Report warns of Nelson flooding risk

Low-lying urban and rural Nelson could be swamped by rising sea levels, a new climate change report warns.

The Cawthron Institute report, The Effects of Climate Change on Nelson-Tasman, will be released in Nelson today.

It warns that large areas of central and suburban Nelson, and low-lying areas of Motueka and Golden Bay, would be inundated if sea levels rose by about 1.9 metres over the next 100 years.

Energy Shift director Andy Booth, who commissioned the report, hopes to encourage community action and business planning over climate change.

He said he commissioned the report because he wanted to know what would happen to Nelson if carbon emissions were not drastically cut by 2020.

It was believed more than $1 billion worth of assets were at risk, and that infrastructure such as the airport, council buildings, most supermarkets, roads and port facilities would be affected.

The region's horticulture, forestry, fishing and tourism industries would also be affected by sea-level increases and changing weather patterns, the report says.

"There are positive things people can do, but unless everyone works together the crises will not be resolved," Booth said.

"Politicians will struggle to come up with a solution, but when people see the effect on themselves and their families, they will be prepared to make a difference."

Nelson Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dot Kettle said the report illustrated the regional risks and challenges, and was more useful than global assessments.

Booth's company is behind Nelson's solar-city scheme, which provides ratepayers with interest-free loans to install solar hot-water systems that are paid off through the home's rates.

Booth said the Christchurch City Council had asked the company to investigate a similar scheme for its region.

- © Fairfax NZ News