Leading Auckland mayoral candidates go on record with environment plans

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• Read all the candidates full responses to WWF's survey

WWF is calling on Aucklanders to challenge the mayoral candidates on their environmental policies, after finding none of the top four polling mayoral candidates[1] for Auckland’s Super City have committed to protecting Auckland from the impacts of climate change.

WWF asked Auckland mayoral candidates[2] six questions covering sustainable transport, marine protection, and climate change & sustainable development, and has today (news eds: Wednesday 15 September) published the candidates’ full responses, along with a assessment of the top four polling candidates[3], at wwf.org.nz

“All four top polling candidates expressed some commitment to investment in sustainable transport, though the level of commitment varies considerably between the candidates, and three of the four have some level of commitment to marine protection,” said Chris Howe, WWF-New Zealand Executive Director.

“We were surprised and concerned to find that none of the four expressed a plan to protect the city from the future impacts of climate change,” he said.

The Super City structure will for the first time mean one council has sole responsibility for Auckland’s environment, and WWF has published the responses to ensure voters are informed about the mayoral candidates’ plans for managing it responsibly.

“Managing Auckland’s unique environment is a central issue for the new Super City, and its new mayor. We hope Aucklanders find the information useful in challenging the mayoral candidates further about their commitment to the environment,” said WWF’s Chris Howe. “We are encouraging Aucklanders to go to wwf.org.nz to read the candidates responses, contact them directly to challenge them on these or other environment issues that they are concerned about.”

He said that cities in New Zealand and around the world are looking to adapt to the predicted impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and temperature increases: “This has to be a fundamental part of Auckland’s urban planning, and yet none of the four leading candidates for Auckland Mayor has expressed an understanding of how critical this is. With the creation of the Super City, this is the ideal opportunity to look at the region-wide impacts of climate change and make sure the city is future-proofed against them.”

On climate change, the candidates were asked: “What is your priority for ensuring Auckland is adequately prepared for, and protected from, the effects of climate change?”

In response, none of the top polling four candidates expressed the policy WWF believes is essential: to take widely available projections on sea-level rise, temperature and rainfall into account when planning for infrastructure investment such as road or rail tunnels, building development, coastal planning and seawalls, sewer, storm water and groundwater systems, amongst others.

The published responses show that all four leading candidates –Len Brown, John Banks Andrew Williams and Colin Craig – have all made some level of commitment to investing in improving sustainable transport.

“Auckland needs improved public transport to give people real alternatives to car journeys in order to cut down greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution,” says Chris Howe. “Reducing car use will be better for the environment and better for health.”

While the completion of rail networks was a popular policy, only Mr Brown and Mr Williams mentioned a commitment to the other pillars of sustainable transport – more buses, and better walking and cycling options. Colin Craig was the only one of the four to commit to spending more on public transport than on new roads, based on a fully self-funded road building programme.

WWF recognises that mayoral candidates may develop their position on the environment as the electoral campaign continues, and thank all the ten candidates that responded for their time and consideration in submitting information. WWF is a non-political organisation.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• WWF is an independent non-political organisation. WWF does not endorse any candidate for Mayor.

• WWF contacted the fifteen Auckland registered mayoral candidates who had made their email address available to the Elections Service with the six questions below. Of these, ten candidates sent their responses to WWF

• For simplicity, WWF has concentrated on assessing the top four polling candidates based on public opinion poll ratings (Herald Digipoll) as of 14 August 2010.

• WWF has assessed the four top polling candidates’ responses against WWF’s vision for the best environmental policies for Auckland and published a summary table of these – this table is available as a print-ready file and in online formats.

• WWF has also published the full responses from all ten candidates who replied to our questions at wwf.org.nz/Auckland_Mayor

• Contact details for all mayoral candidates can be accessed from http://www.elections2010.co.nz/2010/candidates/

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[1] Four top polling candidates based on public opinion poll ratings (Herald Digipoll) as of 14 August 2010

[2] WWF contacted the fifteen registered Auckland mayoral candidates who had made their email address available to the Elections Service with the questions. Of these, ten candidates sent their responses to WWF.

[3] WWF has assessed the four top polling candidates’ responses against WWF’s vision for the best environmental policies forAuckland, and has published a summary of those candidates' policies and WWF’s rating of them, alongside full responses from the ten candidates who replied, at wwf.org.nz/Auckland_Mayor

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