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Adaptation and local government

Under the Resource Management Act, councils are required to consider the effects of a changing climate on their communities and to incorporate climate change into existing frameworks, plans, projects and standard decision-making procedures. A climate change perspective is now integrated into activities such as flood management, water resources, planning, building regulations and transport.

The Ministry for the Environment has a programme that provides information and technical guidance to assist regional councils and territorial authorities to better understand and take into account climate change effects when carrying out their day-to-day operations.

The information includes a climate change impacts and adaptation reference list, which provides a resource for local government planners, environmental policy analysts, asset managers, hazard managers, engineers, and other technical staff within council whose regular areas of job responsibility are potentially affected by climate change effects.

A number of local authorities are already improving stormwater management, flood controls and coastal erosion in their areas. The Ministry for the Environment seeks to facilitate sharing of information on climate change effects at the local level.  There are many examples of climate change related activities or initiatives undertaken by councils themselves (often in partnership with central government or other stakeholder groups) that show leadership in promoting understanding of, and adaptation to, climate change effects at the local level.

For more information see:

Last updated: 14 July 2008