Hawke’s Bay Already Planning for Sea Level Rise

A report released today by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment warning that sea level rise is already impacting New Zealand has been welcomed by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

The PCE report Climate change and rising seas: Understanding the science provides a comprehensive explanation of the science of sea level rise, one of the major consequences of climate change. The aim is to make this science accessible and relevant to New Zealanders. The report is available onhttp://www.pce.parliament.nz/publications/all-publications/changing-climate-and-rising-seas-understanding-the-science

HBRC is working with other councils and key groups on a coastal hazard strategy for Hawke’s Bay from Cape Kidnappers to north of Napier looking at the effects of sea level rise to 2120. This is the most built up and inhabited part of the Hawke’s Bay coastline and will be impacted by more frequent and severe coastal flooding and erosion as a result of rising sea levels.

“The Parliamentary Commissioner’s report emphasises that communities will need to adapt to sea level rise. This will be useful in informing and working with local communities in planning for the future, although people in Haumoana and Te Awanga are already only too aware of the impacts of higher sea levels and the damage storm surges can do,” says HBRC CEO Liz Lambert.

A second PCE report, due next year, will focus on vulnerable towns and cities and the risks to infrastructure, and will make use of information already supplied from Hawke’s Bay, including aerial surveying of the Hawke’s Bay coastline which has been supplied through NIWA. In addition, a report commissioned from Paul Komar and Erica Harris earlier this year - Hawke’s Bay NZ: Global Climate Change and Barrier-Beach Responses, March 2014 – is also being made use of for the PCE reporting.

A framework for the coastal hazard strategy is now being developed and will be out by the end of 2015 which will lead to community discussions on the options. Hazard planning for other parts of the Hawke’s Bay coastline will follow.

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