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Energy

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Climate Change

Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are emitted naturally but also stem from the burning of fossil fuels for transport or electricity generation, and from agriculture including farm animals, soil and fertiliser. These gases become trapped in the atmosphere and enhance the natural greenhouse effect that sustains life on Earth. This process is often called ‘global warming’ but is often called nowadays ‘climate change’.

The term climate change encapsulates other events in addition to ‘warming’: floods, storms, cyclones, droughts and landslips – not just temperature increase alone. The findings contained in the recent reports Leaving Environment Canterbury website icon. of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) - underline a growing international consensus that indicates human activity via greenhouse gas emissions as being a significant component of global climate change.

New Zealand, and Canterbury, needs to be prepared for a future of changing climates. As well as mitigating the problems (i.e. reducing greenhouse gas emissions), there is a need to adapt to the effects of climate change.

graph illustrating Climate Change using temperature over time and effects on different sectors - Image courtesy of IPCC.

photo of wind damage - image courtesy of BRANZ. photo of hail damaged house - image courtesy of BRANZ. Environment Canterbury’s Climate Change Report sets out the climate change projections for Canterbury, and discusses how the changed climate might impact on Canterbury, including our coasts, water, plants and animals, our communities, and the local economy. This report is an analysis of the policy considerations for climate change for the Review of the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement. Read the report and supporting media release (14 February 2007).

ECan is also active in developing its capabilities at a more practical level in regard to the challenges posed by climate change. This includes being a member of the Communities for Climate Protection Leaving Environment Canterbury website icon. programme, a government initiative delivered by ICLEI-A/NZ. This programme is part of ICLEI's international Cities for Climate Protection campaign.
PDF file icon. Our Milestone 1 report is available here File size icon. 108kB.

Resources

Local Government

ICLEI’s Communities for Climate Protection – New Zealand programme
Climate Change and Long-term Council Community Planning , MfE (October 2008) – ME911
Preparing for climate change: a guide for local government in New Zealand , MfE (July 2008) – ME891
Coastal Hazards and climate change: a guidance manual for local government in New Zealand , MfE (July 2008) – ME892
Climate Change Adaptation and Second Generation RMA Plans - MfE (September 2008) - INFO314
Climate change effects and impacts assessment: a guidance manual for local government in New Zealand – MfE (May 2008) - ME870

Central Government

New Zealand’s Climate Change Solutions
Emissions Trading Scheme
The Carbon Neutral Public Service programme
Factsheets – Emissions Trading Scheme MfE (September 2008) – INFO 317-329
New Zealand’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990-2006 MfE (April 2008) – ME 885; also an Overview – ME 872
New Zealand Energy Greenhouse Gas Emissions MED (August 2008)
A Flowchart of New Zealand’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions MfE (September 2008)

Education

A changing climate (an environmental resource for schools) - Environment Canterbury (June 2008) – contact our Education Team 03 365 3828 for copies
Handy booklets: Understanding climate change – ME821; Taking action on climate change – ME822; Preparing for and adapting to climate change – ME823: all Ministry for the Environment (July 2007)
Real Climate – excellent website on climate change science

Other

Towards an equitable climate change policy for the UK: The costs and benefits for low income households of UK climate change policy – eaga (UK) report Dr Gill Owen (October 2008). Dr Owen was a keynote speaker at CEA’s Fuel Poverty Workshop in June 2008)
Assessing of the need to adapt buildings in New Zealand to the impacts of climate change – BRANZ report SR 179 (2007)
Landcare Research’s carboNZero programme
NIWA Climate Energy Solutions
Climate change statement from Royal Society of New Zealand (July 2008)
An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change (2006)
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

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