It’s Your Future: Climate Action and How to Get Involved
Why do we need climate action?
Put simply, we need to implement fast climate action to curb the life threatening effects of our warming climate. The recent IPCC AR6 Report outlined what is in store for us if the Earth’s temperature continues to rise at the current rate and it paints a dangerous picture for our future. Extreme weather events and disasters are projected to intensify which would end up with areas across the globe becoming inhabitable for humans at certain times of the year. In New Zealand, droughts and increased fires will affect the North East, while heavy rainfall and flooding will be faced in the South West.
Though seemingly a bleak forecast, the report also projects what the Earth could look like if we slow down the rate of global warming through rapid climate action. The report emphasises the need for fast action now to avoid more irreversible disasters. Next month COP26 (The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference) will take place in Glasgow where Parties will discuss their individual country emissions targets and make a collective plan for the future.
Where do we want to be?
To slow and stabilise the Earth’s temperature to 1.5℃ warming we need to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are heating up the atmosphere. Ultimately we are aiming for net zero emissions, and in New Zealand this target is enriched in law, the Zero Carbon Act, which aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
How will we get there?
Reducing emissions of greenhouse gases to net zero will involve transformative change in our behaviours and will involve changing what we have, changing what we do, and changing how we think. Everything from what we eat, to how we move, to how we build.
The first step in reducing our emissions is knowing and understanding our carbon footprints, starting with our individual contributions. Once we know and understand what we are emitting, we can begin to make changes. Making a reduction strategy for yourself individually, your household, or your business is a good place to start.
How do you get involved?
Wao has been working with local tourism operators to get them calculating and setting up reduction strategies for their greenhouse gas emissions. Join us at the Wao Summit so you too can get this underway. Whether you are a business owner, farmer, builder, tourism operator or individual, sign up for one of our Workshops, Film Sessions, Kōreros and Impact Sessions.
