Happy Earth Day 2021 - What is New Zealand doing?
The world celebrated Earth Day on the 22nd of April, an event that started in 1970 in response to the massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Now 1 billion people in 193 countries around the world are celebrating this year’s theme, Restore the Earth. Following a year of focusing on community and environmental resilience provoked by lockdown, it seems appropriate to find ways to give back and cultivate within our community, land, and sea.
"Restore the Earth"
So what is New Zealand doing? I posed this question to our Sustainable Taranaki Group of over 650 members and had mixed reviews, so I wrote a quick summary. The government actually has a comprehensive site with the information.
At The Start Of 2021, New Zealand Declared A Climate Change Emergency And Committed To A Carbon-Neutral Government By 2025, In What Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern Called “One Of The Greatest Challenges Of Our Time.”
The Ministry for the Environment says the greatest effect of climate change is likely to be on New Zealand's water resources, with higher rainfall in the west and less in the east. Extreme climate events such as droughts could become more frequent in eastern areas, with increased flooding after major downpours.
The Ministry for the Environment is working in these key areas to minimise the impacts of climate change:
The Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP) has been set up to accelerate the reduction of emissions within the public sector. The Government will join businesses and communities already leading the way to reduce their emissions as we transition to a low-emissions economy.
The New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) is a key tool for meeting our domestic and international climate change targets, including the 2050 target set by the Climate Change Response Act 2002.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government established the $1.245 billion Jobs for Nature package to support a greener recovery for Aotearoa New Zealand. The four-year programme will bring thousands of people into nature-based employment, benefiting te taiao (the environment) and New Zealand’s communities.
What Sustainable Taranaki is doing:
The Community Gardens Program (Happening behind my house!) - supporting neighborhoods to come together and start and maintain autonomously.
Behavioral Change projects - helping people switch to alternative transport, recycle better, start gardening at home and prioritise reusables.
The Sustainable Backyards Trail - annual event which invites people from the region and beyond to visit 25+ backyards that are environmentally friendly and feed/support the family in some way.
The Impact Program - for students (8 to12 years old) who work on youth-led environmental initiatives during school time.
Workshops - to encourage homeowners to make more sustainable choices at home (make your own cleaning products, worm farming, etc).
Let’s Compost Workshops - teaching about worm farming, bokashi, and backyard composting - a free opportunity for people in the community to learn and get a discount on a composting system.
Food Secure Communities project - engaging local stakeholders in conversations around co-creating a food security plan for Taranaki.
The Junction - Zero Waste Hub - This is our region’s recycling centre. Sustainable Taranaki runs the educational tours and workshops.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Besides our projects and programs, we have also partnered up with The Flying High Project - a hot air balloon that has traveled around the world on tour and aims to inspire sustainable innovation for future generations.
Read more about the Flying High Events.
There are countless initiatives, organisations, groups, schools, businesses and programs that are starting to shift their focus towards closing the loop and becoming #climate positive all around that New Zealand.
This is just the start of a much bigger conversation, so if you have something you would like to add please email info@sustainabletaranaki.org.nz and/or join our Sustainable Taranaki Community Group for ongoing discussion.
