Rising sea level threats at least 9,000 New Zealand homes: report

New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright released a report Thursday to warn the country to be better prepared for the impacts of a rising sea level on its coastal towns and cities.

The report, Preparing New Zealand for rising seas: Certainty and Uncertainty, contains maps of Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin showing the elevation of low-lying coastal land above the spring high tide mark. It shows that there are at least 9,000 New Zealand homes that lie less than 50 centimeters above spring high tides.

Wright said in a statement that homes, businesses and infrastructure worth billions of NZ dollars have been built on low-lying land close to the coast. "Rising sea levels will have major impacts in many places. In time, some coastal land will become uninhabitable," said the Commissioner.

The Commissioner found that local councils and communities are facing a very difficult task in planning for sea level rise.

"Perhaps the most difficult aspect is the impacts on people's homes, which for many are much more than financial security. Councils must use science that is fit for purpose, and engage with communities in a measured way and with empathy," he said.

One key finding of the report is that preparing for sea level rise is very much a work in progress and that the government needs to do more to help. There is a need to take some time to develop a better approach.

The report contains eight recommendations to the Minister for the Environment and the Minister of Conservation. The first seven are focused on improving the direction and advice given to local councils. The last recommendation is to the Minister of Finance and is focused on the fiscal risks of sea level rise. Endit