bill. This must be addressed.
Free text recommendation section:
The government must use this bill to repeal sections 104E and 70A of the RMA.
The government should add a clause to the bill that requires planning authorities to have regard to the objectives of the Zero Carbon Act, its targets and carbon budgets in decisions on whether to grant resource consent applications.
Many thanks!
Note that the government plans to make a second round of RMA changes, where it says climate change issues will be considered. However, time is running is running out for the climate, planning decisions are being made right now and there is no certainty regarding what will happen in this second round. The repeal of sections 104E and 70A should be dealt with now.
