The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report is clear that global mean temperature rise greater than 1.5°C puts the future of humanity and all life on earth at risk.

Such risks include species loss and extinction, drought, increased sea level rise, increases in mean temperatures in most land and ocean regions, increases in ocean acidity and decreases in ocean oxygen levels and increased climate-related risks to health, livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security and economic growth. 
 
We (Rangatahi o Whakatū) demand that the New Zealand Government and the Nelson City Council do everything in their power to limit warming to 1.5°C to prevent the extinction of much of the natural world and collapse of our civilisations to safeguard our right to a sustainable future. 
 
We demand the following because: 

• We are already seeing the effects of the climate crisis (including sea level rise sinking our neighbouring Pacific Islands and wildfires in Australia)
• We believe in honouring and upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi  
• We must act now because there is only a small window for action to avoid the most damaging effects of climate change 
• Climate justice is social justice because it is the poor citizens of the world who will suffer the most from inaction 
• Our future is being threatened for the profit of a few and the preservation of business as usual 
• Aotearoa should be doing more to support Pacific Nations and those experiencing the effects of the climate crisis considering the resources we have as a developed nation 
• Our futures, our hopes and our dreams are currently threatened by the climate crisis (including projected frequent natural disasters, resources scarcities and intensified inequality)                             
• Our Demands of the Nelson City Council 
• We demand that the Nelson City Council does everything in their power to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius to prevent the extinction of much of the natural world and collapse of our civilisations to safeguard our right to a sustainable future. 
• We demand NCC upholds its declaration of a climate emergency by taking sustained emergency action. 
• We demand the NCC accepts the Save The Maitai petition and agrees to refuse the private application to change the land zoning from rural to residential and to add 500-700 houses in the Kaka Valley and Maitai Valley. This private application would erode the natural environment and increase air and noise pollution in the Kaka and Maitai Valley and contribute to the degradation of our unique local environment.  
• We demand that the NCC makes it a requirement for all schools and industries in Nelson to stop burning coal.  
• We demand that NCC councillors and other NCC staff pledge to stop using printed copies of council work material and council meeting agendas and use digital alternatives. 
   
  Our Demands of Central Government 
• We demand that our Government does everything in their power to limit warming to 1.5 degrees celsius to prevent the extinction of much of the natural world and collapse of our civilisations to safeguard our right to a sustainable future. 
   
• We demand that the Government declares a climate emergency. 
   
• We demand that the Government stops granting any extensions of existing permits that allow the exploration and extraction of fossil fuels.  
   
• We demand Government invests more into renewable energy production and sustainable transport systems. 
   
• We demand Central Government investment in occupation retraining and the supply of alternative jobs in sustainable industries. We demand this mahi is done through meaningful collaborations with Rangatahi, Tangata Whenua and communities. 
   
• We demand the Government allows Climate Crisis survivors to migrate to New Zealand with dignity. 
   
• We demand the Zero Carbon Act establishes explicit liability within national and local governments and to cut emissions in half by 2030. 
   
• We demand nationwide subsidies to make public transport free for all by 2025. We demand the development and expansion of public transport in regions with a lack of public transport infrastructure and the lowering of carbon emissions of our current public transport initiatives. 
   
• We demand a nationwide electric vehicle subsidy on commercial vehicles to be implemented immediately and a progressively increasing nationwide subsidy on private electric vehicles. 
   
• We demand the Government ensures its domestic climate policies align with the Paris Agreement 1.5 goal.