Explanatory note

Climate change represents a grave threat to the future of our entire planet. Tackling climate change requires action at a local level, as greenhouse gas emissions occur from a wide variety of sources. Local government can, through its influence on transport and land use planning, and its transport policy have a major impact on greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles. Local government is also the consent authority for stationary sources of CO₂ emissions such as thermal power stations.

The Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Act 2004 removed the ability of local government to consider the effect of CO₂ emissions (and other greenhouse gases) on climate change when making rules in regional plans or determining air discharge consents. The rationale for this was that it would be dealt with through a national instrument. However, such an instrument has yet to be forthcoming and in the meantime new applications for consent to emit CO₂ are being considered and approved with no regard for climate change.

The ability of consent authorities to consider climate change ought to be in place at least until a national instrument is well established and is shown to be effective.

This Bill repeals those sections of the Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Act which prevent the consideration of climate change in the granting of air discharge consents and the formulation of regional plans.