In this section
Together we're developing climate change action for the Timaru District
What Can Your Household Do
Interactive PDF and in Print
To mark World Environment Day 2024, Timaru DC and our neighbours in Waimate DC published a householders guide to adapting to climate change. The downloadable 16 page document includes live links to useful websites from NZ government agencies, universities and consumer organisations to provide additional information. It covers both adapting to weather changes accelerated by global warming and help in reducing your household’s emissions of the greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide from burning fuels, that drive warming.
Adobe Reader will give good results with this publication but it will also open in a web browser. For the free Adobe Reader software, go to https://get.adobe.com/reader/
You can also view the same content and links on our website and buy a printed copy for $5 at Timaru District libraries and Council offices - What Can Our Household Do?
The Challenge
The Timaru District Council recognises that if future generations are to have a liveable future we must all take action now to adapt to and mitigate climate change. This was recognised by Council in the passing of the Long Term Plan 2021-2031 with Council allocating $360,000 per annum in 2021 for 10 years for a Climate Change work programme. This commitment to the Climate Change work programme continues in 2024 Long Term Plan.
With increasing threats posed by climate change to our District such as loss of coastal property due to erosion and higher sea levels and inland flooding caused by more intense rainfall, also summer heat stress, and crop losses due to more severe droughts, we need to work together to plan for any required adaptation and also demonstrate progress on reducing emissions (mitigation). For the region-wide picture see It's Time Canterbury website: https://itstimecanterbury.co.nz/
For NIWA's climate change projects for Canterbury, visit: https://niwa.co.nz/climate-change-adaptation-toolbox/projected-regional-climate-change-hazards/regional-projections-zone-5
Timaru District Council Climate Change Response Policy and Draft Response Plan 2024
- https://www.timaru.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/866423/Climate-Change-Response-Policy-.pdf
- Adaptation-Mitigation Response Plan - Draft October 2024
Images above showing the extent of the 2019 Rangitata Flood.
Canterbury Climate Partnership Plan
In December 2024 the Mayoral Forum, led by our Mayor Nigel Bowen, published a Canterbury Climate Partnership Plan for 2024-2027 which identifies actions and research jointly funded and collaboratively led by the Regional and District councils. Ten topics are featured, including:
- work on reducing carbon emissions and improving energy planning,
- better understanding how and where natural hazards will be exacerbated by warmer global temperatures, and
- bringing climate-awareness into everyday operational decision-making and infrastructure investments made by the Councils
Read more at the It’s Time Canterbury website Climate Partnership Plan | It's time, Canterbury
See a short video about this plan here: Canterbury Climate Partnership Plan Video or click the embedded video below.
The Approach We Have Taken
Our elected members defined the scope of Council’s commitment to taking action on climate change. Draft governance statements were prepared, which built on the intent of the Long Term Plan 2021-31 commitment and reflected the stakeholder feedback provided during the scoping phase. At a Council meeting on 28 June 2022 Council endorsed the following statements for sharing with our community:
"The Timaru District Council will:
1. Be a climate-friendly council. We will adapt to Climate Change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from Council’s operations wherever feasible.
2. Lead and facilitate mitigation and adaptation projects with others. We will enable, empower and inspire substantial climate change actions by many stakeholders in the district, including collaborations with our Tiriti partners.
3. Encourage others to learn and adapt. We will guide and support communities that are most vulnerable to climate change, i.e., those who are
- most exposed to climate change
- badly impacted by climate change
- least resilient"
As an initial response in February 2024, Council considered mostly in-house actions, adopting a Climate Change Response Policy.
Rhys Taylor joined our team part-time in mid 2022 as an Advisor and now works full-time as Climate Change Adaptation Lead to provide internal guidance and direction as we take action on climate change and to support our community of stakeholders through the next steps for the District. Rhys Taylor comes from a background of community education on sustainability with Councils across NZ and also work with Environment Canterbury supporting local river catchment groups. He is a voluntary trustee of Sustainable South Canterbury Trust, which has built the Eco Centre (with support from TDC, Mid & South Canterbury Community Trust, business sponsors and legacies).
Dr. Phil Driver led the development of a first draft of the district-wide Climate Change Strategy. The strategy work is guided by the Governance Statements together with public and stakeholder input via a series of workshops and an advisory group, from September 2022 through to mid 2023.
Troy Titheridge has been seconded to support climate change work from January 2025.
Last updated: 15 Jan 2025