Arotakenga Huringa Āhuarangi: A framework for the National Climate Change risk assessment for Aotearoa New Zealand

This framework is the first step towards producing a National Climate Change Risk Assessment (NCCRA). The framework will enable a broad range of risks to be systematically compared. It was prepared for the Ministry by a panel of experts in climate change risk and risk assessments, vulnerability assessments and risk in the context of Te Ao Māori.

The framework provides the means to evaluate risks and opportunities from climate change in terms of their nature, severity and urgency using a wide range of information sources. It includes:

• a three-stage approach to assessing and comparing risks
• templates to be used in completing the various steps of the assessment
• guidance materials to assist users in following the methodology

The framework will also be useful to local government, iwi/hapū and other organisations in performing their own climate change risk assessments or procuring new evidence on climate risks.