Government Investment Initiatives under the Plan of Action

ADAPTING TO A CHANGING CLIMATE

September 2007

Pillar 1

Description

The Government will work with the agriculture and forestry sectors, as well as with local government and Maori, to identify activities to be included under a five-year Climate Change Adaptation Programme.

This work will be supported by research aimed at reaching better understanding of likely changes in climate and identifying the best ways of climate-proofing New Zealand’s primary sectors.

Background

Climate change in New Zealand this century is likely to involve: warmer temperatures; increased droughts in the east; more intensive, frequent and damaging rainfall events across the country; and, potentially, new pests and diseases.

The agriculture and forestry sectors are likely to benefit from enhanced growing conditions, as long as water is available, but only up to a global average temperature increase of 1–2° C. After that, the effects of climate change will become increasingly negative.

Initiatives

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) will lead a process with the agriculture and forestry sectors, local government, and Maori through until mid-2008 to identify activities to be included under a five-year Adaptation Programme. This programme will be supported by sector and regional adaptation plans – in this respect, it is noted that some regions have already made considerable progress with planning for climate change.

Government funding will be provided to assist with the development of the Adaptation Programme.

The programme is likely to focus on:

building capacity to respond to climate change, including raising awareness and strengthening institutions;
generating and sharing tools and knowledge related to climate change and its effects;
preparing science-based risk assessments relevant to land management decision-making;
mainstreaming environmental change and adaptation information into policies, plans and development strategies;
monitoring and evaluating adaptation activities to re-assess risk and response capabilities over time;
establishing the Community Irrigation Fund (see separate sheet);
establishing the research strategy of the Plan of Action. This will include adaptation research (see separate sheet);
establishing the Technology Transfer Strategy of the Plan of Action. This will include adaptation (see separate sheet);
establishing initiatives such as emissions trading, a Permanent Forest Sink Initiative and an Afforestation Grant Scheme (see separate sheet) to encourage forestry.

Links to other government initiatives

Government work programmes that will contribute to climate change adaptation outcomes are:

Adverse Events Policy for agriculture;
Biosecurity Strategy;
East Coast Forestry Project;
Forest Industry Development Agenda;
Flood Risk Management Review;
National Civil Defence and Emergency Management Strategy;
New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement Review;
Permanent Forest Sink Initiative;
Sustainable Land Management (Hill Country Erosion);
Sustainable Water Programme of Action.

Next steps and implementation

Effective adaptation to a changing climate will require close cooperation among central and local government, the agriculture and forestry sectors, Maori and other stakeholders. The process to be followed is to be discussed with the Plan of Action Peak Group¹. It is likely to involve:

convening a Technical Working Group with representatives from key partners;
holding sector and regional workshops;
preparing a draft joint Adaptation Programme, by May 2008.