Inquiry into climate adaptation
The final report of the Select Committee into climate adaptation has been released.
The report recommends to Government that the climate adaptation framework, in seeking to achieve its objectives and navigate trade-offs, should be guided by the following principles:
Fairness and equity—The framework should support fairness and an equitable approach for and between communities and across generations.
National consistency—Standards and processes should be broadly consistent across regions to ensure fairness.
Subsidiarity—Decisions and resourcing should sit at the lowest possible or practical level that bears the direct impact of decisions.
Local flexibility—Communities should have the opportunity to tailor adaptation responses to local circumstances and preferences.
Incorporating the specific rights and interests of Māori—Iwi/Māori should have the ability to make their own decisions and be involved in governance: a partnership approach.
Fair warning—Individuals should be responsible for managing their own natural hazard risk when making decisions. The longer the information about the risk has been available, the less case there is for socialising the cost if the risk is realised.
Minimising moral hazard—Situations should be avoided where property owners are disincentivised to manage risk because they do not face the full costs of risks materialising.
Accountability—All actors in the system take the actions they are responsible for.
Transparency and clarity—Rules are applied, and seen to be applied, clearly and consistently.
Consideration of co-benefits—Consideration of the costs and benefits of mitigation actions should include co-benefits (such as emissions reduction, improving biodiversity).
Evidence-based decisions—Decision-making is resourced and supported by data, information, local knowledge, and mātauranga Māori where available.
The report also recommends that the climate adaptation framework should include meaningful performance reporting measures that can show how the framework is performing over time and the extent to which it is achieving its intended outcomes.