Hawke's Bay collaborative approach to coastal hazards draws international praise

A new OECD report highlights Hawke’s Bay’s collaborative and future-orientated plan for rising seas.“As New Zealand has one of the longest coastlines in the world, addressing the risks that climate change presents with sea level rise and coastal erosion is crucial,” says Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw.“It is happening. And the OECD’s new report, aimed at helping provide guidance on how countries can manage the risks of rising seas, praises Hawke’s Bay’s first-of-its-kind collaborative strategy as a good example to follow.Hawke’s Bay Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy 2120, was born out of a need to address the risks to vulnerable coastal settlements in its region over the next hundred years.The strategy sees Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Hastings District Council, and Napier City Council working together with local iwi and coastal community representatives to take a pro-active, locally-led approach to coastal hazards.“Hawke’s Bay is the first region to use a grassroots community engagement process for consultation on this urgent issue.“Their approach is also recommended in the Coastal Hazards and Climate Change guidance for local government, which was released by the Ministry for the Environment at the end of 2017.