Green Party co leader James Shaw attended a South Dunedin Future street meeting today to discuss local responses to climate change.

“The extreme weather events that Aotearoa has seen this year have been supercharged by climate change. How we go about building resilient and affordable communities that meet everyone’s needs despite the challenges of climate change will be a critical question for the next government. For the Greens, the answer is clear: we must slash our emissions, and take action to protect our homes and communities from extreme weather,” says Green Party co leader James Shaw.

“The climate crisis is no longer something that’s happening to someone else, somewhere else, at some point in the future. It’s happening to us, it’s happening here, and it’s happening now. South Dunedin is one of many communities across Aotearoa - including Queenstown just this week - that understand this clearer than ever.

“The Green Party is the only political party with a fully costed plan to both cut emissions and protect our communities from the impact of climate change. A key part of our plan is making sure places like South Dunedin can access a new $750 million Urban Nature Fund that will empower communities to create jobs restoring and protecting nature in towns and cities.

“We will also work with local organisations like South Dunedin Future to make sure that developers and councils are working together to construct homes and buildings designed to reduce emissions and handle extreme weather. A critical part of this will be ensuring much greater use of green spaces that not only provide a space to relax, but filter and drain flood waters.

“The decisions the next government makes will shape climate action in Aotearoa for the rest of this decade – and the rest of the century. Who is in government taking these decisions will have a huge impact on what the future looks like for communities like South Dunedin. I cannot think of anything more dangerous than a government with David Seymour and Winston Peters calling the shots.

“Our communities can be places where people and nature thrive, with warm and affordable homes powered by clean energy, accessible and climate-friendly ways of getting around, and healthy green spaces. But we need a government with the courage to do it,” says James Shaw.

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