The Government must do its part in dealing with the challenge of climate change, the Prime Minister told a local government conference in Wellington yesterday.
"Many of you have your eye firmly on the challenges and impacts we're all facing as a result of climate change," Jacinda Ardern said.
"Some of you have had to face those challenges in very recent times. While you're doing your bit, we must do ours."
Read: New taxes and agencies recommended to help local councils deal with climate change
Ms Ardern spoke about the Zero Carbon Bill that sets out a 10 per cent reduction target of biological methane emissions by 2030, and aims for a 24-47 per cent reduction by 2050.
The local governments are gathering to talk about some of the big picture issues.
"The Zero Carbon Bill has passed through its first reading to create a plan to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees over the next 30 years and provide certainty to get in front of this challenge.
"Importantly for the local government sector, this bill will also create a legal obligation on the Government to plan for how it will support New Zealand towns and cities, businesses, farmers and iwi to adapt to the increasingly severe storms, floods, fires and droughts that we're experiencing as a result of climate change."
Ms Ardern said adaptation planning for climate change was a key challenge for local government.
Some in local government have pushed back against the Zero Carbon Bill.
In January, the West Coast Regional Council would not support the Government's Zero Carbon Bill , saying it wanted more scientific evidence to prove human-driven climate change is happening before it will commit to reducing emissions.
It comes as Auckland, Nelson, Hutt City, Kāpiti, Wellington City, Porirua and Hawke's Bay regional councils are among those that have declared climate emergencies.
However, the Government have not followed - voting down a bid by Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick to declare a climate emergency.
Last week, Ms Ardern said Labour did vote in favour of the move, but said she would "like to think our policies and our approach demonstrates that we do see it as an emergency".
According to the latest 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton Poll, 53 per cent of those asked agreed the Government should declare a climate emergency, 39 per cent disagreed and eight per cent did not know.
Those who were more likely to agree that the Government should declare a climate change emergency were Green Party supporters, Pacific peoples, people aged 18-34, Labour Party supporters and Māori.
Those who were more likely to be against were National Party supporters, men aged 55 and over and New Zealand Europeans.
SHARE ME