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Future-proofing Auckland: is building a sustainable city really possible?

Wednesday 10 April 2019
Grand Millennium, Auckland City Center
5:00pm – 7:00pm

With Auckland’s population set to swell to 2 million by as early as 2029, growing demands on housing and infrastructure, and climate change exposing our city to impending natural disasters, future-proofing Auckland has become more important than ever before.

The way we plan, design, construct and govern our city will determine Auckland’s future viability.  The world’s cities are under threat by climate change.  Building a sustainable city is an integral part of Auckland’s future.

But what does the ideal sustainable city look like?  And is it possible?  Join us with Dr Michelle Dickinson as she facilitates the conversation focusing on crucial attributes and solutions – high-rise medium-density, incorporating resilience into urban design and development, and high-quality living for our people with easy access to employment, social infrastructure and clean, green spaces. 

More details here.

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Invitation for TT people to join the Collectively Kids mini march

Kia ora,

We are a small early childhood centre situated at 28 Carrington Road and will be taking part in the Strike for climate action on Friday March 15th. 

Kaiako and parents will be accompanying the tamariki from our centre to march along Carrington Road, towards Mt Albert Road, at 10.30 on Friday morning.

A focus on envrionmental education has been an integral part of our centre curriculum for many years and we feel strongly that time is running out. 

We need to act now.

Feel free to join us on Friday. 

We will have morning tea at 10am and begin the march at 10.30.

Please let us know if you are coming.

For  more information or any questions, please email collectivelykids@xtra.co.nz or see our websitewww.collectivelykids.com

Ngā mihi nui

Marina Bachmann and the team at Collectively Kids

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“If you don’t act like adults, we will.”

Kia ora and greetings,

Please take a moment to read the attached: “If you don’t act like adults we will”.

There is also a short video by Bronwyn Hayward who shares her thoughts about “Children, Citizenship and Environment” which may be helpful when deciding to accept the children’s invitation to sign the petition and the request to share it on your social media.

Na mihi
Angus from ActionStation

1. ‘If you don’t act like adults, we will.’.pdfDownload
2. Bronwyn Hayward – ‘Children, Citizenship and Environment’Download
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Psychology of climate denialism

This is an interesting article. The psychological aspects of climate denialism were something some of our members have been studying for a while – and I was treated to Action Station’s excellent “Climate Conversations Training” a couple of years ago, which touched on the subject too. The range of types of denialism are good to think about, too. Like those who have given up on reducing the scale of climate change, and think our only option is to adapt.

https://www.newyorker.com/science/elements/the-other-kind-of-climate-denialism/amp?__twitter_impression=true

“every inch of warming makes a difference”—we cannot stop the process of warming altogether, but we can control whether climate change yields a future that is apocalyptic or instead “merely grim.”

It reminds us that Transition Town has never been about just adaptation to a new reality. Our first, and most urgent job, is to meet this huge challenge by reducing our contribution to climate change.

The good news for a city like Auckland, is that reducing our transport carbon emissions and preventing further loss of soil carbon in greenfields growth, are both not only possible, but doing so would improve lifestyles, and increase community connections and quality of life.

In the process, Auckland can inspire other cities around the world to do the same. It’s wonderful Transition Town stuff.

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Presentation of Extinction Rebellion to Auckland Council – Tuesday 12th March 9am at Town Hall

Please join XR next Tuesday at 9am to urge Auckland Council to declare a Climate Emergency!

If you have a spare couple of hours next Tuesday morning, Extinction Rebellion Tamaki Makaurau Auckland is making a presentation to the Auckland Council about the need for immediate action on climate change. We are speaking at the Community and Environment committee meeting. It would be great to have support from other climate groups around Auckland. 

Extinction Rebellion will be presenting our proposal to Auckland Council, calling on them to join 369 councils all over the world by declaring a Climate Emergency and acting with proper urgency. 

Meet at the bottom of the council chambers in the Town Hall – 9am Tuesday 12th March. Please wear black.

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Climate Hui – Sunday 17th March 3pm at Cityside Baptist Church, 7 Mt Eden Road

The Tamaki Makaurau Extinction Rebellion group is organising a hui of all climate action groups in Auckland. I’m one of the liaison people. We are inviting one or two people from each group. The purpose is to meet, discuss common kaupapa and see where we might join together on upcoming projects/actions. It’s on Sunday 17th March 3pm at Cityside Baptist Church, 7 Mt Eden Road.

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Climate Action Plan

The Climate Action Plan is something TT has talked/emailed each other about a few times…

https://climateakl.co.nz/

In case you’ve missed the conversations, Council has had an Ideas Hub website, done in a sort of ‘gaming’ style – where Council poses challenges and questions, and residents answer with ideas. It’s all about canvassing climate solution ideas they can consider in writing the Climate Action Plan.

Some groups, like Generation Zero, managed to get organised five months ago. We’ve talked about it but haven’t got there yet. I’ve just rounded up the Greater Auckland team to put some on a few days ago.

This issue is the reason we exist as a group.

If you think this could be a good way to further the community discussion around the changes needed, how about scrolling through the ideas and voting for what you like? If you’ve got an idea that you can’t find anyone else has suggested, that’d be really good to add in. Tips: you need to set yourself up with a profile before you can vote or add ideas. And in each section, the default setting seems to be “oldest first” – once you’ve read through them, you’ll probably want to reset that to “newest first” so you can see the new ideas.

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Council and Climate Change

Auckland Council is currently taking public feedback about what should be in the climate action plan strategy.

This isn’t a formal submission process; it looks like you can vote on other people’s ideas, and suggest your own.

And on the same topic, you may be interested in reading my article published today on something Council should be doing, tomorrow:

https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2018/12/10/letters-of-low-expectations-what-the-committee-must-change-tomorrow/#comment-287129