Growing flood risk will be the main driver for New Zealanders to make changes to adapt to rising sea levels due to climate change, according to a study by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).
“Rising seas are slowly causing a trifecta of impacts along coastlines in Aotearoa: increasingly frequent flooding, coastal erosion and even permanent inundation,” said Scott Stephens, NIWA chief scientist for coasts and estuaries. “Our research shows that it’s the first of these three impacts – increasing flood risk – that’s likely to be the main driver of adaptation efforts by coastal communities, and this tipping point is likely to be reached within two to three decades – sooner than many of us expect.”
The study was conducted in Tauranga, after local councils commissioned NIWA and Tonkin & Taylor for coastal modelling. The findings were published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. According to Stephens, the findings are likely applicable across New Zealand.
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https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/nz/news/breaking-news/coastal-flooding-to-drive-kiwis-to-adapt-to-climate-change-312967.aspx