Location of activity
Some locations are more vulnerable than others to climate change effects. Significant activities near the coast should be evaluated in terms of expected sea-level rise over the next century, as well as other consequential effects such as increased coastal erosion, salt water intrusion into aquifers and increased flooding. Development in flood plains also needs to take account of the potential for reduced flood return periods and potentially greater peaks.
Example
The value of development and the social and economic implications of a major flood in the Hutt Valley are so significant that the community has mitigated possible flood effects by investing in flood protection rather than by limiting development. The design was made more robust by taking climate change effects into account. While there was inadequate information on possible climate change impacts for modelling purposes at the time decisions were made, the community chose a return period of 400 years as the basis for flood protection design in the knowledge that the level of protection was likely to reduce over time due to climate change impacts. The draft Hutt Valley 2001 Flood Plain Management Plan provides detailed information on design considerations and levels of protection, taking into account climate change.
