Planning, Monitoring and Reporting
Planning for the effects of climate change
Council’s role in preparing for the effects of climate change
Council plays several important roles in preparing for the effects of climate change:
- Building controls to ensure buildings are built to withstand likely hazards and avoid unsuitable high-risk hazard areas.
- Emergency management and civil defence planning and operations
- Providing resilient lifeline infrastructure, like water, roads, and community evacuation centres.
- Stormwater management in urban areas (which typically is designed for regular rain events, not large flooding events – which will overwhelm the stormwater network)
- Having appropriate insurance and setting aside money to rebuild infrastructure after a natural disaster.
Keeping new development out of high-risk flood areas
New development areas must avoid high risk flood areas through building and resource consent controls. This includes potential urban, river and lake flood areas identified through modelling that includes the potential increased risks from climate change.
The expected impacts on Taupō district
Due to global warming and climate change, Taupō district can expect:
Hotter and drier summers:
Increased dryness, drought, and high fire risks in summer – with the potential number of dry days per year increasing by 5-15 days every year (~5% increase)[1]. Number of hot days increasing from 24 per year to 38 – 40 by 2050.[2] Potential impacts on water supply shortages and increased irrigation demand. Freshwater impacts from lower river flows, increasing water temperatures, impacts on habitats and species, increased risk of poor water quality and toxic algae bloom.
Warmer, wetter winters and increased wind:
Increased rainfall in winter (4 – 7% by 2100)[3]. Increased erosion risks from higher rain, lake and river levels, and wind.
Increased frequency and severity of intense rainfall and storm events:
Increased frequency and severity of intense rainfall – with the likelihood of a 1‑in‑100‑year flood occurring an any given year increasing by up to 39% - i.e. becoming a 1-in-70 year flood - by 2100.[4] Ex-tropical cyclones will likely be stronger and cause more damage as a result of heavy rain and strong winds. Increased flooding risks from both urban stormwater, overland flow paths and gully systems, low lying land, and rivers. Increased risk of road closures and power and communications outages from wind damage.
Sources:
[1] For Waikato region, Precipitation below 1 millimetre/day, Waikato Regional Council, Waikato Regional Climate Change Risk Assessment Phase 1, September 2022
[2] Greater than 25°C, for Waikato Region, Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change Projections for New Zealand, 2018.
[3] For Taupō district, Ministry for the Environment, Climate Change Projections for New Zealand, 2018.
[4] For Waikato region, Waikato Regional Council, Waikato Regional Climate Change Risk Assessment Phase 1, September 2022.
Monitoring and Reporting
We undertake an independent emissions inventory and report the results every three years. Inventories are provided below.
The latest inventory (which was unfortunately a covid-affected year), shows that Council’s emissions are remaining stable, with perhaps a small reduction but likely due to covid impacts. Council’s emissions are offset by its forestry investments. Despite this offset, Council still has targets to reduce its gross emissions to ensure it is doing its bit.
- For a graph of the results of the inventories see Council’s Emissions
- To see how council’s emissions compare against the targets, see our Emissions Reduction Targets
Taupō District Council baseline emissions inventory 2018/19 (PDF, 1MB)
Taupō District Council baseline emissions inventory 2021/22 (PDF, 1MB)
Get in touch
Got a good idea for what Council could do to help fight climate change? We’re all ears!
Contact:
Aidan Smith
Senior Advisor – Climate Change
Email: asmith@taupo.govt.nz
