A growing number of communities in New Zealand are at risk from the impacts of climate change
At the Climate Sensitive Towns Conference in the middle of October a comprehensive group of climate specialists will examine the predictions on New Zealand’s climate and landscape future and how best to mitigate the tides of change.
They will discuss how best we should be adapting communities to prepare for the increasing risk of heavy rainfall, flooding and erosion and what needs to be done to protect them.
A support panel will share engineering concepts to address climate adaption.
Principal Scientist, GNS Science and Associate Professor at Victoria University Dr Richard Levy will explore how New Zealand will evolve in the 21st century and identify the key climate related hazards for which we need to be developing adaption plans.
Dr Judy Lawrence is a Senior Research Fellow at the Climate Change Research Institute at Victoria University. She will identify the difference between mitigation and adaptation and the policies needed to balance resources, along with managing transitional risk.
New approaches to managing stormwater in cities and an understanding of the implication of rainfall modelling, plus structural and non-structural Best Management practices in the remediation of stormwater contamination is the bailiwick of Unitec’s Dr Matthew Bradbury.
NIWA’s Coastal Engineer Dr Michael Allis, Coastal Engineer will talk on innovative solutions for preventing and minimising coastal hazards.
In a case study on Red zone buyouts – Simon Markham, Manager Strategic Projects at Waimakariri District Council examines whether or not disaster buyouts have anything to offer for managing coastal retreat. He discusses effective council-community engagement strategies.
Ilan Noy, Chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Victoria University will discuss the effects of climate change on New Zealand’s socio-economic landscape.
Andrew Beatson, a Partner at Bell Gully, looks at the effectiveness of existing policy and legislative frameworks for managing responses to climate change. What happens when mitigation or adaptation no longer viable?
Dentons Kensington Swan Partner, Nicky McIndoe, will talk on overcoming barriers for progressing adaptive infrastructure and the legal tools which can assist to achieve that.
Climate Sensitive Towns Conference (Te Papa, 18-19 October)
www.conferenz.co.nz/climatetowns
