Submissions

To: Otago Regional Council
Date: August 2024

Purpose

This submission’s purpose is to advocate for robust measures to manage and improve air quality in Otago, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of air pollution on disabled people and those with health conditions. DPA seeks to ensure the plan includes strong standards, bans harmful practices like coal burning, incentivizes cleaner energy, and addresses specific regional challenges, such as those in Central Otago.

Summary of DPA submission

DPA strongly agrees on the importance of clean air for people’s health, quality of life, and the environment. This is particularly pertinent for disabled people who are more likely to live with impairments and health conditions, as air pollution can prevent them from going outdoors or exacerbate existing health issues. DPA fully supports the proposed methods for tackling pollution from home heating sources, including gradually replacing high-emission solid fuel burners, stopping coal burning, providing financial support for cleaner alternatives, introducing education on best practices, and improving housing insulation. DPA also fully supports proposals for tackling pollution from outdoor burning, such as banning it during winter months and requiring smoke management plans, as well as proposals for vehicle emissions, like improving public transport and decarbonizing ORC fleets.

However, DPA notes significant pockets of air pollution in Central Otago, exacerbated by cold winter temperatures and the extensive use of wood burners, and the challenge that clean energy alternatives like heat pumps don’t work well in such extreme cold. DPA highlights that poor insulation and high pollution are doubly detrimental for disabled people and those with health conditions, who are statistically more likely to live in damp, cold, mouldy rental housing.

Key Recommendation:

DPA recommends that more research and consultation is carried out, especially in pollution hot spots like Central Otago, about how best to manage the transition to cleaner heating methods that are more suited to the extremes of temperatures in the region.

Supporting Statement 1:

According to the ORC’s information, Central Otago experiences high levels of smoke pollution due to a combination of colder winter temperatures and geographical factors, which encourage the extensive use of wood burners.

Supporting Statement 2:

Clean energy alternatives like heat pumps don’t work well in areas which experience very cold temperatures, such as Central Otago.