Report on sea level rise highlights challenges for local government

A major report on sea level rise released today by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment highlights the difficult task councils and communities face in planning for sea level rise, Greater Wellington Regional Council chair Chris Laidlaw said today.

"This is a very timely and valuable report.  Sea level rise presents some complex problems for local government.  The Commissioner has done an excellent job of describing the challenges sea level rise presents at a national and regional level, and in producing specific recommendations for Government," Chris Laidlaw said. "I agree with her conclusion that the government needs to provide a national policy framework around this".

The report, "Preparing New Zealand for rising seas: Certainty and Uncertainty" says rising seas will lead to flooding on low-lying land near the coast, erosion of many beaches and "soft" cliffs, and higher and possibly saltier coastal groundwater. 

The report has particular relevance for communities in  the Wellington region who face a range of challenges. For example, much of Wellington city's shoreline is currently protected by concrete seawalls, and councils will face costs and tough decisions in maintaining defences and coastal roads. The Waiwhetu Aquifer, which extends off the Petone foreshore, supplies more than a third of Wellington's water, and the risk of saltwater intrusion must be actively managed. On the Kāpiti coast, the report says the district council's recent experience with planning for coastal erosion underscores the importance of policy being based on solid scientific foundations.

"Greater Wellington Regional Council is working on a number of fronts to plan for sea level rise.  We are developing a regional natural hazards strategy, and have started discussions with other councils about taking a coordinated approach to responding to the impacts of climate change. The Council's climate change strategy, which was adopted in October coordinates initiatives across GWRC's responsibilities and operations.  "We are working together with Wellington City Council to lay the foundations for a region-wide programme designed to build long term resilience against the effects of climate change"  Chris Laidlaw said.

Sea level rise is not a future problem; measurements show sea levels have been rising since records began over 120 years ago.  The Commissioner's report is a valuable contribution to a national discussion we need to have about how the country as a whole prepares for it.