The Need for Climate Adaptation
Climate change poses significant risks to communities, particularly in low-lying areas with high exposure to sea-level rise, flooding, and coastal erosion. The Wood, a central city suburb in Nelson, is particularly vulnerable to these impacts due to its location in a low-lying area. The Wood is exposed to flooding during storms that coincide with high tides and storm surge, making it an ideal location for the city council to begin detailed climate adaptation planning.
- The Wood is a low-lying area with a high risk of flooding, making it an ideal location for climate adaptation planning.
- The area is also home to important cultural and historical sites, making it a significant location for community engagement and planning.
The Benefits of Climate Adaptation Planning
Climate adaptation planning is a sensible approach given the inevitability of climate disruption and ongoing changes in weather patterns. The approach aims to develop long-term, flexible strategies to manage and reduce climate-related risks, ensuring the city’s resilience to unavoidable climate impacts over time. This work will complement the council’s existing work to mitigate and reduce Nelson’s greenhouse gas emissions.
- Developing long-term, flexible strategies to manage and reduce climate-related risks.
- Ensuring the city’s resilience to unavoidable climate impacts over time.
- Complementing the council’s existing work to mitigate and reduce Nelson’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Engaging the Community
The council will work with the community to assess climate risks such as sea-level rise, flooding, and coastal erosion. This engagement will be guided by the Protect, Avoid, Retreat and Accommodate (PARA) framework, which considers the full range of climate responses available.
| Framework | Description |
|---|---|
| Protect | Protecting and preserving natural assets and ecosystems. |
| Avoid | Avoiding or reducing the risk of climate-related impacts. |
| Retreat | Retreating or relocating to higher ground to avoid climate-related impacts. |
| Accommodate | Adapting to climate-related impacts by modifying or upgrading infrastructure and assets. |
Adaptation Planning Process
The council will now develop a comprehensive list of potential adaptation options, deepen the local climate risk assessment, undertake demographic and cost-benefit analyses, and work in partnership with the community to identify preferred adaptation pathways.
“The Wood is significantly exposed to climate-related risks, including flooding, and is home to important cultural and historical sites. The community has already shown willingness to engage, and the scale and characteristics of the area make it a practical and meaningful place to begin this work.”
— Group manager of strategy and communications Nicky McDonald
Conclusion
Climate adaptation planning is a crucial step towards ensuring the resilience of communities to climate-related impacts. By engaging the community, assessing climate risks, and developing long-term strategies, the city council can build a foundation for wider adaptation across Nelson. The Wood is an ideal location for this work, given its vulnerability to flooding and its importance to the community.
