Issue #35: Our intertwined climate futures

On local and global climate events

Mōrena, and happy Tuesday!

If there’s anything that the climate crisis is showing us, it’s how closely our collective futures are intertwined. It’s Africa Climate Week, and we know that warmer weather in Aotearoa comes alongside the disastrous flooding in Pakistan which comes alongside drought throughout Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Yet the impacts are not borne equally between countries, or even within a country’s population, and so what may be experienced as higher temperatures here can be a matter of life and death for others. 

This makes it yet more important and urgent to continue shaping our local systems to account for climate justice. Living in a small country with a functioning democracy means that our votes and actions can make visible, transformational change - let’s make the most of it! 

To refuse to participate in the shaping of our future is to give it up. Do not be misled into passivity either by false security (“they don’t mean me”) or by despair (“there’s nothing we can do”). Each of us must find our work and do it.

– Audre Lorde

What can you do today?

The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was Wellington City Council’s submission on biking and walking paths 🚲

🐝 If you have 5 minutes: Dot your I’s, cross your T’s

• We’ve been making great strides in our local transport strategies, so here’s an interesting chance to push for change overseas: the US’s Department of Transport is considering reporting and reducing transport emissions on their highways. America’s a good example of how one country affects the rest of us, and it’s way past time for them to get on board. The submission is open for public comment, and it’s important to show there is strong support for this (even from Aotearoa!)
  Action: Show the DoT there’s support for measuring transport greenhouse gases

• It’s surprising how much advertising we get for fossil fuels in our day-to-day lives despite the ongoing climate crisis. In Issue #30, we shared a petition calling for TVNZ to break off its sponsorship from Mobil, and this current campaign continues the pressure on companies to consider their impact.
  Action: Call for a ban on ads for products that contribute to air pollutants

🐇 If you have 15 minutes: Bay-utify our oceans

• Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer’s bill to ban bottom trawling is going before Parliament at the end of this week. We can show our support by asking for bipartisan support from Labour MPs. The Green Party has made a quick guide to make it easy to ask MPs to act. 

• Action: Sign the open letter to get it to over 16000 signatures

  Take it further: Sign up to contact Labour MPs to ask them to support the bill 

• Everyone: Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is proposing improvements to their public bus services. This is a chance for people to ask for regional rail as a serious low-carbon option. You don’t have to be from the Bay or know heaps about transport to answer - they want to hear what would make it easier for you to get around.
  Action: Use the quick form to advocate for regional rail + accessible public transport!

💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more: Let’s politicool the planet

• Tāmaki: GenZero are kicking off their local election campaign shortly and are looking for volunteers to help with graphic design, voting promo/posters, and researching candidates & their policies. 

  Action: Check the role description here & sign up to volunteer here!

• Tāmaki: Bike Auckland are quizzing two key mayoral candidates, Viv Beck and Efeso Collins, on their transport policies - a key determiner of our climate futures.
  Action: Join the forum today at 6pm at the Ellen Melville Centre

• Pōneke: We shared the petition to ban mining permits on conservation land in previous issues, and tomorrow they’ll be delivering it to Parliament.
  Action: Show that real people support this petition by showing up on the Parliament steps, 1pm tomorrow.

Wins

• Last week we shared an action to report missing bike lanes to Google Maps. Just three days later, the example bike lane that we used in our guide got added (a pretty critical section of the South Express Puari ki Niho-toto cycleway in Christchurch)! 

In case you missed it

• Bike and bus lanes are climate action. Wellington City Council has big plans for improving biking and bus travel. Speak up for climate-safe travel on the Newtown to City bus and bike lanes today with Cycle Wellington's submission guide. Due tomorrow (Wednesday 31 August) 5pm!

• Brendon Lane from PSA joined us last Wednesday for our third lightning talk! He took us through his work on Vote Climate, and why it is so key to get involved in voting at the local level. Here are the key takeaways and a recording.

Save the Date

• We’re excited to be part of the Auckland Climate Festival this October! Come join us for a cosy evening of local climate wins and shared kai.

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That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. We’ve added Hali Hewa to our commuting playlists - a podcast of African climate stories starring climate activists and experts. 

See you next week, 

Dhanya, Emily, and Jenny from the Climate Club