Auckland has joined a local government climate change action group, which will provide the city with international support.
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group is a network of cities focused on climate change that represents a quarter of the global economy, according to Auckland Council.
"By joining C40, Auckland will have access to more than 80 like-minded cities around the world, finding and implementing innovative solutions to the common climate challenges we face," says Auckland Mayor Len Brown.
Auckland is the newest addition to C40, which represents more than 500 million people.
Auckland's membership was approved at the COP21 climate change convention in Paris.
"Of the nearly 11 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in Auckland in 2013, 3.8 million came from road transport. That's 35 percent and the single largest emissions source, so anything we can do to give people options to their car is going to help," says Mr Brown.
Mr Brown says the council plans to reduce emissions by 40 percent by 2040, with one way being the introduction of a separate organic waste collection network.
"In the wake of the historic Paris Agreement major action by cities is required to support that deal and put the world on a path to climate safety," says C40 chair Eduardo Paes.
However, not everyone from the council is pleased with the move.
Auckland councillor George Wood says Auckland Council is already a member of Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), and joining another group "will put more cots on the ratepayers", and "really just duplicates the services provided by the ICLEI organisation."
Mr Wood says the decision to join C40 wasn't supported by all councillors when it came to the Auckland Development committee in October, and the decision only "got across the line with the support of the two voting members of the Independent Maori Statutory Board."
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