The Canterbury Mayoral Forum over the past year [2019–2020] has been laying the foundations for a regional climate change risk assessment. A high-level risk screening (PDF, 1.8MB) broadly identifies risks and opportunities arising from climate change, and a companion report (PDF 241KB) provides an overview of adaptation work already being undertaken within the region.
This interim research has been released as part of the region’s efforts to develop a shared understanding of the implications of a changing climate, and to keep the public informed about work being undertaken by a Regional Climate Change Working Group, comprising representatives from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and the regional and local councils.
A further technical report provides a ‘snap shot’ of climate change research undertaken by others that is relevant to Canterbury. Canterbury is closely following and contributing to central government’s climate change response. The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) released the first national climate change risk assessment on 3 August, 2020. The assessment, a ‘Zero Carbon’ Act requirement, provides an overview of the most urgent climate change risks for New Zealand.
The working group will continue to develop a regional climate change risk assessment. This provides the evidence base for adaptation planning, which is how we respond to and improve resilience to the effects of climate change.
Related reading: Canterbury climate change risk screening interim report (PDF 1.8MB) | Canterbury climate change adaptation actions (PDF 248 KB) | Key findings (PDF 87KB) | FAQ (PDF 118KB) | Canterbury climate change impacts literature review Sep 2019 (PDF 687KB)
