Community Success Story
Kaikoura District Council has a vision of a sustainable future with tourism providing the community with a strong economic base. It aims to introduce travellers to their unique attractions in a way that educates them about the area without harming the natural environment. Joining the Green Globe Community programme helped them to assess the environmental impact of their operation and start on the pathway to sustainability for the District.
Kaikoura District Council’s biggest environmental challenge is the annual increase in tourist numbers. Although tourist numbers bring economic returns by contributing to 30% of the district’s employment, they also place significant pressure on the district’s infrastructure and its natural and social environments. The Giant Sperm Whale commonly migrates to the area, so it was important to ensure the long-term viability of the marine parks that make the area so unique.
The increase in tourist numbers resulted in an increase in waste by 10%, and higher levels of greenhouse gases from larger numbers of cars travelling on the district highway.
They developed their sustainability policy in full consultation with stakeholders within the community. After initial reluctance, the whole District supported the initiatives the policy outlined, and this has resulted in a collaborative effort and positive results the whole community is proud of. After the community’s first benchmarking assessment, a celebration was held that enabled the community to commemorate what they had achieved and decide on the next step on their sustainability pathway.
Some of the initiatives the community undertook include the “Zero Waste” policy, which includes ceasing to collect kerb-side waste, other than recyclables. Community residents now pay to have rubbish disposed of at the landfill, leading them to seriously consider the amount of rubbish they throw out. They have also developed a Native Tree Nursery carbon offset scheme, where trees are sold to tourists who in turn plant them in the local area, thereby improving biodiversity and helping to reduce the greenhouse gases they have expended through their travel.
By creating an environmental and social policy action plan using Green Globe’s guidelines, the District has been able to reduce its solid waste output, which has saved the District thousands of dollars, and the introduction of a carbon offset scheme has ensured that its carbon footprint is dramatically reduced.
Kaikoura District Council has also found a steady increase in their visitor numbers due to the increased ability the Green Globe programme has offered them to promote their environmental performance. The District is a regular recipient of environmental accolades, and is well known throughout the tourism industry for its innovative environmental work- a unique selling point in today’s market.
The New Zealand government is serious about its commitment to the natural environment the country is world-renowned for and as a part of this commitment it has enacted strong laws to ensure the environment’s long term viability. The Green Globe programme helps to ensure these laws are adhered to, by guaranteeing that the District has a current sustainability plan that complies with all of Government’s laws for the area’s maintenance.
Kaikoura District Council hopes the success its community has achieved through its environmental responsibility will encourage other communities in New Zealand and throughout the world to follow their example, making the challenge of sustainability something communities can resolve collectively through stronger information sharing and cooperation.
For learn more about the benefits of Green Globe’s Community programme, click here.
Click here to visit the kaikoura website (http://www.kaikoura.govt.nz/)
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