Our hearts go out to everyone in Aotearoa who has been affected by recent flooding in Tāmaki Makaurau, Northland, Waikato and Cyclone Gabrielle all around the North Island. 

This is climate change.

But right now, there are reports that Auckland’s Mayor, Wayne Brown, is considering cutting two-thirds of the funding sources for essential environmental programmes that are crucial to protecting everyone from severe weather.

Essential work is at risk, like improving stormwater management and restoring wetlands to reduce the impact of floods.

We’ve heard that Mayor Brown is also proposing cutting funding for buses - when we know that better public transport is a crucial part of reducing our climate pollution and delivering a more liveable, sustainable city.

And we've even heard that the Natural Environment Targeted Rate looks to be 'paused', in addition to a significant reduction of the climate change team's work programme.

I need your help to stop this happening. Together, we can show Mayor Brown that Aucklanders want more investment in a climate-safe future, not less.

We’ve got to act fast. The Mayor and council are finalising their proposed budget in the next few days. Just as communities have united to help with the immediate response and recovery, we need to show our political leaders that we’re united in our support for:

• Protecting and restoring wetlands, rivers, and streams to keep floodwaters away from homes and communities.
• Improving our green spaces, through planting trees and maintaining our parks, so that our urban environment is more resilient in the face of extreme weather.
• Making buses and trains more frequent and more reliable, so people aren’t forced into car dependency to get around their city.
• Making streets better for people, so tamariki can walk and bike to school safely.

As we continue to recover from the devastation, we need urgent action to build climate-friendly, resilient communities where everyone has what they need to thrive in Tāmaki Makaurau and nationwide. A better future is possible.