City calls proposed climate change law flawed
MEDIA RELEASE
6 November 2003
NZ’s largest city
calls proposed
climate change law flawed and costly
Auckland City believes a proposed change to the Resource Management Act (RMA) would add significantly to the already complex RMA process and would have major cost implications for business and the wider community.
The Resource Management Act (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill would require local authorities to consider the effects of climate change when issuing resource and planning consents.
“This an attempt by the government to implement their Kyoto commitments but the implications have not been well thought through,” says Councillor Mark Donnelly, Chairperson of the council’s Strategy and Governance Committee.
“The ‘effects of climate change’ could encompass a range of potential changes in the environment from sea level rises through to weather patterns. The amendment gives no definition of ‘climate change’ or guidance as to what specific effects local authorities will expected to take into account.
“While the bill’s intention to assist the establishment of electricity wind farms is laudable, Auckland City feels the current blanket change approach to the RMA is flawed, and risks having a major negative impact on the country’s future economic growth,” says Mr Donnelly.
Ends