Health is affected by climate change

Clouds over a single tree in a green field of grass.Climate change refers to the change in the earth’s global and regional climate over time. Healthy people depend on having a healthy climate. The expected health impacts and implications of climate change – including those for New Zealand – have been described by a number of authoritative sources such as the World Health Organisation and the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor.

Some of the health impacts of expected climate changes include:

  • an increase in heat-related deaths and reduced cold-related deaths to due to changes in weather patterns;
  • more storms and flooding, affecting the health and wellbeing of communities;
  • increased risk of vector-borne diseases (such as malaria or dengue fever from mosquitos), and food- and water-borne diseases due to ecosystem changes;
  • changes in food production patterns and food security for both locally produced and imported feed, due to greater fluctuation in crop yields and a decrease in productive land;
  • changes in water quality especially in rural areas leading to water allocation issues;
  • flow-on social and economic impacts, contributing to increased mental health effects; and
  • widening of health and social inequalities as the disadvantaged will be disproportionately impacted.

These substantial health impacts are likely and will be widespread, even though the details on the extent of these impacts are uncertain.

Our Pacific neighbours are already feeling the effects of climate changes. These countries are particularly vulnerable to the expected increases in frequency and severity of storms, as well as the sea level rise due to limited economic capacity and insecure infrastructure. New Zealand can expect migration pressure in the future from “climate refugees” from the Pacific.

How we can combat climate change

The serious impacts of climate change on health means that efforts need to be made to address greenhouse gas emissions and move towards a low carbon future through supportive policies and programmes.

Community and Public Health supports local efforts to combat climate change by encouraging local policies to include the following:

  • greater use of public transport;
  • reducing overall vehicle use, and improving engine efficiency;
  • reducing the amount of energy we use; and
  • properly insulated houses.

Have your say on how Aotearoa can best tackle greenhouse gases

Climate Change Commission media release: 8th April 2024

New Zealanders are being encouraged to have their say about how to tackle climate change over the coming decades.

He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission is running an 8-week public consultation to help it develop advice to the Government – starting on Monday 8th April.

Commission Chair Dr Rod Carr, says before the Commission finalises the advice, it wants to test its thinking to make sure the eventual recommendations are realistic and robust.

“We’re seeking feedback and input from a wide range of people, businesses, organisations and sectors,” says Dr Carr. “This is because the decisions that the Government makes will affect all of us. They’ll affect the whenua, our lives and livelihoods, and our global reputation.

“Our role is to provide independent, expert advice to the Government. We’ve begun by pulling together and analysing evidence, and looking at possible options. Now we want your input on this important mahi.”

The results of the consultation will inform the Commission’s upcoming advice to the Government. That advice is intended to inform Government decisions – due by the end of 2025 – that will affect the country’s actions, planning and investment decisions for the next 20-30 years.

The consultation includes three pieces of work:

  1. What the emissions budget should be for the period 2036-2040. Emissions budgets are steppingstones towards the country’s long-term emissions reduction target. They set a cap on the maximum amount of climate pollution that Aotearoa New Zealand can emit in a five-year period.
  2. The country’s 2050 climate target. When the Commission develops advice on the next emissions budget, it also does a sense check of that long-term target.
  3. Whether emissions from international shipping and aviation should also be included in in the 2050 target, like emissions from domestic shipping and aviation already are.

Submissions close on Friday 31st May 2024.

Documents

National documents

Christchurch | Ōtautahi documents

Canterbury | Waitaha documents

West Coast | Te Tai o Poutini documents

Links

Contact your local office for further information:

CANTERBURY, MID CANTERBURY AND CHATHAM ISLANDS
Ph: +64 3 364 1777

SOUTH CANTERBURY
Ph: +64 3 687 2600

WEST COAST
Ph: +64 3 768 1160

For more information on climate change including emissions trading, contact:

Ministry for the Environment
0800 CLIMATE (0800 254 628)

Climate Change and Health in Waitaha Canterbury

The Policy and Information Teams at Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health collaborated to produce this report to increase understanding of the interactions between people, the environment, and the climate in Waitaha Canterbury.

It is designed to provide planners and decision-makers and the wider community with information that can shape the development of effective responses to climate change.

This report describes a broad range of determinants of health and the wellbeing impacts of climate change across Waitaha Canterbury.

The impacts of climate change in Waitaha | Canterbury

We’re learning more all the time about how climate change will affect us.

Waitaha | Canterbury is expected to be hit with more severe rainfall events, more floods, and stronger and more frequent extreme winds.

As temperatures increase, so too does the atmosphere’s capacity to carry more moisture. This can result in more severe rainfall events, which is likely to result in more floods.

Extreme winds are also expected to increase over the next century. Waitaha | Canterbury already often experiences strong winds, but these may become stronger and more frequent.

Also the temperature differences between the land and the sea will become more pronounced in summer, which can cause more of the strong north-easterly airflows we are already so accustomed to.

Although we are expecting increases in extreme wind and rain in our region over the next century, these projections are significantly lower than for other parts of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Page last updated: 09/04/2024

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