Policies, strategies, reports, assessments, websites and articles related to adapting to sea-level rise.
- Vertical land movement and sea-level rise [PDF, 1.6 MB] – Summary of a 2025 study about vertical land movement, showing the extent and speed of sea-level rise happening in parts of Christchurch, Banks Peninsula and beyond.
- Coastal Hazards [PDF, 1 MB] – Summary on how climate change, and the associated rise in sea level, is likely to increase the risk of coastal hazards such as coastal flooding, erosion, and rising groundwater.
- Property owners [PDF, 1.9 MB] – Information to help property owners in their thinking about sea-level rise and its impacts.
- MfE Guidance [PDF, 579 KB] – Summary of the Ministry for the Environment's guidance on coastal hazards and climate change, and Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP).
- Coastal Hazards LIM notations [PDF, 176 KB] – Information on changes to property LIMs in light of findings from the Council’s latest coastal hazards assessment.
- LIMs [PDF, 569 KB] – More information on Land Information Memorandums (LIMs), what they are and why councils issue them.
- Insurance [PDF, 322 KB] – More information from the Insurance Council of New Zealand on climate change and insurance.
- Management Framework [PDF, 142 KB] – A summary of the legislative and policy context for the Coastal Hazards Adaptation Planning Programme and Coastal Hazards Planning Programme.
- Flooding and Erosion Risk Classification [PDF, 758 KB] – A summary of how risks were classified in the proposed risk-based approach for the Coastal Hazards Plan Change Issues and Options Paper.
- House Insurance and Climate Change [PDF, 1.4 MB](external link) – Answers to common questions about insuring your home in the face of sea-level rise and other climate hazards. (Deep South National Science Challenge.)
- 2021 Coastal Hazard Assessment [PDF, 4.8 MB] – A summary of how coastal flooding, erosion and rising groundwater will affect the district.
- Catalogue of Coastal Hazard Adaptation Options [PDF, 1.5 MB] – An overview of the types of adaptation options that are used locally, nationally and internationally to manage coastal hazards.
- Report on seismic rates of vertical land movement in the Christchurch District and beyond [PDF, 1.8 MB] – A 2025 report on vertical land movement, showing the extent and speed of sea-level rise happening in parts of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula, as well as several other coastal areas in Canterbury.
- Summary factsheet [PDF, 1.6 MB] of the report.
- Addendum to a report on seismic rates of vertical land movement in Christchurch [PDF, 1.1 MB] – An addendum to a 2023 report on vertical land movement, showing the extent and speed of sea-level rise happening in parts of Christchurch.
- Original 2023 report [PDF, 2 MB] on seismic rates of vertical land movement in Christchurch.
- Catalogue of Coastal Hazard Adaptation Options [PDF, 3.2 MB] – A desktop review of relevant national and international literature, policy and planning documents and case studies focused on adapting to coastal flooding, coastal erosion and risking groundwater hazards.
- Coastal Adaptation Framework [PDF, 3.9 MB] – Our approach to adaptation planning with communities. Also sets out roles and responsibilities and the programme's guiding principles.
- Mahaanui Kurataiao Ltd's Coastal Narrative [PDF, 1.2 MB] – An overview of Ngāi Tahu's historical occupation and use of the coastal environment.
- Management Framework [PDF, 3 MB] – An overview of the legislative and policy context for the Coastal Hazard Adaptation Planning Programme and Coastal Hazards District Plan Change.
- Canterbury Regional Policy Statement(external link) – 2013, Environment Canterbury.
- New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement(external link) –2010, Department of Conservation.
- Ngāi Tahu Climate Change Strategy(external link) – 2018, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
- Resource Management Act(external link) – 1991.
Reports
- AR6 Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis(external link) – 2021, Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change.
- AR5 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2014(external link) –2014, Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change.
- Coastal Flooding Exposure Under Future Sea Level Rise for New Zealand(external link) – Paulik, R., Stephens, S., Wadhwa, S., Bell, R., Popovich, B., & Robinson, B. (2019). National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research/Deep South National Science Challenge.
- Coastal Hazards and Climate Change: Guidance for Local Government(external link) – Bell, R., Lawrence, J., Allan, S., Blackett, P., & Stephens, S. (2017). Ministry for the Environment.
- Coastal sand budget for Southern Pegasus Bay: Stage A(external link) – 2018, National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research.
- Coastal sand budget for Southern Pegasus Bay: Stage B(external link) – 2018, National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research.
- Coastal sand budget for Southern Pegasus Bay: Peer review(external link) – 2019, Single, M. from Shore Processes and Management Ltd.
- Groundwater Report: Impacts of Earthquakes and Sea Level Rise on Shallow Groundwater Levels(external link) – 2020, Aqualinc.
- Insurance Retreat: Sea level rise and the withdrawal of residential insurance in Aotearoa New Zealand(external link) – Storey, B., Owen, S., Noy, I., & Zammit, C. (2020). Deep South National Science Challenge.
- Land Drainage Recovery Programme: Tsunami Study(external link) – 2019, National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research.
- Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate(external link) – 2019, Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change.
2019 Sumner revetment assessment report
In 2019 Council commissioned a report from Jacobs New Zealand Ltd to understand the asset condition of the rock sea wall from Cave Rock to Scarborough.
The report found that no urgent or immediate works are required on the sea wall in its current condition, it continues to do the job of protecting the esplanade from erosion and inundation.
- Sumner revetment assessment report [PDF, 7.5 MB]
Coastal hazard assessment
- 2021 Coastal Hazard Assessment - full technical report(external link)
- 2021 Coastal Hazard Assessment - summary report [PDF, 4.8 MB]
- Past Coastal Hazard Assessments
2021 Ōtākaro Avon River stopbank assessment
As part of the earthquake legacy issues project(external link), and in response to Council resolution CNCL/2019/00196(external link), engineering consultancy GHD was commissioned to complete an updated risk assessment of the stopbank from Pages Road to Bridge Street.
The assessment found that the risk to life is low from the stopbank failing or being overtopped by water in a 1-in-100-year annual recurrence interval event. The annual risk of one person dying as a result of a 1-in-100-year annual recurrence interval tide is less than 1 in 900,000.
Websites
- Canterbury's climate is changing | It's time, Canterbury(external link) – Environment Canterbury.
- Climate Change(external link) – New Zealand Government.
- Environment(external link) – New Zealand Government.
- NZ SeaRise - How vertical land movement is impacting Aotearoa New Zealand(external link).
Publications
- Climate Change Poll 2022(external link) – IAG
- Climate Change Poll 2021(external link) – IAG
- Historic Coastal Sea-level Rise(external link) – StatsNZ
Articles
- How flood protection can paradoxically put people at risk(external link)(external link) – 2021, Aisling Irwin
- Psychological Distance and How It Can Hinder Climate Adaptation Support(external link)(external link)(external link) – 2021, Climate Adaptation Platform
- We must be strategic in planning our cities (external link)(external link) –2021, Dr. Tom Logan
- With seas rising and storms surging, who will pay for New Zealand’s most vulnerable coastal properties?(external link)(external link) – 2021, Dr. Tom Logan
- Coastal Hazards 101(external link)
- Coastal Hazards: Lyttelton Harbour area(external link)
- Lyttelton Coastal Panel: Introduction(external link)
- Lyttelton Coastal Panel: Priority Adaptation Locations and Community Objectives(external link)
- Coasts for Kids - Episode 1(external link)
- Coasts for Kids - Episode 2(external link)
- Coasts for Kids - Episode 3(external link)
- Coasts for Kids - Episode 4(external link)
News
Newsletters
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Past newsletters:
- 16 November 2023 update(external link)
- 16 October 2023 update(external link)
- 7 June 2023 update(external link)
- 26 October 2022 update(external link)
- 18 May 2022 update(external link)
- 25 March 2022 update(external link)
- 8 October 2021 update(external link)
- 1 October 2021 update(external link)
- 30 July 2021 update(external link)
- 18 December 2020 update(external link)
Coastal Hazard Working Group minutes
- August 2020 to March 2022 [PDF, 3.6 MB]