Mayor: Aaron Hawkins
The Dunedin City Council has been working on climate change since 2006, with early work focusing on climate change adaptation and an emphasis on mitigation in more recent years.
Fossil Fuel Divestment
In 2014, the Dunedin City Council became one of the first councils in the world to divest its investment portfolio from fossil fuels – a step that has been since been taken by major cities like New York, Berlin and Oslo.
Zero Carbon 2030
In late 2019, the Dunedin City Council resolved to bring forward the city’s emission reduction targets by 20 years, aiming to achieve net neutrality (excluding biogenic methane) by 2030, putting emissions reduction at the top of the city’s agenda.
The Dunedin City Council is now working hard to align both its organisational frameworks and its investment priorities with this ambitious new target. Zero Carbon 2030 will be a clear focus for the city’s 2021-2031 Long Term Plan, building on existing investments in cycleways, pedestrian-friendly precincts, energy efficiency, environmental education and waste minimisation, and a new planning framework for the city that prioritises compact urban form.
Climate Resilience
Dunedin is also working to build its climate resilience. In particular, it has kicked off a significant engagement programme with the South Dunedin community. A densely populated, low-lying area of the city which has been identified as being at significant risk from the impacts of climate change. Through the engagement process, the Dunedin City Council will seek to meet with every community group in the area to build a shared understanding of the challenge at hand, and to start to understand the principals the community would like to see at the heart of its response.
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