Minister of Environment of New Zealand releases its first national adaptation plan 
On August 3, 2022, the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment (MfE) released New Zealand’s first ever National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to address priority climate change-related risks identified in the 2020 National Climate Change Risk Assessment.
The NAP outlines actions to be taken by governments over the next six years to address priority climate-related risks identified in the 2020 National Climate Change Risk Assessment. In New Zealand, the draft NAP was released on April 27, 2022 and was open for comments until June 3, 2022.
Four Priorities in the NAP
The NAP identifies the following four priorities;
- Better risk-informed decisions
- Climate-resilient development in the right location
- Adaptation options including managed retreat
- Embed climate resilience across Government
In addition, the following actions shall be undertaken to address specific risk areas;
- System-wide issues
- Five ‘outcome areas’ which broadly align with the domains identified in the risk assessment
- Natural environment
- Homes, buildings, and places
- Infrastructure
- Communities
- Economy and financial system
Actions to be taken by governments in 2022 – 2028
- 2022
- Releases first national adaptation plan
- Government and Māori work together to design Māori platform for climate action
- 2023
- Initial risk and resilience portal launched
- Natural and Built Environment Act and Spatial Planning Act passed
- Future for Local Government review final report and recommendations due
- National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity implemented
- Freight and supply chain strategy launched
- Waka Kotahi Climate Adaptation Plan Published
- 2024
- New Zealand climate projection datasets available
- Large financial institutions required to disclose climate risks and opportunities
- Long-term plans set strategic direction for communities
- Climate Adaptation Act passed
- New water service entities established
- Kāinga Ora’s climate-resilient public housing initiative established
- New civil defence and emergence management legislation in force
- Water availability and security project established
- 2025
- Public climate-hazard education strategy launched
- National planning framework sets direction on adaptation and natural hazard risk assessment
- Updates to the Building Code available
- Climate risk integrated into Treasury decision-making
- 2026
- Second national climate change risk assessment released
- Housing and urban development funding models updated to consider climate risk
- Transpower Adaptation Plan released
Updates to the Building Code have been identified
- 2027
- Long-term plans set strategic direction for communities
- 2028
- Continued development of regional spatial strategies and Natural and Built Environment Act plans
- Second national adaptation plan published
Related documents can be viewed at the following URLs;
- Press release of MfE, “Aotearoa New Zealand’s first national adaptation plan released”
https://environment.govt.nz/news/national-adaptation-plan-released/ - NAP, “New Zealand’s first national adaptation plan”
https://environment.govt.nz/assets/publications/climate-change/MFE-AoG-20664-GF-National-Adaptation-Plan-2022-WEB.pdf
