A copy of the transcript will be uploaded to the website shortly. 

COVID-19 has reminded us of the absolute need to transform our future. Will we act with the level of ambition and hope that the climate crisis requires of us, and future generations deserve from us? 

The 2020 Climate Change + Business Conference (CCBC) will host some of the most critical conversations about Aotearoa / New Zealand's climate change mitigation and adaptation challenges and opportunities. This year's conference theme is "Redefining Our Future", a necessary focus as we look to spend our way out of a pandemic-induced economic recession. Are businesses investing in climate-positive food, energy and transport systems, in resilient urban and rural environments, in policy settings and in research and development that will ensure we rapidly reduce our emissions and meet our Zero Carbon Act targets? 

The need to build on the urgency and momentum for rapid and substantial decarbonisation remains. Collaboration across central government, local authorities, and the business community will be fundamental to achieving the scale and pace of the transition required. Auckland Conversations is proud to sponsor Plenary Session 14 of the CCBC: Local government climate action planning: The power of partnering with business to create low-emissions, climate-resilient cities. This session brings together representatives from across New Zealand to share their climate action planning, from mitigation policies and projects, to adaptation priorities and strategies and how they are working with the business community to drive implementation.

Included in this session will be conversations about: 

• emissions targets
• the impact of COVID-19 on climate action planning, implementation and funding
• how councils have collaborated with local business communities to inform their climate action plans
• climate resilient urban design
• the particular challenges of water, from sea level rise, inundation and large-scale managed retreat, to the increased likelihood and severity of extreme weather events (including storms, flooding and drought), saline intrusion and the impacts on horticulture, the increasing need for water storage infrastructure, better urban water cycle management, and the overhaul of our three waters infrastructure. 

This event is co-sponsored by: