The definition of "emergency' is what held back Southland's Regional Council from declaring a climate emergency.

Environment Southland has bucked a recent trend of councils across the country, and voted eight to four against making the call.

Environment Southland chair Nicol Horrell told Mike Hosking the word "emergency" was a stumbling block for many.

"We can't afford to actually devalue the meaning of that word, because occasionally we have to call an emergency when we have real emergencies."

He says that the definition of an emergency is an immediate threat to human health, which he says that climate change isn't.

Horrell says that there has been a lot of pressure on councils around the country to declare an emergency, but declaring one does not change anything. 

"We are committed to doing what we have to do. We are not climate change deniers, but we do the practical things." 

 

• Jacinda Ardern keen on declaring a climate-change emergency