New Zealand is picking up the pace in their race to eliminate climate change. The Climate Change Minister, David Parker, acknowledged that climate change is real and is effecting New Zealand in ways they now know more about. The Minister has launched a guide manual for local governments in order to help organize procedures to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions.

Four years into the production of the manual, it now gives up to date advice for governments and other decision makers about how to control climate change at the national and regional levels. The guide has been produced by the National Institute of water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).

NIWA has developed charts which will predict the amount of rainfall for different areas in New Zealand. For winter and spring, New Zealand can expect light rainfall in the east and north and more rain on the west sides of the island.

“This more detailed information allows us to not only put better plans in place to reduce the risks we face from climate change, but also to take advantage of the opportunities that will arise,” David Parker said.

“Preparing for climate change makes good sense; it is about risk management and being more resilient to climate extremes. The Ministry guidance manual provides practical tools to enable local government to plan for climate change.

“A risk management approach is already familiar to local government, and the manual allows the effects of climate change to be considered as part of existing planning, assessment and regulatory activities.

“The government has a two-pronged approach to climate change and that is to limit the causes of climate change by reducing emissions, but also helping New Zealand to adapt to the physical impacts of climate change. Both approaches are needed to take on this serious challenge.

“Just as the emissions trading scheme saves cost to the economy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation minimises cost by future-proofing our infrastructure.”