Do your climate research
Directors need to come up to speed on climate science and develop a picture of the future for their industries, organisations and communities if they want to stay ahead of climate-related risk, says Lisa Tumahai, deputy chair of He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission.
Speaking at a Chapter Zero NZ webinar on the Commission’s latest advice to Government, she was asked for practical advice – as opposed to high level policy and industry-level analysis – directors could apply in their organisations.
Tumahai dug into her own governance experience as Kaiwhakahaere (chair) of the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, the iwi’s tribal council, overseeing more than $1.2 billion in assets, to present a potential way forward.
What helped Ngāi Tahu develop an approach to climate action was an investigation of what the future looked like for Te Waipounamu, the South Island, she says.
“What did the next 100 years potentially look like? Going off the best evidence and the best science we could gather, we built a report on what the Ngāi Tahu nation could expect,” Tumahai says.
This led to the development of, firstly, a climate strategy and, more recently, a climate action plan and “tangible measures to hold our corporate bodies to account” for lowering emissions.
“We had to build the picture. What did it look like for us now and into the future? Once our people saw that picture, it required decisive internal climate action. I’ve been advising directors to start thinking about that, and what their responses might be.”
A key first step is to acknowledge and agree that “your organisation needs to own it”. She says boards are facing expectations and responsibilities not faced by previous generations.
“Climate layers up our responsibilities to our communities. I’d be doing your own homework to understand the future – not just for your industries but for the communities you live in.”
The comments came during the Q&A session of the event, which was focussed on the implications for business of the Government’s emissions reduction targets. The Government wants the country’s greenhouse gas emissions (excluding methane from agriculture and waste) to reach net zero by 2050.
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has released its “2023 Draft advice to inform the strategic direction of the Government’s second emissions reduction plan” and this is out for consultation until 20 June.
Tumahai urges directors to read the draft advice and provide feedback from the perspective of their industries and communities so it can be refined and presented to the Government.
“Climate needs to be depoliticised for us to get decisive policy decisions,” she says.
