Climate change adaptation not keeping pace with fast-growing risks - report
New Zealand's Climate Change Commission reports that the country's adaptation efforts are failing to keep pace with accelerating climate risks. The report urges the government to clarify funding responsibilities to prevent communities from being left in limbo.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing tension between government policy delays and the urgent need for infrastructure investment to mitigate climate-related damage.
Communities are being "left in limbo" by the government's unwillingness to decide how the country will pay for climate change adaptation, the Climate Change Commission's boss says.
In a report published on Tuesday , the commission said New Zealand's progress on adaptation was "patchy" and was not keeping pace with how fast the risks were growing.
While there had been some progress since its last update in 2024, delays on crucial issues such as funding were leaving communities exposed to greater damage, disruption and costs.
"The pace and scale of the action required is growing year by year," the report said.
"Sharp efforts to reduce future climate-related risk are needed to avoid an intensifying spiral of urgent response to extreme events without time between to fully recover."
It made six urgent recommendations, saying they were not "pick and mix" but must be put in place together.
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