Last week Prime Minister Jacinda Adern declared a Climate Emergency. In Parliament she said: “This declaration is an acknowledgement of the next generation … of the burden that they will carry if we do not get this right and do not take action now.” 

The declaration has been a long time coming and follows the example of many other countries and cities, including some in NZ. So what is a climate emergency? What difference will it make? And what other ‘emergencies’ get bumped off the agenda as a result? With me to discuss this move are two climate campaigners and rational optimists:  Melissa Clark-Reynolds, a professional director and futurist who was the first New Zealander to train with Al Gore, when he was still a thing and Rohan MacMahon, a technology investor and adviser with the Punakaiki Fund.