Climate’s home truths

Kiwis can expect a nationwide climate change risk assessment in the next couple of years, and for many it will speak hard truths.

For those living in coastal or flood-prone areas these assessments could have a significant effect on property values, and for everyone else they could reveal projects inevitably funded from taxes or rates.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw made the announcement yesterday after the release of an independent report criticising government actions to date. The Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group report, titled Adapting to Climate Change in New Zealand, recommended the national survey to identify and prioritise high-risk areas, which should be followed by a national adaptation action plan.

Both should be updated every five years.

This won’t be the first land assessment done with climate change in mind.

The Ka¯piti Coast District Council placed flood warnings on the Land Information Memorandums (Lims) of 1633 coastline properties in 2012. This led to a two-year fight with local residents, and a court order to remove the warnings. Local Government NZ president Dave Cull said property owners should be less worried about resale value, and more worried about the rising seas.

Councils were caught in a loselose scenario – left liable if they didn’t make new buyers and residents aware of the dangers, and vulnerable if their warnings affected property prices.

The Government needed to take a stance to allow councils to act more courageously, Cull said, without the fear and cost of litigation. Working Group co-chair Judy Lawrence said indicators other than flood lines could be used to avoid a similar fight with affected parties. ‘‘You have to take the people with you, and have that engagement well before any lines go on maps.’’

She said other countries were doing similar work already, which could be learnt from.

The report pointed out funding for climate change adaptation was largely non-existent and recommended a designated fund.

Lawrence said this would require billions of dollars.

Data to inform decisions on climate change was also often inaccessible, with the report noting while there was a lot of information on climate change, it was often ‘‘not necessarily the most appropriate information’’.

‘‘We also recommend ... that nationally-consistent data sets are developed, as well as nationally-standardised projections and scenarios,’’ the report read.

Shaw thanked the group for its frank feedback, and acknowledged there was no new money in Budget 2018 for resourcing the Government’s climate change priorities.

‘‘I see risk assessment as a priority and I intend to bring options to Cabinet soon for a decision on how and when to do a risk assessment,’’ he said.

‘‘In coming weeks we will be asking New Zealanders how they see New Zealand adapting to the effects of climate change as part of the Zero Carbon Bill consultation.’’

The reactive approach to extreme weather events to date was criticised.

‘‘This has created an expectation that compensation will be available for any events exacerbated by climate change.

‘‘This becomes a barrier for effective adaptation as it acts as a disincentive for risk reduction.’’