Exposed: Climate change and infrastructure (Guidance for councils) 

This guidance document is designed to provide councils with support, and a consistent approach, for regularly assessing the exposure of their infrastructure to sea level rise and inland flood risk.  To read the full report click here.  To read a summary click here.

Vulnerable: The quantum of local government infrastructure exposed to sea level rise

LGNZ has recently undertaken research, developed in conjunction with environmental and engineering consultancy Tonkin + Taylor, to model various sea level rise scenarios using LiDAR and other topographical data from 62 councils.  To read the full report click here.  To read the summary document click here.

Climate change litigation - Who's afraid of creative judges?

Legal opinion from Jack Hodder QC, gauging the litigation risks that councils face by choosing to recognise or ignore climate change-related risks in their decision-making. To read the report click here.

LGNZ Climate Change Symposium 2018 programme

LGNZ held a Climate Change Symposium in Wellington on 7 September 2018.  The symposium focused on the challenges and opportunities of climate change, options for addressing the challenges and the work underway in councils across the country to adapt to and mitigate climate change.  This was a great learning and networking opportunity for mayors, chief executives and policy staff of all councils.  To view the full programme and videos click here.

Draft sector position on mitigation

LGNZ has recently undertaken work to develop a draft local government sector position on climate change mitigation.

The purpose of the draft sector position is to signal the ambition that local government has for, and the commitments it makes to contributing to, the overall effort to reduce emissions in New Zealand. It also sets out the further support that local authorities need in order to enhance their contributions to emissions reductions.

The document has been developed with input from LGNZ’s Mitigation Reference Group, which is comprised of elected members and officers from a range of councils from across the country.

To view the draft sector position on mitigation click here.

Please provide your feedback in writing to Grace Hall, LGNZ Senior Policy Advisor at grace.hall@lgnz.co.nz by no later than 30 August 2018.

Stocktake of local government mitigation activity

LGNZ is pleased to launch a stocktake of actions and strategies that councils across the country have adopted to contribute to emissions reductions.

The stocktake includes actions that councils are taking to reduce their organisation’s emissions, as well as actions and strategies designed to support or coordinate community emissions reduction efforts.

We encourage councils to review the stocktake and think about whether there are any actions or strategies that they could adopt to reduce emissions within their organisations and/or communities. Climate change mitigation is an increasingly important area for councils and their communities, and the introduction of the Zero Carbon Bill later this year will further reinforce the need for councils to do more to contribute to New Zealand meeting its emissions reduction target. This stocktake is designed to support councils to “do their bit”.

To read the stocktake of local government mitigation activity click here.

Climate Change and Natural Hazards Decision Making Toolkit

The Climate Change and Natural Hazards Decision Making Toolkit contains legal opinions, guidance and case study materials which are designed to assist councils with climate change adaptation decision-making roles and responsibilities.

To view the toolkit for councils click here.

To download each section separately click the link below:

1. Provision of services infrastructure in areas affected by climate change
2. Development in natural hazard areas
3. Natural hazards information on LIMs

To view the legal opinions for each section click the link below:

1. Legal opinion 1 - Ability to stop or limit the provision of services infrastructure and potential liability consequences
2. Legal opinion 2 - Councils' Ability to Limit Development in Natural Hazard Areas
3. Legal opinion 3 - The role of Land Information Memorandum in natural hazard management

How climate change affects local government: A catalogue of roles and responsibilities

This document catalogues the ways in which local government responsibilities may be impacted by a changing climate both from an emissions mitigation and climate change adaptation perspective, and identifies opportunities for local government to address climate change. To read the document click here.

Local Government Leaders’ Climate Change Declaration

In 2017, Mayors and Chairs declared their support for an urgent need for responsive leadership and a holistic approach to climate change.  To view the declaration click here.

Local government position statement on climate change

Local government recognises a critical need for proactive collaboration between central and local government, and between city, regional, unitary and district councils which recognises the different mandates and roles for climate change responses.  To view the position statement click here.

Climate Change Project on a page

Climate change will affect us all during our lifetimes.  Between 1990 and 2015, New Zealand’s net carbon emissions have risen by 64%.  All local authorities (city, regional, district and unitary councils) are at the front line of climate change adaptation and have a role to play in mitigation. Action on climate change requires proactive collaboration between central and local government.  To view the project on a page click here.

Climate Change Project infographic

Climate change is happening.  To view the project infographic click here.