Wednesday 15 March 2023

Open Letter to Parliament regarding Cyclone Gabrielle recovery.

To the Members of the New Zealand Parliament,

We begin this letter by acknowledging the whānau and communities who’ve lost loved ones,
and had their lives turned upside down at the hand of climate change; in the form of the intensity
of Cyclone Gabrielle. Right across Aotearoa, we’ve seen people mobilising in support of those
in need in Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti Gisborne and Te Tai Tokerau Northland - and what
a heartwarming thing that is.

We’ve been presented with the reality of having to rebuild entire communities, which comes with
the opportunity to right wrongs, do things differently and catalyse climate solutions and
resilience.

It would be a mistake to emerge from this Cyclone still clinging to the past. Unless we want to
hand over a world with an unstable climate, rising temperatures and a polarity of extreme
weather events, business as usual is no longer an option. Future generations are relying on us
to act, urgently and transformationally.

We hope you feel the need to be a good ancestor and guardians for future generations, and
thus act with this in mind. We hope you see and feel the momentum across Aotearoa for bold,
ambitious climate action. We hope you know many people will be basing their vote in this year’s
general Election on just that. This will be the Climate Election.

So we urge you to invest in a better future, not a bigger failure.

Investing in a better future would see you prioritising:

● Climate-resilient development. Climate-resilient development integrates smart

adaptation measures with mitigation to advance sustainable development for all. The
2022 IPCC report noted the urgent need for climate resilient development and that
 climate resilience is possible when governments make decisions in equitable and
inclusive ways and work in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, local communities, the
private sector, science bodies and traditionally marginalised groups, including women,
youth, disabled communities and ethnic minorities
● The baking in of mitigation, and accountability to reduce emissions, into all
infrastructure projects. Cutting emissions is the most effective mechanism to address
the potential for more frequent and ever-intensifying events of this nature.
● Participatory democracy. The awareness and popularity of Citizens Assemblies is
growing globally. Citizen assemblies typically involve a process of education and
deliberation, which allows participants to learn about the issue at hand and engage in
constructive dialogue with others who may hold different perspectives. This process can
lead to more thoughtful and nuanced decision-making, as well as greater public
understanding and education of complex issues. The Climate Change Commission
stated in its advice on emissions reduction; We recommend that the Government
commit to evolving more effective mechanisms to incorporate the views of the
public when determining how to prioritise climate actions and policies to meet
emissions budgets, to create more inclusive policy development.
● Listening to the indigenous voices that are too often excluded from the
conversation. Colonial systems and values are at the root of the climate crisis so
Mātauranga Māori and indigenous knowledge need to be at the forefront of our response
to climate change. For millennia, Indigenous communities have lived in harmony with
Papatūānuku. The Māori value of kaitiakitanga must guide our actions going forward. We
need to be working with the planet, not against it. It is crucial that we collaborate with iwi,
hapū and our Pacific neighbours to create a ‘new normal’ that benefits all people and the
planet.
● Land use planning as a tool to both mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis. By
carefully planning land use including infrastructure, we can reduce emissions eg.
reducing the need for long commutes, thus reducing our faster rising sector of
emissions; transport. It is vital that we commit to expanding and enhancing low-carbon
transport networks, such as active and public modes, and their accessibility both
physically and price-wise to catalyse a mode-shift. Additionally, it can facilitate the use of
renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, while also allowing space for
and valuing wetlands and other nature based solutions. Identifying land which is prone to
flooding, slipping and coastal erosion and inundation must also inform decisions on how
such land is used.
● The building of resilience. Community resilience is not just about responding to
disasters, but also about building sustainable communities that can thrive in the face of
the climate crisis. This involves reducing our carbon footprint, enabling sustainable
practices, and creating more resilient infrastructure - including social infrastructure.

Over the last 4 years, tens of thousands of people have hit the streets, signed petitions, raised
their voices, and made shifts in their own life prompted by an understanding of how crucial this
moment in time is. We happen to be alive in the window of time when we need to have
addressed the climate crisis, before it becomes overwhelming. This presents an enormous
responsibility but also an enormous opportunity. We hope you feel this as strongly as we do, as
we approach the Climate Election.

“Te toto o te tangata, he kai; te oranga o te tangata, he whenua.”

While food provides the blood in our veins, our health is drawn from the land.

Ngā manaakitanga,

The Intergenerational Climate Ambassadors

We are an intergenerational collective and our aim is to unite generations across New Zealand for
conversations on actions that individuals, community, and Government can take to address the urgent
climate crisis. Our members range from 12 yrs of age to 105, each carrying a vast amount of lived
experience, perspective and passion for transformationally tackling undoubtedly the biggest challenge
(but also opportunity) in our midst now - climate change. The collective of Ambassadors includes Sir
Lloyd Geering, Bronwyn Hayward, Sophie Handford, James Renwick, Jim Salinger, Louise Aiken, Sir
Alan Mark, Rachel Sanson, Emma Barnes-Watere, Lucy Lawless, Chloe van Dyke, Florence van Dyke
and others.

Sir Lloyd Geering born 301.6 ppm CO2

Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies
Victoria University of Wellington/Te Herenga

Sir Alan Mark born 307.6 ppm CO2

Emeritus Professor of Botany
University of Otago/Te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou

Jim Salinger born 310.4 ppm CO2

Adjunct Research Fellow (Climate Science)
Victoria University of Wellington/Te Herenga Waka

James Renwick, born 315 ppm CO2

Professor of Physical Geography (Climate Science)
Victoria University of Wellington/Te Herenga Waka

Bronwyn Hayward, born 319.08 ppm CO2

Professor of Political Science, University of Canterbury
MNZM, 2023 IPCC Synthesis Report, Core Writing Team

Lucy Lawless, born 323.04 ppm CO2

MNZM, Actress and Singer

Rachel Sanson, born 325.68 ppm CO2

Elected member, Nelson City Council
CMinstD, Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF) fellow
Louise Aitken, born 330 ppm CO2
Director, Thriving World Limited
Establishment Board, Rewiring Aotearoa

Chloe van Dyke, born 344.24 ppm CO2

Co-founder of Chia Sisters and Businesses For Climate Action

Florence van Dyke, born 353.15 ppm CO2

Co-founder of Chia Sisters and Businesses For Climate Action

Mariah Montagnani, born 368.38 ppm

Matauranga Māori Scholar, Horowhenua District

Sophie Handford, born 369.64 ppm CO2

Elected member, Kapiti Coast District Council
Founder, School Strikes 4 Climate NZ
ADAPTIVE SOLUTIONS

Agriculture
Within agriculture there are Nature-based solutions (NbS) encompassing a range of practices
that in many cases have been used for decades, and are based on indigenous knowledge.
These address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human
well-being and biodiversity benefits. Included are trees in cropland, wetland and peatland
restoration. In rural farming areas housing and supporting infrastructure (roads, power and
communications) are best located on hills and land not prone to slipping and flooding.

Cropping Systems

● Utilising different crops and varieties that can cope with a wider range of climatic
conditions (e.g. pineapples and bananas now grow in Northland, warmer winestyles can
be migrated south, kiwifruit into Canterbury), and altering the timing of cropping activities
to avoid heat and drought stress.
● Wider use of technologies to ‘harvest’ water, conserve soil moisture (e.g., crop residue
retention, mulch) and to use water more effectively in areas with rainfall decreases;
● Water management to prevent waterlogging, erosion and nutrient leaching in areas with
rainfall increases;·
● Diversifying income by integrating other farming activities such as livestock raising, trees
intercropped with arable and livestock farming;
● Improving the effectiveness of pest, disease and weed management practices through
wider use of integrated pest and pathogen management, development and use of
varieties and species resistant to pests and diseases;
● Using seasonal climate forecasting to reduce production risk, such as for El Niño and La
Niña.

Livestock Systems

● Continuously matching stocking rates with pasture production, altered rotating pastures,
and modifying grazing times and times of reproduction;
● Altering forage and animal species/breeds, and altering the integration of mixed
livestock/crop systems, including the use of adapted forage crops;
● Care to ensure adequate water supplies.

Forestry and Fisheries

Plantation Forestry

● Changes in management intensity, hardwood/softwood species mix, timber growth,

harvesting patterns within and between regions;
● Changing rotation periods, salvaging dead timber and slash, shifting to species or areas
more productive under the new climatic conditions;
 ● Landscape planning to minimise fire and insect damage (prescribed burning for reducing
forest vulnerability to increased insect outbreaks), adjusting to altered wood size and
quality, and adjusting fire management systems.

Fisheries

● Adaptation options centre on altering catch size (quota) and effort and improving the
environment where breeding occurs;
● However the quota must be flexible to changing maritime climate as imposed by
seasonal to decadal climate variability because of El Niño (cooler seas) and La Niña
(warmer seas) and the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation along with regional warming
causing marine heatwaves with the poleward migration of subtropical species (e.g.
Snapper caught off Fiordland in the spring of 2023).

Infrastructure
Climate resilient development

● Climate resilient development is essential for Aotearoa to adapt to the impacts of climate
change. By investing in infrastructure, promoting sustainable land use practices, and
encouraging private sector investment, the government can help create a more resilient
New Zealand.
● Improving water management systems to cope with droughts and floods, and creating
green spaces that can absorb excess rainwater, the so-called “spongy cities” approach.
● Sustainable land use is crucial for the long-term health of our environment and economy.
Through conservation, sustainable agriculture, and responsible forestry practices, we
can ensure that our land and resources are preserved for future generations.

Energy

The majority of damage and disruption to power lines is caused by falling trees and branches in
storms.

● In built up areas underground reticulation is more resilient. Elsewhere vegetation growth

requires controlling;
● Electricity substations relocated away from land prone to flooding (flood plains), slipping
and sea level rise.

Housing

● In the aftermath of the cyclone, many families have been left homeless, as their houses
were destroyed by the severe weather conditions. In order to prevent such devastating
consequences in the future, it is crucial that we prioritise the construction of climate
resilient, and sustainable, homes.
 ● This would see us focussing on building in the right places too, and tightening up on
what we’re consenting, and where. Having leadership at the Government level would
enable territorial authorities to more easily make these decisions.
● Urban form is important both for mitigation and adaptation. Good urban design can
reduce the need for energy use in commuting and in heating or cooling homes and
offices, and it can ameliorate extreme weather hazards such as flooding by including
wetlands and exposed streams, incorporating tree-planting in urban areas and so on.

Telecommunications

The greatest risk to availability is posed by flooding to communications networks and services.

● Flood protection for critical sites, such as single points of failure (cell towers) even if the
risk is low;
● Better protection from power outages with more than one source of power and backup.

Transport
Roading

The economic and strategic value of the strategic roading network makes it an important asset.
Climate change risks include identified high priority flood risk locations, slope stability, failure
and drainage, as well as sea level rise.

● Planning of future strategic roading infrastructure away from floodplains, river valleys
and areas affected by seal-level rise;
● Better understand the particular vulnerabilities facing local infrastructure from extreme
weather and long term climate change to determine actions to address the risks.
● Use of new technology such as deploying specialist monitoring cameras at key bridges
to remotely monitor river levels in real time.

Rail

● Use of new technology such as deploying specialist monitoring cameras at key bridges
to remotely monitor river levels in real time;
● For landslide risk, introduce a programme aimed at identifying sites at risk, trialling
remote condition monitoring to detect potential earthwork failures, and using this data to
take targeted remedial action before failures occur.
● To avoid track-buckling in hot conditions, employ modern track-fastening methods and
improving track quality nationwide.

Active transport

● Active modes of transport, such as walking and cycling, are resilient and adaptable
modes of transportation that can help communities cope with the impacts of climate
 change. Government has a significant role to play in promoting and encouraging active
transport.

Health
The health risks posed by climate change are cross-sectoral in nature, impacting health through
multiple pathways, and involving a diversity of actors with varying roles and responsibilities, and
different types of communities and populations. Planning is broad health adaptation initiatives.

Public Health

Nearly half of the health adaptation initiatives planned or implemented by national governments
do not target specific health risks, likely due to the nature of national-level initiatives and policies
intended to guide more targeted actions at the sub-national level.

Infectious Diseases

Most frequently addressed health risks are infectious diseases with the changing incidence,
prevalence or patterns of food-, water-, or vector-borne infectious diseases.

● Protect yourself from oppressive and extreme heat;

● Protection from UV and sunshine;
● Protection from mosquito and tick bites, and eradication of mosquitoes.

Heat Waves

The definition of extreme heat varies by region. On average, the temperature must be between
31 ºC and 33 ºC in the daytime and between 16 ºC and 20 ºC at night for three consecutive
days.

● Take action when MetService issues heat alerts;

● Drink plenty of fluid and stay hydrated;
● Build leafy suburbs with plenty of trees and shade with shady parks to alleviate urban
heat islands;
● spend a few hours a day in an air-conditioned place or a cooler place in your home. If
air-conditioned public places, public pools, splash pads and wading pools.

Native Ecosystems
Healthy functional ecosystems help reduce climate change vulnerability and disaster risk by
reducing physical exposure to hazards by serving as protective barriers or buffers and so
mitigating hazard impacts, including in wetlands, forests and coastal ecosystems. These also ;
reduce socioeconomic vulnerability to hazard impacts: sustain human livelihoods and provide
essential goods such as food, fibre, medicines and construction materials, which strengthen
people’s resilience to disasters.
Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) should be integrated into broader adaptation and
development strategies to maintain and increase resilience and reduce vulnerability of
ecosystems and people to adverse effects of climate change.

● Protecting what’s left of existing ecosystems is the most cost-effective in terms of dollars,
labour (voluntary and paid), biodiversity, and cultural outcomes;
● Enable regeneration of damaged areas;
● Restoring coastal vegetated areas such as mangroves to protect shorelines from storm
surges;
● Managing invasive alien species linked to land degradation and that threaten food
security and water supplies;
● Managing ecosystems to complement, protect and extend the longevity of investments in
hard infrastructure;
● Use well-understood and proven strategies to protect and manage existing and
regenerating areas such as fencing to keep out stock and pests, trapping to kill
predators, weeding to remove wilding pines and other invasive plants.