Earlier this year, 52 New Zealand mayors and local government chairwomen and men signed the Local Government Leaders' Climate Change Declaration.
The Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) document updated and reiterated a 2105 version, and noted an ``urgent need for responsive leadership'' on climate change.
The document reflected a sense the previous government was dragging the chain on the issue, leaving regional and city authorities to deal with it by themselves.
This weekend, LGNZ president Dave Cull is attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference Cop23 (conference of the parties) event in Bonn, Germany.
He hopes the event will provide ideas as to what communities are doing about the issue.
He is in Germany as the Government headed by Jacinda Ardern sorts through its response to climate change, something both Mr Cull and conservationist Emeritus Prof Sir Alan Mark say should change the political environment.
Mr Cull said earlier this week the purpose of Cop23 concerned local, regional and city authorities, and even businesses, putting in place partnerships, projects or initiatives to further the ambitions of the Paris Agreement.
As of October 2017, 194 states and the European Union had signed the agreement.
But around the world, the initiatives concerning climate change mitigation efforts were largely at a subnational level, Mr Cull said.
``Certainly in New Zealand, the local government sector had badgered the previous government to take a more directive line and more leadership, not only on mitigation but also on adaptation measures, but they did neither.''
Adaptation meant responses to the effects of climate change.
``The questions are who has fiscal responsibility or liability if people have to vacate their homes or we can't maintain infrastructure and they have to retreat?
``Who takes fiscal responsibility if we know that there are risks but we don't do anything about it as a council and someone sues us?''
Asked why the response was coming from a local level, Mr Cull said, in terms of adaptation, the coalface was local, and the effects were felt locally, whether through rising ground water or coastal erosion or floods.
At a mitigation level, cities had realised, because of the concentration of population, there was more opportunity to reduce carbon emissions at an urban level.
``There's just more stuff going on that you can reduce.''
Mr Cull said around New Zealand there was a ``real will on the part of even small communities'' to be involved.
Communities were asking what they could do to reduce the country's carbon footprint.
``It's people who are feeling this way, and communities.
``I think central governments, particularly governments that are focused only on economic growth, tend to prioritise that.
``The previous government on the one hand signed the Paris Accord, and then on the other hand encouraged prospecting for more fossil fuel.''
Once in Bonn, Mr Cull said he expected to learn about initiatives and partnerships being developed around the world, either between, or in, cities and regions, with the aim of mitigation measures.
``I'm wanting to learn what we can do that other people have already tested.''
Prof Mark is the spokesman for Wise Response, which has also called on the Government to take action on climate change.
He said the organisations leading the response to climate change around the world varied, and it was not possible to generalise on which organisations or authorities were leading the charge.
In the United States it was being led at a state level, ``because the federal government hasn't really functioned in terms of its responsibility''.
Some states saw the importance of a response, California being an example.
``It's obviously had a lot of symptoms of global warming and it feels a responsibility to take action.''
In Europe individual countries were taking the lead, Germany and the United Kingdom being examples.
The UK had a Committee on Climate Change under a Climate Change Act, and had taken action to reduce emissions.
``I think it varies, but there's no doubt in New Zealand individual cities and provinces have taken action. There's no doubt about it, local government in New Zealand has taken the lead.''
Prof Mark said he was confident the new Government would take a much stronger lead.
``I'm a hell of a lot more optimistic than I was pre-election.''
He said having a minister responsible for climate change was a good step.
The previous government focused on addressing climate change while maintaining economic development.
Nothing could be done unless economic development was ``pre-eminent''.
``I think this Government will not see the importance of maximising economic development as a function of addressing climate change.''
Prof Mark said community organisations were also an important part of the response.
``I think local government realises that climate change is on us, the issue is urgent, and everybody is saying the sooner we begin to address the issue, the more responsive it'll be and the less of a burden it'll be on future generations.
``The longer we leave it, the worse it's going to become.''
New Zealand's closest neighbour, Australia, had an independent Climate Council, which was very active but ``frustrated as hell''.
Coal mining supported by the government meant ``they've really got a worse situation that we have'' of reducing their dependence of fossil fuels.
``When [Green Party leader] James Shaw comes back from Bonn, we'll expect some major moves in central government with legislation going through and a climate commission.''
