A Sea Change is Needed For Adapting to Sea-Level Rise in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

Sea-level rise is accelerating globally and will continue for centuries under all shared socioeconomic pathways. Although sea-level rise is a global issue, its impacts manifest heterogeneously at the local scale, with some coastal communities and infrastructure considerably more vulnerable than others. Aotearoa New Zealand is poorly prepared to deal with sea-level rise impacts, and some places are already approaching the limits of adaptation, short of relocation. Maladaptive choices threaten Aotearoa’s ongoing ability to adapt going forward. Development of climate-resilient pathways requires an immediate adoption of non-partisan, long-term, systemscale approaches to governance and decision making (from local to national), that integrate effective adaptation and emissions mitigation. This also requires proactive and collective action underpinned by indigenous and actionable knowledge (e.g., NZ SeaRise projections) designed for our unique circumstances. There is still time to put in place sustainable, equitable and effective solutions, but funding and governance models need urgent attention.