Adapting to Climate Change in New Zealand

As part of the process of writing my latest board report for carboNZero, I researched latest development at government level regarding climate change action in New Zealand. I had some high hopes into the government after all those years of national at the reigns and no action in that regard whatsoever.

I came across a number of documents and I’d like to summarise just the actions that the Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group (CCATWG) recommends.

Actions

Action 1: Develop and regularly update a national adaptation action plan

Action 2: Monitor and report on national adaptation action plan implementation

Action 3: Develop a national methodology and framework for assessing climate change risks and vulnerabilities and develop nationally-consistent datasets

Action 4: Develop and regularly update a national climate change risk assessment

Action 5: Establish governance arrangements that support long-term adaptation action

Action 6: Incentivise and guide ongoing adaptation action including avoiding, accommodating, retreating and defending

Action 7: Review existing legislation and policy to integrate and align climate change adaptation considerations

Action 8: Include the impacts of climate change in central and local government procurement processes

Action 9: Update and regularly review organisational planning, risk management, and disclosure requirements

Action 10: Strategic and coordinated investment in science and technology for supporting climate change adaptation

Action 11: Commission Mātauranga Māori-led measures that reflect cultural impacts of climate change and are developed and managed by iwi/hapū

Action 12: Communicate nationally what New Zealand can do to adapt through a climate change information portal and other channels

Action 13: Establish a centralised service to provide expertise to local government for risk-based decision-making

Action 14: Build capability and capacity in climate change adaptation across central government agencies

Action 15: Build capability in climate change adaptation in key professional bodies and industry groups by developing and implementing training and development programmes

Action 16: Define funding arrangements for climate change adaptation

Action 17: Investigate how future costs of climate change adaptation can be reflected in investment and planning decisions

And then we have immediate actions

Action 18: Central government to continually reinforce publicly that climate change adaptation is a priority for New Zealand and that the Government recognises the need to link adaptation action with climate change mitigation

Action 19: Implement Actions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 using the proposed Zero Carbon Bill to give a consistent and clear legislative mandate for climate change adaptation

Action 20: Include adaptation funding in the Government’s commitment to hold a public inquiry into the drivers of local government costs and its revenue base

Action 21: When implementing the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management councils have particular regard to adapting to the effects of climate change

So, can anyone tell me what we are actually doing against climate change?

It reminds me at “Life of Brian”: This calls for immediate discussion….

Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group’s (CCATWG) recommendations:
https://www.mfe.govt.nz/sites/default/files/media/Climate%20Change/ccatwg-report-web.pdf, retrieved 2018-06-07