Queenstown Lakes District Council informs New Zealand environmental nonprofit group Wao Aotearoa has launched the Wao Climate Action Initiative to give local businesses and schools the knowledge and tools to calculate greenhouse gas emissions greenhouse gases and take action to reduce them. The group is working with the regional tourism organizations Destination Queenstown (DQ) and Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT), and the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) who are jointly funding the project.
The Wao Climate Action initiative is divided into two phases: “Computing for Climate”, an initial period to set the global context and collect data, followed by “Fast Track to Neutral” with a series of workshops and resources for help participants overcome emissions reduction strategies and develop their own reduction response plan.
DQ and LWT help identify local companies that meet three criteria, namely that they are locally owned and operated, driven by collective action, and do not currently keep an inventory of their emissions.
Wao Aotearoa board member and IPCC lead author Dr Carly Green said the vision for the project is to accelerate the district towards net zero carbon emissions and help build a regenerative community. .
Dr Green notes that “the aim of the Climate Action Initiative is to establish a district-wide baseline for GHG emissions and to help all members of the community to have a meaningful impact on their reduction. It will build on the work already done by some businesses, individuals and organizations, including in the rural sector which is supported by Wai Wānaka, another local non-profit organization.
“We’re especially keen to work with smaller tourism-related companies who want to make measurable change but may not know where to start. The lessons we learn from working with an initial group of 20 people will help us create resources that can be used by organizations in all sectors. Likewise, our toolkit for schools will eventually be available to others across the country through the national Enviroschools program. “
Katherine Durman, director of QLDC’s climate action program, said the project aligns closely with Vision Beyond 2050 and the Queenstown Lakes District climate action plan.
Durman adds “Two of the statements within Vision Beyond 2050 are zero carbon communities and a deafening chorus of dawn, while the Climate Action Plan sets out how we will meet our net zero carbon emissions targets. by 2050 across the district and be resilient to local communities. impact of climate change. “
DQ Managing Director Paul Abbot and LWT Managing Director Tim Barke said that in addition to the Wao Climate Action initiative, organizations are currently working together to develop a destination management plan for the whole. of the district based on the concept of regenerative tourism.
Abbot explains, “Regenerative tourism means creating value in a way that makes our home a better place over time. Work like the Wao initiative and the destination management plan will help us achieve this.
“The first step in reducing greenhouse gases is to measure our current emissions. The work of local organizations like Wao Aotearoa will help us make real progress towards net zero, ”said Barke.
Companies and schools involved in the project will be invited to participate in a dedicated event at the next Wao summit to be held in Wānaka from October 26 to 31.
“By connecting businesses with students, we hope to encourage intergenerational collaboration and foster a group of informed young people entering the workforce with the knowledge and passion to create real change locally and elsewhere,” said Dr Green.
For more information on Wao Aotearoa
Image courtesy Queenstown Lakes District Council
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