Issue #59: It pays to invest in climate
On the business case for stopping the cuts to climate funding
Mōrena friends, and happy Tuesday!
For the past couple months, I’ve been starting my mornings by either slotting myself into an already packed bus, or watching full buses drive past. While it’s great to see lots of people taking public transport (🎉), this shortage is often caused by cancelled buses and reduced services. These have solutions: buses get cancelled because bus companies haven’t employed enough workers, don’t pay well, and have poor conditions for workers - all fixable problems if we prioritise people & planet over profit.
Unfortunately, the government’s response to Cyclone Gabrielle, the floods, and the cost of living crisis has been to reduce spending on climate change action. Same with some local councils: in Tāmaki alone, Auckland Council is proposing a budget that cuts investment in services like public transport, early childhood care, and homelessness services. These are essential services, and also two-in-one solutions to both the climate and cost of living crisis.
Yet everyone from big consultancies to not-for-profits agrees that paying for climate solutions now (like quality transport options) will leave us all much better off than continuing to delay. There is a huge cost to not taking action that is often ignored when looking at the economy.
This report by Deloitte shows how much it pays to invest in climate, by showing two possible futures for Aotearoa:
Decisive climate action could add $64 billion in economic gain to our economy by 2050 if warming is limited to 1.5⁰C. This increase could come from the renewable energy, services and construction sectors.
Inadequate climate action could take $4.4 billion out of our GDP in the same time period.
Building back better can mean building in a way that helps the climate crisis and the needs of our communities. So let’s fight for it 💪
What can you do today?
The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was the petition to provide an e-bike rebate. Thanks to you folks, they’re getting close to 5,000 signatures!
🐝 If you have 5 minutes: Longing for longer-term planning
The recent floods and weather events amplified by climate change have shown us that we need strong, reliable, well-planned foundations in our society. ActionStation is proposing a Ministry of Green Works, a new public agency to focus on green infrastructure, and the current and future needs of our citizens.
Action: Ask our Government to put people before profit by creating a Ministry of Green Works.
🐇 If you have 15 minutes: The kids aren't alright
The country’s decisions on climate change which will particularly affect our rangatahi, but young people currently do not get a say on who is making those decisions. Last year, NZ’s Supreme Court ruled that preventing 16-17 year olds from voting is a breach of human rights. The government has not followed through yet, but we have a narrow window to show our support for lowering the voting age.
Action, due tomorrow 11:59pm: Use the guide to submit on the “Make it 16” billCommercial companies use bottom trawling to catch large quantities of sea animals at once, but it has a huge effect on ocean biodiversity. Aotearoa is one of only seven countries still using this practice in international waters, and this year we’ve got a chance to end bottom trawling on seamounts and the Hauraki Gulf.
Action: Send a postcard to Parliament to say bottom trawling has got to go
💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more: Cut emissions not solutions
Auckland Council is proposing sweeping changes to Tāmaki’s budget which take us further away from a climate-resilient future. These include proposals that could permanently cancel hundreds of buses a day as well as increasing their cost, and cut funding to community, childcare, culture, economic development and social services, ie. all the things that make Tāmaki a livable city! What happens in our largest city affects us all, so we encourage everyone to take action.
Action: Use the Green Party’s submission guide to have your say before March 28th
+ Use Stop The Cut’s submission guide for more inspo!Ōtautahi/Christchurch: Greater Christchurch Council are planning how and where our urban areas should grow and where their core public transport should be. This is a great, easy to answer survey!
Action: Have your say on how Christchurch should grow
That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy this interesting and independently audited climate policy simulator, developed by the not-for-profit Climate Interactive and MIT, which shows you how different scenarios can come together to keep warming down.
See you next week,
Dhanya and the Climate Club team
Really enjoyed the survey for Christchurch! (the last link in the 30min section). So excited about the idea of the turn-up-and-go bus line! Here's the extra comment I added at the end of the survey, in case anyone else wants to riff off it:
"It is really encouraging to see Christchurch thinking of low-carbon solutions. I also think it's important to be explicit about which options support lowering emissions vs. not. E.g. prioritising carparking spaces is not an equal option alongside cycle ways, when one encourages private vehicle usage (which the IPCC and many other scientists/experts have repeatedly said is not consistent with a safe climate future), and the other is a solution to climate change and brings with it a host of co-benefits (better physical and mental health, less air pollution, less noise pollution, less deaths on roads)"
Adding on that there is now another great submission guide for the Auckland Council budget, by "A better budget for Auckland". It does a great job of advocating for a city where we value our community and the resources provided by the local boards.
https://betterbudgetauckland.co.nz/landing/makeasubmission/