This manual provides projections of the expected physical impacts of climate change, both at the national level and for regions around New Zealand. It is designed to help local government identify and quantify opportunities and risks that climate change poses for their functions, responsibilities and infrastructure. It also demonstrates how to incorporate climate risk assessment into local government regulatory, assessment and planning processes to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
The manual is an update of the manual 'Climate Change Effects and Impacts Assessment - first edition' published in 2004.
Please note: the section in the manual on projections of future climate has been superseded by a new report: Climate change projections for New Zealand released in June 2016. The projections were updated following the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Fifth Assessment Report. The remainder of the manual is relevant to the new set of projections.
We have released a 2021 guide to local climate risk assessments
See more on...
Climate change effects and impacts assessment: A guidance manual for local government in New Zealand
May 2008
© Ministry for the Environment