Adapting to climate change in New Zealand: Stocktake report from the climate change adaptation technical working group

This report summarises the expected impacts of climate change on New Zealand over the medium and long term, takes stock of existing work on adaptation, and identifies gaps in New Zealand’s current approach.

In taking stock of the work already underway the Group identified three characteristics that need to be in place for effective adaptation to develop in New Zealand:

• being informed about how our climate is changing and what this means for us
• being organised, with a common goal, a planned approach, the right tools, and clear roles and responsibilities
• taking dynamic action to proactively reduce exposure to the social, cultural, environmental and economic consequences of climate change.

The report concludes that New Zealand is in the early stages of planning for climate change with many positive initial steps being taken across a number of sectors – it is in the informed phase, with some areas having advanced to the organised phase.