This consultation is now closed for submissions.

Climate change will have wide-ranging impacts on Taranaki. Temperature is expected to increase by between 0.5°C and 1.5°C by 2040, while rainfall will become more variable, increasing both the risk of drought on one hand, and the risk of floods on the other. Sea-level rise will increasingly threaten coastal communities and these changes will put more stress on already struggling ecosystems.

We know that our community is worried about the impact of climate change now and in the future. Climate change is something which will affect all of us so we want your views on what you think we should be doing to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

What are the issues?

We have an important role to play in supporting the community to understand and adapt to these impacts.

The first step is developing a robust understanding of how climate change will effect specific communities and ecosystems. This information can then be used to inform specific risk assessments, which then inform action plans to reduce risk.

We are proposing to first focus on building Taranaki-specific scientific understanding before advancing on a regional climate change risk assessment.

With mitigation being the most effective way to reduce the impacts of climate change, we also have an important role to play in reducing our own emissions.

What are the options?

OPTION 1:
Status Quo 		OPTION 2:
Build climate knowledge 		OPTION 3:
Build climate adaption action plan
Description We have no dedicated climate change resource and instead seek to support climate action within existing work programmes. Focus on improving climate science for the region and reducing our emissions. Fast-track work on a regional risk assessment and adaptation plan, while improving climate science and reducing our emissions at the same time.
Impact on costs This option would not incur additional costs. In the first three years, this option will cost $885k to implement.
Year 1: $255k, Year 2: $280k, Year 3: $380k
There will be ongoing costs at a similar level over the rest of the life of the LTP. 		In the first three years, this option will cost $1.515m to implement.
Year 1: $455k, Year 2: $480k, Year 3: $580k
There will be ongoing costs at a similar level over the rest of the life of the LTP.
Impact on debt No impact on debt. No impact on debt. No impact on debt.
Impact on rates No impact on rates. This issue would be funded by general rates. All expenditure would be funded by increases in general rates. This issue would be funded by general rates. All expenditure would be funded by increases in general rates.
Impact on service level No impact on service levels. Increase in the service level of the resource management and regional leadership and governance groups. Increase in the service level of the resource management and regional leadership and governance groups.