Emphasis needed to shift from such things as discussing risk and targets to getting on with the job, several councillors said at a meeting yesterday.
Commenting on 43 actions in a draft national adaptation plan, Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins suggested they looked more like a prelude to action.
"It doesn’t look like an action list, really."
A greater focus was required to establish where the costs should fall for adaptation work, he said.
The mayor was concerned those people who were least capable of absorbing impacts of climate change would be disproportionately affected by the costs of adaptation.
Mr Hawkins questioned the equity of funding public adaptation works through debt when future generations would already be paying for the inaction of successive governments and generations.
He wanted a stronger role for local government and iwi in design, implementation and monitoring of action.
Several councillors were worried about the level of expectation that might be heaped on local government at the same time as uncertainty about the sector’s future amid reforms.
Cr Jim O’Malley said there appeared to be a reluctance to pull the trigger on adapting to climate change.
The mindset was more like, "ready, aim, aim, aim".
Deputy Mayor Christine Garey said climate change was having a damaging effect on people now, not just in the future.
She imagined a scene of people in outlying coastal areas of Dunedin on low incomes, renting and facing rising costs while without a reliable public transport system — storms were happening more often and the road was flooded.
"You’re hit at every part of your life."
Cr Andrew Whiley noted various organisations involved in understanding the South Dunedin landscape and said such knowledge could help other areas in Dunedin and nationally.
Cr Rachel Elder said the 2015 flood in South Dunedin was a pivotal moment that resulted in the council working more closely with other organisations.
"We need central government to come on board for what we want for our communities," she said. "We need the ability to fund what needs to be done."
Cr Carmen Houlahan said Dunedin could become an example for cities looking for solutions.
"We could be a knowledge centre for climate change."
