Claims that local and central government are failing to address the threats of climate change on Coromandel communities, made by Massey University PhD student and Thames Coast resident Paul Schneider, have been challenged by local councils.

Paul, who has spent four years researching the barriers to, and opportunities of, climate change adaptation on the peninsula says his findings show lack of leadership over the issue.

Dune planting to help reduce coastal erosion at Buffalo Beach, Whitianga.

'Local government awaits initiative and foresight from regional government, which is not prepared to take the lead without the backing from central government.”
Fifty-two people, including those living in the Coromandel, government and local body representatives, scientists, insurers and coastal developers, were interviewed as part of his research. Paul says he found an almost complete absence of leadership and that many people had low levels of understanding of climate change risks.
His research is thought to be the first place-based and ethnographic approach to climate change. It also combines political ecology and environmental planning to understand the 'bigger picture”. Paul presented his research at the New Zealand Climate Change Conference in July, where he was runner-up in the oral presentation award.
However, local council's don't accept his criticism.

Preservation
The Thames-Coromandel District Council invests a great deal of time and money on ways to preserve the coastline including working with landowners of properties affected by coastal erosion, says council chief executive David Hammond.
'We do realise that the magnitude of climate changes for individual beaches is hard to estimate and will need more work over time.
'Climate change is increasing this risk. Most settlements are very lucky that there are large beach reserves between the houses and the coast. This makes the risk and solutions less severe than for other parts of New Zealand like Hawkes Bay, Kapiti Coast and Dunedin. The areas without enough of a reserve buffer (for example, Buffalo Beach, Whitianga) have the biggest risk. But the cost of protecting houses, roads, structures and reserves is still significant, and will only increase as climate change continues.”
TCDC has also been working in partnership with its communities and regional council on coastal protection works, predominantly on the eastern side of the Peninsula. 'This has involved numerous dune planting days, with hundreds of people involved in planting native plant species along coastal dunes to prevent further erosion. TCDC is also working on building coastal protection structures around areas that are highly vulnerable to coastal erosion, particularly in Whitianga,” says David.

Rising temperature
John Tregidga, Mayor of the Hauraki District Council, says in his view council is taking a reasoned and responsible approach to the issue of climate change and sea level rise.
'As part of our recent District Plan review process, the District Plan Committee considered climate change and included this in our proposed district plan.
'The main effects of climate change include temperature, changed rainfall patterns and extreme weather conditions, storm surges and sea level rise. In the Hauraki district it is anticipated that the predicted increases in temperature rising from 0 to 4.1 degrees Celsius over the next 72 years, based on 1990 figures, may cause increase in the frequency of droughts or heavy rainfall causing flooding and increase in extreme weather events.
'The predicted changes in storm surges, tides and sea level may increase the risk to the Hauraki Plains area. Our coastal area of Whiritoa is at risk of tsunami, and sea level rise may result in saltwater intrusion in coastal zones, and potential flooding to coastal developments.
'In recognition of this, the proposed plan has addressed this with the identification of flood ponding areas and the highlighting of the building act requirement for floor levels above predicted flood levels across the plains.”

Significant issue
Waikato Regional Council's community safety programme manager Adam Munro says that Paul raises a number of important issues about adaptation to climate change 'which we agree will be an increasingly significant issue for Waikato coastal communities to address”.
'The reality is that all low-lying properties, particularly within about 100 metres of an active coastline, may be prone to the future effects of sea level rise.”
Adam says the regional council feels it is working very well with councils and local communities in coastal areas, to address these types of risks and coastal erosion issues. 'We acknowledge that clearly there is more to do and we are committed to doing more as required. We are very willing to listen to new ideas.
'Central government has also recognised the issues in its Resource Management Act reforms. These specifically address the need to further manage natural hazards, including climate change and coastal erosion issues. We will be paying close attention to developments in this space.”
However, Paul doesn't believe the councils have done enough to safeguard lives and property from climate change impacts.
'None of the documents produced so far truly encourage coastal communities, such as on the Coromandel, to address adaptation.”
Paul says councils and government must take a stand on the hazards of climate change, and implement robust policies to adapt to changing conditions.
The implications of putting restrictions on coastal development or requiring the managed retreat of at risk properties will be costly, in terms of money and potentially political careers. However, Paul says action is needed, and urgently.
In the end, it may be the insurance industry which becomes the unofficial regulator as insurers refuse cover for properties deemed to be at risk from climate change, he says.