Waikato Regional Climate Change Hazards and Risks

About the project

Climate change is already impacting Aotearoa-New Zealand and is considered by many to be the most important challenge that we face.

To identify the main climate change risks for the Waikato region, Waikato Regional Council led and funded a high-level risk screening project, a high-level risk identification and screening process, incorporating insights from council subject matter experts, iwi and external stakeholders.

The findings from that project, as well as the most recent climate projections and hazards for the region (using Ministry for the Environment downscaled projections), have been compiled into a technical report. A shorter summary report is also available.

High level overviews and maps of hazards and risks for the one city and 10 districts making up the Waikato region have also been developed.

The technical report compiles a significant body of information and valuable insights into the hazards and potential risks that are likely to affect the Waikato region, providing a central reference for planning and responding to the impacts of climate change in the Waikato. The report considers risks associated with climate change across five domains: human, natural environment, economy, built environment, governance.