Environment Southlands Climate Emergency motion was headlined in the Southland Times (4/7/19) ‘Climate Emergency’ nixed,

I looked up the derivation of the word ‘nixed’. It’s the late 18th century German word ‘nichts’ meaning ‘put an end to; cancel ‘.

Many people including myself were disappointed. Do the majority (8 to 4) Environment Southland (ES) councillors know more than they are saying ? Clr Guyton explained emergency and asked for scientific evidence that children, in councils and countries who have passed the motion, are in fear and panic. Clr Rodway proposed an amendment to include a definition of emergency but to no avail.

The ES Council (10 for with 2 abstaining) then passed Clr Roy’s motion identifying the climate crisis urgency and requiring an action plan. ES CEO Rob Phillips then said “it could be produced in 3 months.”

So we await with anticipation the October 2019, unveiling /revelation of the action plan. I expect the plan to identify whether ‘the climate crisis is ‘ urgent’, as the ES councillors unanimously believe, or an ‘emergency’ as Clrs Guyton and Currie believe.

I chose the words ‘unveiling/revelation’ intentionally. They are derived from the ancient Greek word- Apocalypse. The final book of the New Testament we now call Revelations, in Greek is Apocalypse.

This week we have had the unveiling/ revelation of ‘Great South’. Imagine as a matter of interpretation in years gone by, we could have called it the “Great South apocalypse’.

That’s what I believed happened at the ES council meeting. The interpretation of the words ‘emergency’ and ‘urgent” were the sticking points.

We await the Environment Southlands October Apocalypse.

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