New Zealanders must make way for water due to rapidly rising sea levels

• Mike Wijer

  Australia and New Zealand correspondent

In parts of New Zealand, sea levels are rising twice as fast as expected. This is the conclusion of new large-scale research over the past five years to which dozens of local and international scientists have contributed. The country’s two largest cities, the capital Wellington and Auckland, are at risk of frequent flooding as early as 2040.

Researchers at the government-funded center NZ SeaRiseproject say the predictions are “rather terrifying”. The research program has a interactive map which shows the expectations and consequences of sea level rise.

Some areas will see an increase of up to 30 centimeters in the next fifteen to eighteen years. This means that floods that normally occur once every 100 years may soon occur every year and inundate large parts of the country.

Initially it was thought they would have until 2060 to prepare for this, but the urgency is much greater. New Zealand Climate Change Commissioner Rod Carr said against RNZ radio station that the investigation shows that immediate action is necessary. “We have to look at every decision about where to build through the lens of climate change,” he said.

He stresses that New Zealanders must make way for water. “We cannot protect all buildings and infrastructure from water, or repair them after a flood.”

How do we tackle climate change? In this video, NOSop3 explains how in the past (01:00 a.m.) the climate has always changed, but in the present (10:00 a.m.) at an alarming rate. And: what does the future look like (20:30)?

Sea level rise is a global problem, but particularly acute in New Zealand. The islands rest on tectonic plates. These move, causing the earth to sink about 3 to 4 millimeters deep each year.

Worldwide, sea levels are expected to have risen about half a meter by the year 2100. But because New Zealand is sinking at the same time, the country is hit twice as hard. The sea level here will probably be a meter higher in a hundred years than it is today.

Prime Minister Ardern said in response to the report that she does not expect people to leave certain areas immediately. “There are a range of other possibilities that we want to try first,” she said.

Last week, his government presented a plan to fight climate change. The population was asked to participate in the reflection on how to prepare for floods, forest fires and droughts. In the coming months, the government will speak with residents, insurers and local governments to further develop the plan.

But according to climate commissioner Carr, the displacement of entire cities is inevitable. Protecting habitat by building dikes is only an option in a few places, according to Carr. “In some places it is profitable, but in others a seawall will only give false hope and be a waste of investment,” he said. RNZ.

It places the government before a difficult choice: what to protect, where to withdraw? The question of who pays the costs is also politically sensitive.

New Zealand Local Government Chairman Stuart Crosby said it is unacceptable that the financial responsibility rests solely with the residents or municipalities concerned. Moreover, he argues that leaving the habitat should be a last resort. “The forced departure is very traumatic for the residents,” he told RNZ.

New legislation is needed to force citizens to leave a risk area. It’s a political challenge that requires government and opposition support, Carr said. “We need strong leaders, and the community needs to support them in making these tough decisions. We need to be guided by science,” the climate commissioner said.

According to the government, adaptation to the consequences of climate change is necessary. At the same time, Prime Minister Ardern called for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to prevent further sea level rise.

“We must not simply accept that sea levels will rise even more than is already predicted,” Ardern said in response to the study. “We must all contribute to limiting further climate change as much as possible.”