Health is affected by climate change

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.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) developed national climate projections in September 2024 using information on New Zealand’s unique landscape and climate conditions alongside global data and science.

• View projection insights on how climate change could affect different regions and New Zealand.
• View the interactive climate projections map – to explore what your future climate might look like.
• View the climate projections summary dashboard – to understand how key climate variables are expected to change.

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.

Documents

National documents

• Health National Adaptation Plan 2024 to 2027 (Ministry of Health).
• Our journey towards net zero: New Zealand’s second emissions reduction plan 2026-30 (NZ Government 2024).
• Premiums Under Pressure: How climate change is reshaping residential property insurance and what to do about it (Helen Clark Foundation and WSP 2024).
• Advancing Blue Carbon in New Zealand’s Coastal Wetlands (The Nature Conservancy 2024).

• Monitoring report: Emissions reduction – Assessing progress towards meeting Aotearoa New Zealand’s emissions budgets and the 2050 target (He Pou a Rangi | Climate Change Commission 2024).
• The Government’s climate strategy (Ministry for the Environment 2024).
• Going with the grain: Changing land uses to fit a changing landscape (Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment 2024).
• Coastal hazards and climate change guidance (Ministry for the Environment 2024).
• A Shared Future: Working with communities to adapt to a changing climate (Helen Clark Foundation and WSP New Zealand 2023).
• Community-led retreat and adaptation funding: Issues and options (Ministry for the Environment 2023).

• Our atmosphere and climate 2023 (Ministry for the Environment).
• Transformative education for a climate-changing Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa Climate Education Coalition 2023)
• Sponge Cities: Can they help us survive more intense rainfall? (Helen Clark Foundation and WSP New Zealand 2023).
• New Zealand’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990-2022 (Ministry for the Environment 2023).
• Ngā Kōrero Āhuarangi me te Ōhanga: the Climate Economic and Fiscal Assessment 2023 (The Treasury).
• New Zealand’s fifth biennial report under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Ministry for the Environment 2022).

• Adapt and thrive: Building a climate-resilient New Zealand – New Zealand’s first national adaptation plan (Ministry for the Environment 2022). Available to Te Reo.
• Te hau mārohi ki anamata – Towards a productive, sustainable and inclusive economy: Aotearoa New Zealand’s first emissions reduction plan (Ministry for the Environment 2022).
• The Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi climate change strategy (Ministry for the Environment 2022)
• Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability – Australasia (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
• Ināia tonu nei: a low emissions future for Aotearoa (He Pou a Rangi – Climate Change Commission 2021).
• National climate change risk assessment for New Zealand – Snapshot (Ministry for the Environment 2020).

• Heat Health Plan Guidelines and Key Information (Ministry of Health 2019).
• Government action towards a low-emissions economy (Ministry for the Environment 2019).
• Estimating financial costs of climate change in New Zealand – An estimate of climate change-related weather event costs (The Treasury 2018).
• Climate Change Projections for New Zealand – Second Edition (Ministry for the Environment 2018).
• Human Health Impacts of Climate Change for New Zealand (Royal Society of New Zealand 2017).
• Transition to a low-carbon economy for New Zealand (Royal Society of New Zealand 2016).

Christchurch | Ōtautahi documents

• Climate Change Risk Screening: Ōtautahi Christchurch and Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula (Christchurch City Council 2022).
• Kia tūroa te Ao Ōtautahi: Christchurch Climate Resilience Strategy (Christchurch City Council 2021).
• Coastal Hazard Assessment for Christchurch District: Summary Report (Christchurch City Council 2021).
• Coastal Hazard Assessment for Christchurch and Banks Peninsula (Christchurch City Council 2017).

Canterbury | Waitaha documents

• Climate Action Plan – Te Mahere Huringa Āhuarangi (Environment Canterbury 2024).
• Climate change in Canterbury (Environment Canterbury).

West Coast | Te Tai o Poutini documents

• State of the Environment West Coast region: Summary 2022 (West Coast Regional Council).

Links

• Christchurch Greenhouse Gas Emission Tracker (Christchurch City Council).
• Ministry for the Environment.
• National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).
• NZ SeaRise: Te Tai Pari O Aotearoa.
• Vehicle Fuel Economy (GenLess).
• NZ Climate Change Commission.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UN).

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.

• Find out more about the effects of climate change on severe storms in Canterbury (It’s time, Canterbury).