WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Jan 31 (NNN-XINHUA) – As much as 14 billion NZ dollars (9.7 billion U.S. dollars) of infrastructure is at risk, from sea level rise, according to a news report released today (Thursday) by the Local Government of New Zealand (LGNZ).
“Changes in the climate will definitely impact us, principally in the form of rising sea levels, as two-thirds of all New Zealanders live within five kilometres of the sea,” said LGNZ President, Dave Cull, calling for urgently developing policies, to help minimise the impact of climate change on New Zealand’s communities.
The report modelled various sea level rise scenarios using topographical data from New Zealand’s 62 local councils.
It showed that 2.7 billion NZ dollars of road, three waters, and building infrastructure, is at risk from as little as a 0.5-metre rise in sea levels. The value of at-risk infrastructure ramped up sharply at each increment of sea level rise, with the data showing 14.1 billion NZ dollars at risk at a 3-metre rise.
“Many councils are already experiencing the impact of sea level rise, most notably in Bay of Plenty, the West Coast, South Dunedin and Hawke’s Bay, but we haven’t had an accurate nationwide understanding of the community-owned infrastructure that is at risk, until now,” Cull said.
“The threat is too big for us to fight alone,” Cull said, adding, New Zealand’s local councils have for many years led the policy debate around climate change adaptation.
The president calls for a robust policy framework in place to ensure the disruption and harm to communities are minimised.
Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw, said, the government is “acutely aware of” the impacts sea level rise could have on coastal communities.– NNN- XINHUA
