Jane Nees BOP Regional Councillor www.janenees.co.nz

A lot of local government meetings aren't all that exciting. However, this week I attended a meeting of some local body politicians from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council with members of the Tauranga Carbon Reduction Group.

I found the discussions very heartening, because like many people, I have been concerned that as a community we are not getting to grips with the risks of our changing climate and the need to take action now to minimise negative impacts.

If we don't act, we have no chance to limit the average global temperature increase to the two degree Celsius maximum agreed in Paris last year.

A key problem is when it comes to reducing carbon emissions, many people are waiting for central government to lead the way – or they simply believe New Zealand as a country is too small to make a difference in the greater scheme of things.

I believe everyone needs to take responsibility and action in whatever way we can – at a personal level or within our organisations, because every little counts.

At the meeting there was a willingness to set up a regional and local framework to reduce carbon emissions. Having a vision for our sustainable future and raising awareness about how we can achieve it by taking appropriate actions are key first steps.

Prioritising actions that have multiple benefits or maximum impact will also be important. Leadership is the key, and I look forward to further progress on this front to realise a sustainable future for our beautiful Bay of Plenty.

If you have any views on this or any other issue, please contact me on neesj@xtra.co.nz or ring me on 07 579-5150. Or you can check out my website at www.janenees.co.nz