Environmental Action Priorities for Wellington Region

We need some bold, workable ideas to tackle the environmental issues in the Wellington region, according to Dr Roger Blakeley, Greater Wellington Regional Council candidate.

“The big five environmental challenges for Wellington Region are climate change; clean fresh water in rivers and streams; swimmable beaches and coastal areas; maintaining and restoring biodiversity; and building resilience to flooding and sea level rise. These must be the top priorities for our ongoing regional well-being.”

“Climate change is by far the most serious environmental issue we face”, said Dr Blakeley.

“The Regional Council, working with the other councils in the region, should set a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This is a bolder goal than the Government’s target of a 30% reduction on 2005 emission levels by 2030, and the gazetted target of 50% below 1990 levels by 2050.

“A rapid reduction of carbon dioxide emissions over the next two decades will be necessary to achieve this. It will require a shift to a low carbon economy with uptake of electric vehicles, more public transport, increased walking and cycling, use of biofuels for process heat, more wind and solar power, and a compact urban form”.

Dr Blakeley said that improved fresh water quality in rivers and streams is the second priority.

“Going for a swim in a water hole is part of the kiwi way of life, and we want the water to be safe for our children’s health. The Greater Wellington Regional Council monitors water quality at 53 sites on rivers and streams in the region. Of those, 17 sites (31%) were rated ‘poor’. Lake Wairarapa is facing issues with nutrient enrichment and poor water clarity.

“To implement the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management, the Regional Council is establishing a whaitua committee, comprising local people, iwi and local government, for each of the five major catchments in the region. This committee will set limits for water quality and water quantity in consultation with the community. The Regional Council should set a goal that all rivers and streams in the region will be ‘swimmable’ in a prescribed time frame”.

Dr Blakeley’s third priority is improved recreational water quality at beaches.

“The Regional Council’s monitoring of coastal recreational sites over the last five years gave eight (13%) of 61 sites a D grade (the second to worst grade). None received the worst grade.

“Urban stormwater discharges have been identified as a principal source of faecal contamination, particularly after heavy rainfall. For instance, in the Onepoto arm of the Porirua Harbour, the two greatest sources of these contaminants are the Porirua Stream and the Kenepuru Stream. The Regional Council should work with Wellington Water to set a goal that all coastal areas will be ‘swimmable’ within a prescribed time frame”.

Biodiversity is the fourth priority for Dr Blakeley.

“Biodiversity loss in the region, as in the rest of New Zealand, has been dramatic. Less than three percent of the region’s original wetlands remain. More than 120 different types of plants and animals are threatened with extinction. The Regional and other councils’ actions to maintain and restore diversity include: eradication of pest plants and animals; management of regional parks; encouraging local action on private land to eradicate pests; and protection of ecologically significant wetlands.

“The Regional Council should set out a specific plan and timetable to implement objective16 of the Regional Policy Statement: ‘indigenous ecosystems and habitats with significant biodiversity values are maintained and restored to a healthy functioning state”.

Building resilience to flooding and sea level rise is Dr Blakeley’s fifth priority.

“NIWA has predicted a 20-35 cm rise in sea level by 2050. Longer term, scientific estimates include a 1.5m sea level rise by 2100. The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) in her 2015 report Preparing New Zealand for Rising Seas, identified in the Wellington region a total of 5008 homes, 160 businesses and 58 km of road which lie less than 1.5m above spring high tide.

“Options for building resilience include managed retreat (such as planning restrictions on development in areas that will be inundated) and coastal protection (such as sea walls). A 1.5m sea level rise would result in substantial inundation of Wellington central. The Hutt Valley will flood more often, as higher sea levels push up the water table and make it harder for the Hutt River to drain flood waters. Hutt City Council’s district plan already includes flood-prone area maps and mandatory building floor levels.

“The Regional Council should work with councils in the region on a resilience strategy, including mapping and prioritising the main risks identified in the PCE’s report, with an approach that fully involves the community.”
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Dr Blakeley was New Zealand’s first Secretary for the Environment between 1986 and 1995. He was also the chair of the Paris-based OECD Environment Committee, one of the top eight committees of the OECD, between 1992 and 1995.

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