Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
NZ counting the cost of climate change over past 3 years
GREENHOUSE gas emissions from human activities are changing New Zealand's climate, impacting the environment, communities and the economy, according to a report released on Wednesday.
The Environment Ministry and Stats NZ have released the latest threeyearly update about the state of the country's atmosphere and climate.
“Human activities are driving biodiversity losses. It is now a question of how close we are to tipping points, beyond which large and, in some cases, irreversible changes will be unavoidable,” said the Environment Ministry's Deputy Secretary Natasha Lewis.
The natural infrastructure acted as a buffer against the worst effects of climate change, Lewis said.
The report, Our Atmosphere and Climate 2023, provided further evidence that emissions from human activities were putting pressure on the climate, which was adversely impacting the environment, communities, Maori interests, infrastructure, and the economy. Eight of the 10 warmest years recorded in New Zealand up to last year had been in the past decade.
“Even minor changes in our climate can have big effects on our environment,” she said.
New Zealand was also experiencing variations in rainfall, more frequent droughts and ocean warming to record levels. Glaciers were in retreat and sea levels around parts of the country have risen twice as fast in the past 60 years as they did in the previous 60 years, Lewis said, adding that the frequency of extreme temperature events in the country had doubled.
About 750 000 New Zealanders and 500 000 buildings near rivers and in coastal areas worth more than NZ$145 billion (R1.6 trillion) were exposed to extreme flooding. Urban centres, sites of cultural significance, treasured species and food security were also at risk. |