Otago University professor Dr Caroline Orchiston said the cuts, along with many other Government decisions, would "reduce our ability to respond to the climate crisis". Photo / Brett Phibbs
Otago University professor Dr Caroline Orchiston said the cuts, along with many other Government decisions, would "reduce our ability to respond to the climate crisis". Photo / Brett Phibbs
A sustainability expert fears reduced investment in coastal mapping will slash information deemed critical to responding to severe weather and understanding of the impact communities will face as New Zealand is forced to cope with climate change.
The 3D coastal mapping initiative is being scaled down,creating $3 million of cost savings a year for the next three financial years for the Government. The reduction in support will see the programme map up to 40% of the country’s coasts, compared to its initial goal of up to 85%.
In a statement, Land Information NZ (Linz) head of location information Aaron Jordan confirmed the savings would be achieved by scaling back the programme and reducing back-office costs.
“Mapping coverage will be targeted to more heavily populated coastal areas and areas with vulnerable infrastructure,” Jordan said.
On the importance of the mapping, Jordan noted the data would allow detailed maps to identify changes to coastal areas around climate change, sea level rise, and natural disasters.
“The data will also help decision-makers to keep communities and infrastructure safe and resilient, as well as plan for the protection of ocean biodiversity through habitat mapping, upgrade nautical charts for marine safety, and better understand coastal processes.”
Otago University Centre for Sustainability director Dr Caroline Orchiston said when it came to a range of hazards, including cyclones, earthquakes and tsunamis, coastal information was “really critical” in understanding how the landscape would change, and how communities might be impacted.
“It’s really important that we have as much scientific information about the coastline as we possibly can. It helps us to think about where the worst impacts might be coming from a changing climate, where we can safely build, where the areas of lower risk are for us to potentially re-locate communities or build new infrastructure.”
Green Party environment spokeswoman Lan Pham said the move was disappointing, suggesting such projects allowed councils and communities to “get on with the job” of adapting to climate change.
Many parts of the country were “essentially in the dark” around coastal mapping, she said.
Pham suggested the original plans would give a “much more targeted and greater understanding of how local areas will be impacted by climate change”, adding that current mapping and sea level rise projections did not work well for New Zealand’s dynamic coastline.
“Technical, targeted mapping is absolutely crucial to people understanding and planning for what’s to come ahead in terms of climate impacts.”
The Herald recently revealed new concerns about the Wellington region sinking, paired with sea level rise, making severe flooding events much more common.
Budget 2024 documents confirm Linz was one of the public sector agencies tasked with saving 6.5% – equating to $8.6m.
In a statement, Land Information Minister Chris Penk said the agency identified the 3D coastal mapping project as an area it could make savings, while still delivering on its core function. Penk confirmed it was “an operational decision by Linz”.
“The bulk of investment into the 3D mapping project is continuing, with the Government providing $29.5m over three years to capture 40% of New Zealand’s coastline. Highly detailed 3D models of the coast will be created using data recorded by airborne LiDAR (light detection and ranging technology),” he said, adding it would include sites to measure and understand sea-level rise.
The Budget, unveiled in May, confirmed funding relating to a one-off North Island weather event had been cut by $28,000. Just days ago, severe weather saw the Government pledge $3m in assistance to flood-ravaged Wairoa.
Before the release of the Budget, Linz senior geospatial specialist Bradley Cooper said 3D mapping data would assist in the understanding of the coastal zone, and “can be used for tsunami and inundation modelling as well as coastal processes and marine habitats”.
Orchiston said we have to have as much science available as possible, to know what we’re in for.
“Our coastal communities are right at the edge of these risks and disasters that we’re going to keep experiencing,” she said, citing earthquakes and Cyclone Gabrielle.
Otago University Centre of Sustainability director Dr Caroline Orchiston said understanding risks allows investment in infrastructure "that's not going to be continually damaged and destroyed" during severe weather. Photo / Mike Scott
“We just have to keep investing and understanding those risks so that we can mitigate them, to invest in infrastructure that’s not going to be continually damaged and destroyed during these sorts of events.”
Orchiston said people in coastal communities “need to be involved in any decisions”, particularly around the idea of managed retreat.
The cuts to coastal mapping were brought up during Parliament’s scrutiny week, which put aspects of the Government’s delivery and plans under the microscope.
Pham suggested in the Primary Production Committee that the reduction of $3m for mapping would cause “big gaps” for communities relying on the information.
She asked Penk the rationale behind the cut, to which fellow Green MP Steve Abel said the savings would go “to landlords”. Penk groaned at Abel, saying “Oh, don’t be like that”.
“I’ve lost a bet. It took 38 minutes for someone to say that [tax cuts for landlords line],” Penk joked during the committee.
He said work would be completed “more slowly”.
Linz confirmed $29.5m of total funding remains for mapping. Coverage would be targeted to more heavily populated coastal areas and areas with “vulnerable infrastructure”.
In an updated statement, Linz’s Jordan confirmed areas excluded from mapping had been assessed as a lower risk.
Work started in April, with “a significant portion of coastline in Bay of Plenty and a section of coastline in Invercargill” already mapped out.
Penk said the project was deemed a “priority” by the Government, “but has been refocused to account for the fiscally constrained environment and hard choices that have to be made across Government”.
The minister added the project would take a number of years and was scalable, “meaning there was nothing stopping it being extended in the future when funding allows”.
Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye across the region. She joined NZME in 2022 after multiple years as a student journalist. She has a keen interest in city council decisions, public sector reform, and transport.
