The Office of the Auditor-General has today announced it will undertake a performance audit to look at how well a selection of councils are putting their climate change strategies, commitments, and plans into action.
The audit will examine four councils – Environment Canterbury, Christchurch City Council, Nelson City Council, and Whanganui District Council – to identify actions to respond to climate change impacts, how the councils are implementing those actions, and how they are reporting progress to their communities.
“We anticipate that our findings will help other councils to build and maintain momentum in their response to climate change,” the Office said in a statement.
“This work will also support councils to engage more effectively with their communities about their climate change actions.
“Councils have a significant role in meeting climate change challenges and in understanding, planning for, and responding to the effects of climate change.”
The Office said it recognised that New Zealand’s councils are at varying stages of progress in responding to climate change impacts and face a range of issues in doing so.
“This work will have a particular focus on identifying examples of good practice, including effective collaboration with other public and private organisations, and in examining how lessons have been learned and how challenges have been overcome,” it said.
“We anticipate that our findings will help other councils to build and maintain momentum in their response to climate change. This work will also support councils to engage more effectively with their communities about their climate change actions.”
The performance audit is expected to be completed in mid-2024.
