95% of the public who took part in Thames-Coromandel District Council’s consultation on climate change want the council to show leadership to the community and take urgent action to reduce its own climate emissions. 

This overwhelming feedback from Thames Coromandel people calling for climate action confirms what should have been blindingly obvious to the mayor and the previous council when over 300 youth climate strikers and adults marched to the council offices in Thames and strong climate action submissions were made on the council’s Long Term Plan.

The public wants strong action from council on climate and they want it now”. “Many of the public feedback forms sent to the council included dozens of practical suggestions for climate action which could also save ratepayers funds.

This resounding call for climate action is yet another humiliating rebuff to mayor Sandra Goudie who refused to sign the Local Government Leaders Declaration on Climate Change in 2019, and also failed to follow good process and seek the views of the public on what actions the council should take to reduce its own emissions. This follows the earlier humiliation for the mayor when the High Court ruled that her stance on climate change was unlawful and also ruled that the council should have asked the public for its views.

With 95% public support the message to the mayor and the current council is undeniable – stop making weak excuses for inaction, do what your constituents are undeniably asking you to do, and just get on with an urgent program of ambitious emission reduction actions.

Hauraki District Council has shown how it can be done with its Carbon Promise Plan