Today marks the launch of the Lower Hutt Climate Action Pathway Te Ara Whakamua o Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai, entitled ‘ Our race against time Ka whati te tai, ka pao te tōrea!’, with the target of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

A lead group, consisting of Mana Whenua, local business, climate experts and community and Council representatives developed the Pathway through a co-design process, facilitated by Creative HQ.

Mayor Campbell Barry, says that collective action is needed in order to achieve net zero in Lower Hutt by 2050.

"Like many areas in New Zealand, Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt is facing a number of climate change challenges. We are situated on the most densely populated flood plain in the country and our coastal communities are exposed to sea-level rise.

"By implementing the Climate Action Pathway we can take action now to put our city on a sustainable path forward to reducing emissions and ultimately, commit Lower Hutt to play its part in combating climate change."

Te Ātiawa Mana Whenua representative Te Karanga o te Tui Marino says, "Care for Papatūānuku and Papatūānuku will care for us. Our tūpuna understood this, we must do the same for our future generations, whānau kotahi tātou."

Chair of the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee, Councillor Josh Briggs says most of our city’s emissions come from transport (petrol and diesel), stationary energy (power and heating), and waste.

"The Pathway is a collective response to lowering emissions and sets out practical actions to achieving the target of net zero by 2050, including switching to electric vehicles and shifting to alternative modes of transport, moving away from using fossil fuels to heat homes, and reducing waste."

Hutt City Council Chief Executive Jo Miller welcomed the Climate Action Pathway which outlines the steps that need to be taken now to reduce our city’s collective carbon footprint, to cut emissions and reduce the impacts of climate change.

"It’s all of our responsibility to safeguard our place for future generations, treading more lightly on the Earth. This plan sets out the actions we can take together to fulfil that responsibility so our city and people can thrive."

Lower Hutt residents and businesses are invited to take part in the Climate Action Pathway by making pledges with the steps they intend to take to reduce emissions at hutt.city/makemypledge.

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