Climate Action Activators

Our Climate Action Activators champion and catalyse climate action in local communities and areas across Tāmaki Makaurau. With a strong understanding of climate, and local contexts and being well-connected in their respective communities, they support the delivery of Local Boards’ Climate Action Plans by:

• Delivering a work programme comprised of actions from the local board, including championing new innovative projects and supporting existing ones;
  
  
• Building a network of community partners and groups in the climate space, including an advisory group of local climate action champions;
  
  
• Engaging with members of the public, whether providing support in engaging with the local board on climate topics, running training workshops or promoting climate tools such as Future Fit;
  
  
• Supporting reporting, evaluating and knowledge sharing of local board climate activities to build capacity.

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Examples of our Activators work

We currently have activators funded by local boards in Waitematā, Henderson-Massey, Waiheke and Puketāpapa, and are recruiting in Albert-Eden and Waitākere Ranges.

Business Associations and Sustainability

Small and medium-sized businesses can play an important and inspiring role in climate action. The Waitematā Climate Action Activator worked with numerous business associations in the local board area to help their members take sustainable steps forward by:

• Heading a webinar on sustainable funding on behalf of the Parnell Business Association;
• Supporting the Heart of the City Business Association’s ‘Plastic Free July’ community hub event;
• Engaging with members of the public at Grey Lynn and Parnell Farmers Markets to raise climate action awareness.

Supporting Te Reo Rangatahi/the Rangatahi Voice in climate action

The Waitematā Climate Action Activator supported the Equal Justice Project in their campaigns and engagement with Auckland Council and Council Controlled Organisations. The Equal Justice Project is an initiative comprised of law students from the University of Auckland advocating for climate action from Auckland Council and Council Controlled Organisations. The Activator facilitated meetings with Watercare and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited and assisted in preparing presentations to these and other CCOs including Auckland Transport.

Songwriters4climateaction

The Waitematā Climate Action Activator helped spark songwriters4climateaction, a series of 18 songwriter workshops exploring climate action as a topic and inspiration. Following the workshops, 12 participating artists produced a 12-song album, launched at a concert at The Flagship and available for streaming online.

Matariki Grant Funding

In 2022, the Henderson-Massey Climate Action Activator initiated an annual grant programme to catalyse local climate action projects that encourage people to embrace te taio during matariki. Seven projects received support from the inaugural grant round, including a public transport ‘amazing race’, a re-use market, workshops on making seed trays from pallets and Maramataka gardening, and the planting of a rongoā garden.