New Headquarters for Climate Change Action 1

The Council will tomorrow formally sign an agreement with Oceania representatives of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), making Wellington New Zealand’s operational headquarters for tackling climate change.

ICLEI administers the Communities for Climate Protection Programme – New Zealand (CCP-NZ). It has been based in Wellington as a satellite operation and managed from Australia for the last few years. Now with ongoing support from the Council, ICLEI's permanent New Zealand headquarters are here in Wellington.

The Council's Climate Change Portfolio Leader, Councillor Ray Ahipene-Mercer will sign on behalf of the Council.

"This is a positive partnership for the Council and an important contribution that we can make, as New Zealand's capital city, towards addressing the urgent need for action on the issue of climate change," says Cr Ahipene-Mercer.

Cr Ahipene-Mercer has just returned from the international Climate Change Conference in Denpasar, which he attended as part of Wellington City Council's drive for leadership on actions in response to climate change. Last week, the Council set a timeframe goal of 2012 for its carbon neutral vision.

The signing will take place at the ICLEI/CCP-NZ offices, Level 3, 276 Lambton Quay at 10.30am. Media are invited to attend, please RSVP by the end of today, to christina.bellis@iclei.org or phone 471 1989.

Related Links
Communities for Climate Protection
WCC Climate Change Vision
Communities for Climate Protection - New Zealand website
International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives - Oceania website