Council members of regional climate change board request leaked government report

Newly appointed members of the regional climate change board, Kāpiti Coast District Council Mayor K Gurunathan and Deputy Mayor Janet Holborow, say they will have plenty to sink their teeth into once they get hold of the yet-to-be released government climate change report that was leaked to media earlier this week.

The group is the result of a detailed report, ‘Climate Change and Variability – Wellington Region’, prepared by NIWA for Greater Wellington Regional Council. The report is the most comprehensive climate change document to be researched and published in New Zealand.

Mayor K Gurunathan and Deputy Mayor Janet Holborow were appointed to the group by the Strategy and Policy Committee to represent Kāpiti’s interests.

NIWA finds that sea level rise is expected to impact coastal communities and bring up to 15% more winter rainfall with extreme rain events to the Kāpiti Coast by 2090.

“There’s no single council in this country that can manage this adaptation strategy by itself – together, a working group can share ideas, policies, and strategies. The information that we’ve now got through the NIWA report will help us to inform a risk analysis.”

Mayor Gurunathan says that the collaboration of the working group guided by NIWA’s recent report, along with the leaked government report, will be a game-changer in future proofing Kāpiti’s stormwater and coastal management planning.

“We need the science for the planners to be able to come and make correct decisions. We need help in this as we’re all involved and invested, and I look forward to receiving my copy of the report.”

The regional climate change working group is expected to start meeting regularly effective next month.