Mitigation and adaptation in the coastal environment is a complex process where cause and effect relationships are uncertain, even with good data.
An effective long-term planning and management framework needs a coordinated programme of action across a range of agencies and stakeholders – both within government and beyond.
The following environmental and ecosystem services benefits have been identified.
- Better habitat management and protection in the coastal environment, including species conservation.
- Protect ecosystem services in intertidal and estuarine areas that are under threat from sea-level rise and other climate-related impacts, for example fish nurseries.
- Improved compliance in some industries, for example elevation requirements underneath aquaculture farms.
Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011
This Act provides for the special status of the common marine and coastal area as an area that is incapable of ownership.
The common marine and coastal area is the area between the line of Mean High-Water Spring (MHWS) and the outer limits of the territorial sea (12 nautical miles) excluding existing private titles, the bed of Te Whaanga Lagoon in the Chatham Islands and certain conservation areas.
The detailed management of the environmental resources of the coastal marine area is carried out by regional councils. They prepare regional coastal plans and approve coastal consents under the Resource Management Act.
3DCM will enable local whānau, hapū, iwi and Māori to make informed decisions on planning and adapting to sea-level rise induced climate change in areas where they have Customary Marine Title. This has important implications for areas that are taonga for Māori and enables Māori to plan for the continuation of customary practices.
Terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity
3DCM will provide interoperable, accessible, accurate, current and reliable data to help risk-modellers inform decision-makers, Māori and communities to:
- identify coastal areas most prone to climate induced sea-level rise
- manage the impact of loss of terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity.
This may in turn help:
- protect freshwater ecosystems and New Zealand’s natural environment
- preserve species and indigenous fauna and flora.
Living and natural resources, and land use
Forestry, farming, fisheries and aquaculture will benefit from this initiative as the data can be used to inform which areas are prone to sea-level rise and saltwater intrusion into productive farmland, freshwater fisheries and fish farms.
The impacts of loss of land use and natural resources may be averted if 3DCM data is available to enable risk-modellers to accurately inform decision-makers, Māori, local government and communities, helping them to:
- identify and plan appropriate adaptation options – avoid, protect, accommodate or retreat – to mitigate risk of inundation due to sea-level rise
- reduce the likelihood of those sectors from expanding into areas exposed to sea-level rise.