Physical impacts and adaptation publications - New Zealand Climate change information

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Climate change impacts and adaptation publications

The Ministry for the Environment has produced a range of publications to help identify climate change impacts and adaptation responses. The interactive map below shows the relationship between the most recent manuals, guides, summaries and other climate change impacts and adaptation publications. Descriptions of all climate change impacts and adaptation publications are available below.

Technical manuals

Climate change effects and impacts assessment: A guidance manual for local government in New Zealand (2nd edition)
	This manual provides the latest projections of the expected physical impacts of climate change, both at the national level and for regions around New Zealand. It is designed to help local government identify and quantify opportunities and risks that climate change poses for their functions, responsibilities and infrastructure. It also demonstrates how to incorporate climate risk assessment into local government regulatory, assessment and planning processes to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. The manual is an update of the manual "Climate Change Effects and Impacts Assessment - first edition" published in 2004.
Coastal Hazards and Climate Change: A guidance manual for local government in New Zealand (2nd edition)
	This guidance manual is intended to help local authorities manage coastal hazards by: providing information on the effects of climate change on coastal hazards presenting a decision-making framework to assess the associated risks providing guidance on appropriate response options.

Summary documents of technical manuals

Preparing for climate change: A guide for local government in New Zealand
	Preparing for Climate Change is a 40 page summary of the Ministry’s technical report Climate Change Effects and Impacts Assessment (2nd ed.) released in May 2008. It highlights the most up-to-date projections on how New Zealand’s climate will change in the future. Preparing for Climate Change provides an overview to help local government identify and quantify opportunities and risks that climate change poses. It also demonstrates how to incorporate climate change into local government regulatory, assessment and planning processes.
Preparing for coastal change: A guide for local government in New Zealand
	Preparing for Coastal Change is a 30-page summary of the Ministry’s technical report Coastal Hazards and Climate Change – A Guidance Manual for Local Government in New Zealand (2nd ed) released in July 2008. It highlights the impacts that climate change is expected to have on coastal hazards. It details the climate change impacts that are expected not only through sea-level rise but also through storm surge, wind and waves. The publication also discusses a risk management framework in which to consider the consequences of these hazards.

Local government planning

Climate Change Adaptation and Second Generation RMA Plans
	This information sheet is designed to assist local government planners to include adapting to the physical impacts of climate changes in Resource Management Act plans.
Climate Change and Long-term Council Community Planning
	This publication provides an overview of how local authorities can incorporate climate change into Long-term Council Community Plans and provides links to more detailed information and guidance.
Making Good Decisions—Climate Change Effects
	How we respond to the issue of climate change now will determine the shape of our future – our economy, environment, and communities. Local decision-makers and others with an interest in the subject will be wondering how and when to address the impacts of climate change, under the Resource Management Act 1991. This factsheet provides some basic guidance on considering climate change effects in RMA decisions and suggests other resources that local RMA decision-makers can call on to assist them.
QP Guidance Notes
The purpose of the Quality Planning website is to promote best practice by sharing knowledge about all aspects of practice under the Resource Management Act (RMA). This website is for council practitioners and consultants, environmental managers and others involved in resource management practice under the RMA. The following guidance notes include information on climate change: Climate Change Natural Hazards Coastal Land Development

Other publications

Impacts map
	This map provides an indication of the potential regional impacts of climate change in New Zealand. It is not an attempt to provide a comprehensive summary of all the impacts.
Case study 1: Coast care Bay of Plenty dune restoration
	Coast Care Bay of Plenty Dune Restoration is a short 2 page case study on a community partnership programme. The programme aims to reduce erosion of sand dunes on coastal reserve areas through restoration processes. Partnership dune restoration programmes such as Coast Care Bay of Plenty are one method for managing coastal erosion processes exacerbated by climate change impacts on the coast in at least the short to medium term.
Case study 2: Tauranga City Councils prepares for more intense rainfall
	Tauranga City Council prepares for more intense rainfall is a short 2 page case study on stormwater issues in Tauranga. In May 2005 the Western Bay of Plenty was hit by intense storms that caused flooding throughout the region. In response to the flooding, the council undertook a study to determine changes in the region's rainfall. Tauranga City Council is now considering the predicted climate change impacts as it designs new and upgraded stormwater infrastructure.
Case study 3: Transit NZ—Climate change and the state highway network
	Transit NZ - climate change and the state highway network is a short 2 page case study on incorporating consideration of climate change impacts into the design and planning of long lived roading infrastructure. Risk analysis has shown that the biggest climate change risk to highways is likely to be sea level rise. The current approach to planning encourages consideration of existing natural hazards likely to be exacerbated by climate change.
Case study 4: Impacts of sea-level rise on the Avon River, Christchurch
	Impacts of sea-level rise on the Avon River, Christchurch is a short 2 page case study on the Christchurch City Council's response to flooding as a result of climate change. A study was commissioned in 2003 to look at how climate change impacts could be integrated into risk management planning for the Avon catchment. Changes have now been made to the City Plan and aspects incorporated into the Urban Development Strategy.

Older documents

The following documents refer to older climate change scenarios. However they still provide useful information on the directions of climate change trends and impacts.

Changes in drought risk with climate change
A National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) report commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to describe the likely changes in New Zealand drought risk over the 21st century, under low-medium and medium-high climate change scenarios.

This report was written by Brett Mullan, Alan Porteous, David Wratt and Michele Hollis from NIWA.
Economic impacts on NZ of climate change-related extreme events: focus on freshwater floods
In early 2004, MfE commissioned NZIER to write a report on the economic impacts of climate change and to identify critical data gaps and options to overcome them. This report provides recommendations on how to better understand the economic impacts in New Zealand of climate change-related extreme events.

The report focuses on New Zealand flood events, and presents a framework in which such events may be assessed in terms of economic costs. By comparing the cost of past events with the costs of possible future events occurring under hypothesised climate change scenarios, this work aims to provide the basis for estimating future costs of climate change. The report also fills an important gap in current flood loss information, because the last such study is now 20 years old.

Update: Since this report was written, the Ministry for the Environment has embarked on a two-year work programme to improve how New Zealand manages its flood risk and river control, which is due to be completed in June 2007.
The Waikato Weather Bomb: Understanding the impact
A survey and evaluation of the economic impact, social perceptions and preparedness relating to a heavy rainfall and flooding event that occurred on the Coromandel Peninsula in June 2002.
Linkages Between Climate Change and Biodiversity in New Zealand
Advice to Government on linkages between biodiversity and climate change prepared by Landcare Research, Lincoln, for the Ministry for the Environment.
A methodology to assess the impacts of climate change on flood risk – Full report
This NIWA report provides guidelines for councils on how to handle the possible impact of climate change when assessing flood risk. This report is currently being updated.
Methodology to assess the impacts of climate change on flood risk – Summary of report
This document is a summary of the NIWA Report titled: ‘A methodology to assess the impacts of climate change on flood risk in New Zealand’. The document outlines how councils can take steps to prepare for climate change by assessing their own flood risk. This report is currently being updated.
Adapting to Climate Change in Eastern New Zealand
A brochure outlining the impacts and opportunities for agriculture arising from climate change in Eastern New Zealand, and adaptation options at farm level and for rural communities. Compiled by Gavin Kenny. Published by Earthwise Consulting Limited (July 2005).

For further information on farmer perspectives and resources for climate change and adaptation, see The view from the ground: A farmer perspective on climate change and adaptation (July 2003).

A more comprehensive resource kit with details on climate change impacts and adaptation options and case studies is also available, in hard copy only. Copies can be ordered from Earthwise Consulting, 709a Duke Street, Hastings or by filling out a form on their website Earthwise Consulting.
Impact of climate change on long-term fire danger
A report produced by H. Grant Pearce, A. Brett Mullan and M. James Salinger of the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA) and Todd W. Opperman, Darrin Woods and John R. Moore of Forest Research Ltd for the New Zealand Fire Service.

The report assesses that future fire activity is likely to increase as a result of global warming and associated climate change, and investigates how potential climate change effects are likely to change future fire danger through application of climate change scenarios to the long-term fire weather records. The report applies regional climate change scenarios for the 2080s to the long-term weather records for individual stations contained in the fire danger climatology database. An objective of the report is to enable New Zealand rural fire authorities to make more informed fire management decisions on fire prevention and preparedness activities now and in the future.
Incorporating climate change into stormwater design – Why and how?
A paper produced by H. Shaw, A. Reisinger, H. Larsen and C. Stumbles for the 4th South Pacific Conference on Stormwater And Aquatic Resource Protection (Auckland, May 2005). The paper outlines information on climate change impacts available to stormwater infrastructure designers, and discusses simple as well as more complex ways of incorporating climate change effects into stormwater design, illustrating the process with a case study undertaken in North Shore City, and a number of different climate change scenarios.