Public talk on climate change, coastal hazards and sea level rise

Hawke’s Bay people will get the chance to learn more about New Zealand’s latest coastal hazards and sea level science and how the impacts can be managed.

East Coast LAB (Life at the Boundary) is hosting a public talk by Dr Rob Bell (NIWA), Dr Judy Lawrence (Victoria University) and Dr. Dan Zwartz (Ministry for the Environment) on climate change, coastal hazards and sea level rise science and how to manage the impacts of them.

Dr. Rob Bell says, “Climate change will increase the risk of coastal hazards around New Zealand as sea level rises and we need to be prepared for this change.”

Dr. Judy Lawrence says, “Across New Zealand we need to adopt some new approaches to support iwi/hapū and coastal communities in preparing for change that is sustainable over the long term”

Both researchers were authors of the updated Ministry for the Environment’s Coastal Hazards and Climate Change Guidance.

The talk will be held on Thursday 19 July at 7pm at the LAB at the National Aquarium of New Zealand. The talks will last for 60 minutes, followed by time for questions and discussion.

Kate Boersen of East Coast LAB says, “We want to help ensure communities along the East Coast are aware of the impacts of climate change on natural hazards and people and on possible ways to manage these impacts.”

Similar events and workshops are being held across the country to help councils and communities implement the guidance. These are being supported by the Ministry for the Environment, in partnership with councils, the Deep South National Science Challenge, the NZ Coastal Society and NIWA.

East Coast LAB (Life at the Boundary) is a project, which makes it easy and exciting to learn more about natural hazards and how they affect us living on the coast near the Hikurangi plate boundary.

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