Business as usual is the wrong mentality for responding to a climate crisis, the Dunedin City Council has been told.
Climate activist Bruce Mahalski pushed for higher investment and faster action.
‘‘I want meaningful action on climate with a high budget - now,’’ he said yesterday during a 2025-34 long-term plan hearing.
‘‘Business as usual is killing us - economically, emotionally and for real.’’
The city council is implementing a zero-carbon plan, but it decided against including in its draft plan for public consultation options for extra packages of high or medium investment.
It is receiving feedback on the subject from submitters anyway.
Mr Mahalski is an artist, Dunedin Museum of Natural Mystery curator and Extinction Rebellion protester.
‘‘We can have the best plans in the world, but until you resource them properly they are absolutely meaningless.’’
Cr Sophie Barker said the council had included in its draft plan $98million in capital spending over nine years and $8.6m of operational expenditure over nine years for zero-carbon work.
‘‘So that’s good. So when is something actually going to start happening?’’ Mr Mahalski asked.
Cr Jim O’Malley called a point of order, for misrepresentation, because action had started.
Mayor Jules Radich did not uphold the complaint, as Mr Mahalski was ‘‘not misrepresenting his own view’’.
‘‘We’re here to listen to his view, and not to enter into a debate,’’ Mr Radich said.
He had also reminded councillors of this the previous day.
Mr Mahalski said he understood some people around the council table were doing great work in response to climate change.
‘‘I understand things are happening, but they’re not happening fast enough.’’
Dunedin psychologist Brian Dixon said the council had essentially voted for watered-down goals regarding climate change ‘‘and only a paltry budget allocated in the nine-year plan’’.
‘‘That’s sheer folly on your part and I think you need to rectify it.’’
Councillors risked failing future generations if they did not set the highest level of funding to fight climate change, Mr Dixon said.
‘‘If you choose to do something sensible now, and every year in the plan, we might have a chance to be on the right side of history.
‘‘We might be able to create a future that offers wellbeing to the people of our city.’’
