MEDIA RELEASE
Embargoed until 9am
Tuesday 8 March 2005

Councils to receive awards for work on curbing climate change

Fourteen leading councils will be awarded for their commitment to climate change at a cocktail event tonight. As members of the government-funded Communities for Climate Protection – New Zealand (CCP®-NZ) Programme, these councils have been working to cut greenhouse gas emissions in their own corporate activities and in their communities. Howard Fancy, Acting Chief Executive, Ministry for the Environment, will congratulate participants in Hamilton tonight following the CCP-NZ 2008 Forum.

CCP-NZ is a New Zealand Government initiative delivered by ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability– Oceania (ICLEI Oceania) [The international organisation was founded in 1990 as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, but is now known as ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability – Oceania (ICLEI Oceania)], The programme is part of ICLEI’s International Cities for Climate Protection™ Campaign. In New Zealand, ICLEI Oceania works in partnership with the Ministry for the Environment, with support from Local Government New Zealand and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.

Since the programme was launched in July 2004, 31 councils have joined CCP-NZ. These participants include a range of city, district and regional councils from throughout the country and represent over 80% of the nation’s population.

Within the CCP-NZ Programme councils work through a series of milestones to assess their greenhouse gas emissions, set goals to reduce their climate change impact and implement projects to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

"The programme is an excellent example of how central, regional and local government can work together to achieve significant financial and environmental benefits for the community", said Wayne Wescott, Chief Executive Officer of ICLEI Oceania.

"Local government has shown again that it leads the field in successfully implementing environmental projects, while saving money", said Mr Wescott. "Through completing the first programme milestone, councils have audited their energy spend, waste and fuel usage. The councils recognised today prove that action on climate change makes good economic, environmental and political sense".

"Hamilton City is proud to host this year's Communities for Climate Protection Forum. It reflects our achievements in the CCP-NZ Programme. Along with other councils, Hamilton is striving to implement actions that will significantly reduce our community's greenhouse gases. Council's internal focus on energy efficiency will reduce our environmental impact and save money for our ratepayers", said Bob Simcock, Mayor of Hamilton City Council.

Background on CCP-NZ
CCP-NZ is a New Zealand Government initiative, funded by the Ministry for the Environment and delivered by ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability– Oceania (ICLEI Oceania) , a not-for-profit international local government association operating in 30 countries around the world. ICLEI's mission is to build and serve a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global sustainability with a special focus on environmental conditions through cumulative local actions. The CCP-NZ programme provides a strategic milestone framework via which councils can take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

ENDS

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