Introduction
Preparing for Climate Change is a guide to help local government across
New Zealand assess the likely effects of projected climate change during the 21st century and plan appropriate responses where necessary. This second edition of Preparing for Climate Change supersedes the first edition published in 2004.
The guide summarises the main elements of a comprehensive technical report Climate Change Effects and Impacts Assessment (‘the source report’). Its first edition was updated in May 2008 following the release of the Fourth Assessment Report on the science of climate change produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007. The source report is available in full at: www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/climate/climate-change-effect-impacts-assessments-may08/index.html.
Some climate changes are occurring now. While greenhouse gas emission reductions both globally and locally can help slow the rate, climate change cannot be prevented entirely. Changes in a number of key climate parameters – such as temperature, rainfall and sea levels – will occur to differing extents in different parts of New Zealand throughout the 21st century and probably beyond.
New Zealand needs to adapt to these changes. Adapting to long-term climate change will also contribute to our resilience to extreme events as well as to natural fluctuations in climate, such as the El Niño / Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon.
Some of the impacts of climate change such as increased temperature, longer growing seasons and decreased frost risk, may be beneficial for some sectors of agriculture, forestry and horticulture. These benefits may be limited by negative effects such as prolonged drought, increased flood risk, or greater frequency and intensity of storms. Informed and proactive planning now can help maximise benefits and minimise the direct and indirect costs of climate change.
Local government is responsible for a range of functions that may be affected by climate. These include natural hazards and resource management, land-use planning, building control, and the provision of infrastructure such as stormwater drainage and water supply.
Climate-related risks are not new to local government planners, resource managers and emergency and hazard managers. Climate change is not expected to create new hazards, but it may change the frequency and intensity of existing risks and hazards, as well as introduce some long-term shifts in climate patterns across the country.
Local authorities have both social and legal obligations to take climate change effects into account in their decision-making. This guide explains these obligations, including those under the Resource Management Act.
A key message in the guide is that dealing with climate change effects can be broken down into manageable parts and can easily form part of existing council planning and operational processes. Managing climate change effects does not necessarily require new and additional resources. The guide suggests how councils can carry out simple checks to assess whether climate change effects are likely to be significant for a plan, project or activity. If the effects are likely to be significant, more detailed assessments are recommended and guidance is provided as to how councils might undertake these assessments.
Although the guide will help councils identify, scope and respond to climate change in their areas, it does not provide standard solutions for specific situations. Each region, district and community will have its own climate-related vulnerabilities and priorities. The guide does, however, provide some specific tools to help councils identify and respond to climate change impacts including a decision-making framework, case studies and practical checklists.
The guide comprises three distinct parts:
Part One explains the general effects of projected climate change on New Zealand, current climate variability, projected future climate changes both nationally and regionally, and how climate change may change the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as floods and storms.
Part Two explains councils’ social and legal obligations to take climate change effects into account in their planning and decision-making, the key principles that need to be considered in responding to climate change, and how to assess the impact of climate change on council functions. Checklists are provided to help ensure that climate change is considered in various plans.
Part Three outlines how councils can integrate climate change considerations into council decision-making, and assess both qualitatively and, if necessary, quantitatively what effect climate change could have on specific council functions and services.
Target audiences
Preparing for Climate Change is targeted at those who are involved in local government decision-making, in particular:
- strategic and policy planners
- asset managers charged with planning future asset needs for communities and resolving existing and emerging problems
- engineers charged with designing infrastructure to meet foreseeable risks
- those responsible for natural hazards management, emergency management and ‘lifeline’ utilities and infrastructure
- staff handling resource consent and building consent applications
- staff responsible for council databases, particularly those providing information on hazards and risks to private landowners and other agencies.
