Economic ambition, CEO ChristchurchNZ, Alison Adams

A future that is good for people and planet drove our work on the Christchurch Economic Ambition, which sets out a long-term goal for Ōtautahi Christchurch to move towards being a regenerative economy.

We currently live in an economy where most growth is powered by burning fossil fuels – a reasonably cheap, accessible resource that has also increased the standard of living.

A transition will initiate new industries, technologies, jobs, and innovative ways of doing things – circular systems based on ‘reuse, repair, and repurposing’ resources rather ‘taking, making, and disposing’.

It’s an ambition that we can’t accomplish alone. We need to band together, tell the same stories and inspire the community to embrace the same vision. We need city leaders to champion its purpose.

We know that this will be an intergenerational journey and that even then, it is more a state of constant improvement than a fixed end goal. People and organisations need time to adapt and implement change, and our ambition is designed to support that. The good news is that Ōtautahi Christchurch is the best-positioned city in Aotearoa to achieve this transition.

We, as a city and a community, have faced challenges and built back better with new infrastructure, a world-class city centre, and substantial potential for investment and growth.

A balanced future that embraces people, nature, and innovation is going to be a team effort wrapped in resilience and collaboration. I couldn’t think of better place to do it.