Environment Southland has released a draft Climate Change Action Plan after admitting a need for immediate action more than five months ago.
In July, a majority voted against declaring a climate emergency over fears it would cause public panic.
Instead, councillors agreed to commit to applying best practice and best science to its responsibilities and accord urgency to developing an action plan.
An update on the plan was presented at the ordinary meeting of council held at Environment Southland this week.
Environment Southland policy and planning team leader Gavin McCullagh said while planning was still under development, progress had been made towards developing a collaborative approach with Southland District Council and Invercargill City Council.
It detailed the council’s proposed actions and responsibilities to address climate change impacts and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Southland.
It was acknowledged the plan had two parts, one being to focus on Environment Southland’s action plan, and the other on their commitment to regional collaboration on climate change.
Cr Robert Guyton said the council’s responsibilities must "go beyond [their] own behaviour in the building".
Policy, planning and regulatory services general manager Vin Smith said more information on what Environment Southland had been working on would be made available to the public in the new year.
Staff had been working specifically on how to best disseminate the information region-wide.
Mr McCullagh said a lot of what was included in the action plan would be added into the council’s existing programmes, including school-based education.
"The feedback that I had was that staff were actually really quite enthusiastic about taking up those sorts of opportunities."
