#120 We deserve better
On at least getting to the status quo
Mōrena, and happy Tuesday!
I’ve been travelling for work for the past few weeks, and if you look at my camera roll, it’s almost embarrassing how much of it is trains, trams, and rows of bikes. It’s been such a thrill to see streets built for people, with multiple choices of transport. Homes are closer together, with shared courtyards to play and eat with neighbours. Everything you need is close enough to walk or cycle to, with lots of green spaces on the way.
A former mayor of Bogotá, Enrique Peñalosa, said “An advanced city is not one where even the poor use cars, but rather one where even the rich use public transport.”, i.e. you know you’re winning at life when a multi-million dollar vehicle picks you up for work every day:
I could see the truth of this, with many people cycling in suits or getting on trains that arrived every two minutes. With 20% of our country’s emissions coming from transport, shifting away from private vehicles towards public transport, cycling, and walking, is crucial.
I understand why people might dread reducing their car use in Aotearoa, with public transport as it is now. But it could be so much more enjoyable, accessible, and fast.
So, to throw it back to last week’s newsletter on climate convos, do you have any friends who love trips to Europe and Asia, but aren’t into climate action? Perhaps you can ask them - what did they like over there? Was it how easy it was to get around? Was it all the cool attractions that were walking distance from places where you stay, where people actually live?
We can have all of this in Aotearoa! It just requires choosing, voting, and publicly supporting investment in public transport, cycleways, and walkways. It isn’t even radical or revolutionary - it’s just the status quo.
What can we do today?
The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was the quiz to find the next step in your climate journey. Take it today if you haven’t already!
🐝 5 minutes: Chchoo chchoo, all aboard!
Continuing the campaign against the Fast-track Approval Bill - the Select Committee is now preparing their report to suggest amendments to this environmentally destructive bill. This gives us a short window to urge key members of the committee to drop the bill.
Action: Quick-email 4 key committee members to drop the fast-track billThe Greater Christchurch councils have endorsed Christchurch’s Public Transport Futures plan, which emphasises public transport. The plan needs central government funding to proceed, but the Government has gone back on their earlier commitment to fund these crucial public transport projects.
Action: Sign the petition for PT investment (thanks Greater Ōtautahi!)
💃🏽 30+ minutes: Let’s not kid around with kids’ lives
The Government is consulting on changes to speed restrictions. We don’t always think of lower speeds as climate action, but they save lives, reduce carbon emissions, and make it safer and more accessible to walk or cycle.
Action: Have your say on the speed limits restriction rule with our template
In case you missed it!
Add your workplace to the Bike Auckland Cycling Works campaign to support the message that cycle-friendly infrastructure is better for business! They’re also looking for volunteers to help with the campaign (giving out fliers, connecting with businesses, organising small events). Sign up here!
Wins!
The blockade worked! Locals and climate activists forced fossil fuel lobby group ‘Energy Resources Aotearoa’ (formerly the Petroleum Exploration & Production Association of NZ) to cancel the in-person elements of their forum. The message this sends to MPs on the Fast-Track Bill is just as impactful as the practical disruption to the forum.
Climate Liberation Aotearoa did an awesome speech to the Christchurch City Council in favour of including international shipping & aviation emissions in our 2050 target, and asking Lyttelton Port to increase cruise ship charges.
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (cool name!) is the world’s top court for oceans. Last week, they ruled that greenhouse emissions count as marine pollution – a big win for our Pacific neighbours who led the case.
For those of you who submitted the draft Canterbury Regional Land Transport Plan 2024-34, the plan has now been approved. The committee received 131 written submissions and 23 oral submissions (every submission really counts!). As a direct result of submissions, the plan was updated to emphasise equity & inclusion, and to further investigate mode shift & transport pollution.
That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy this butterfly analogy for building a sustainable climate movement. “Butterflies cannot do what they do without all four of their wings. When we talk about social change and social transformation, these four wings are: resist, build, heal and reform.”
See you next week,
Dhanya & the Climate Club team
Linktree | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Climate Job Board
I'm going to visit family in Australia soon, most of whom I haven't seen since before COVID. I feel bad about flying but I'm staying nearly three weeks and doing the journeys I can using alternative transport. I'm going via Auckland so doing the overnight bus to Auckland. I can get a reclining seat for just over $100, but there are no toilets on the bus, and we get just two stops at service stations, so it's not particularly comfortable.
In Australia, I have to get from the Gold Coast to Sydney. I'm taking a bus from the Gold Coast to Casino which is inland and south a bit, then getting on the overnight train. The journey is 4 hours and 200 kilometres longer, but much more comfortable and around the same price (time and cost include both the bus and train legs of the journey).
Another example where we are worse, even though the rail line is right there and could be used if it was prioritised.
I generally think about status quo as a bad thing - lovely to see an example of how communal expectations can be a great thing when supporting sensible systems. Thanks.