201201 Climate Change component in reports.pdf

Guide for Climate Change Considerations
in the Council reports

This  guide  is  here  to  help  staff  members  of  Carterton  District  Council  insert  a  Climate  Change
component in their Council reports.

Why consider Climate Change in the Council reports (council meetings,
community boards, committees) and what are we trying to achieve?
One way to mitigate and adapt to Climate Change is to consider climate change in every single decision
we make and in every single project we manage. It must become part of our ‘Business as Usual’.

Climate change mitigation (greenhouse gas emissions reduction)
By adopting the Carbon Reduction Strategy called the Ruamāhanga Strategy (Council meeting 12th of
February 2020), the Council committed in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.
The Ruamāhanga Strategy set up carbon reduction targets:
-  Reduce our emissions
-  Increase our carbon sequestration (forest, wetlands)
-  Reduce our biogenic methane emissions (methane emitted by solid waste and wastewater)
These targets have been adopted by the Council and it is now up to the CDC’s staff members to achieve
them.
The Council needs to make sure that it can effectively reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, therefore
mitigate Climate Change. Because the Council oversees activities which emits a lot of carbon (such as
solid waste and wastewater treatment), it can play an important role in the Climate Change mitigation.

Climate change adaptation (adapt to the impacts of climate change)
The council has legal requirements (RMA, LGA, Climate Change response (Zero Carbon) Amendment
Act) to adapt to Climate Change and is the main actor of the local development.
Therefore,  the  Council  must  consider  the  Climate  Change  impacts  to  avoid  mismanagement  and
increase resiliency. Here again CDC has a major role to play in the Climate Change adaptation.

First edition: September 2020
Updated: December 2020

How to consider Climate Change in the Council reports?
A Climate Change component is present in the template for the Council report. This component must
answer the following questions:
-  How  does  my  project/decision/work  impact  the  greenhouse  gas  emissions  over  its  lifecycle
(raw material, manufacturing, assembly, product use, disposal)?
As much as possible you should try to provide details on greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. embodied
carbon of the material used, emissions from a vehicle purchased, etc). There is more and more
data  available.  Your  suppliers  are  most  likely  able  to  provide  the  data  you  need.  Our  Climate
Change Advisor can also help you with this.
Example of projects that can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions:
o  Switching to LED lights
o  Improving the wastewater treatment plant
o  Fixing leaks on water supply pipes and on sewers
o  Improving our buildings (insolation, double glazing, etc)
o  Planning: e.g. high quality, higher-density living
o  Natural areas restauration (forest, wetlands, etc)
Example of projects that can increase the greenhouse gas emissions:
o  Road maintenance
o  Planning: e.g. residential area away from centre town
o  Deforestation
o  Buying Internal Combustion Engine vehicles
o  Waste production
o  Water treatment plant

-  Explain how you intend to reduce your project/decision/work’s greenhouse gas emissions over
its life cycle?
Consider  alternatives  to  understand  where  your  choice  sits  compare  to  other  possibilities  (an
alternative can be to not do the project).
If you do not choose the best alternative regarding the emissions, explain why (other alternative
has better outcomes for the well-beings, is more fit for purpose…).
You can also offset your project/decision/work’s emissions  (e.g. plant trees, pay a company to
offset the emissions)
Examples of alternatives:
o  Water saving appliances rather than regular appliances
o  Recycled material rather than non-recycled material (e.g. paper, asphalt)
o  No alternatives known
Examples on why you choose this option:
o  Project necessary due to health and safety reasons: e.g. trees that may fall and put human
life at risk, road maintenance to keep our roads safe, treatment plant to provide safe drinking
water
o  Project necessary to increase the community development: e.g. library, playground

First edition: September 2020
Updated: December 2020

-  How is my project/decision/work impacted by Climate Change?
The  Council  must  consider  the  climate-related  risks  to  avoid  mismanagement  and  increase
resiliency.
Therefore, you must identify the impacts of climate change on your project/decision/work. To do
so, use the climate change assumptions used across our organisation (attached to this guide).
Example of impacts on a project:
o  A road may be flooded because of sea-level rise
o  A water supply catchment can be unusable after a wildfire
o  An asset may become hardly insurable due to increased climate-related risks

-  Explain how your project/decision/work mitigate the impacts of Climate Change identified?
Explain  how  you  mitigate  the  climate-related  risks  and  impacts  identified  on  your
project/decision/work.
Example of mitigation measures:
o  Managed retreat of an infrastructure that will be at risk against sea-level rise
o  Firebreak

The answers to these questions must be sufficient to allow the elected members to make an informed
decision.

For more information
Feel free to contact our Climate Change Advisor, Mélanie Barthe, if needed. She will be happy to help
you  ([email address],  present  Monday  to  Wednesday  in  Carterton  and  every  Thursdays  in
Martinborough).

Ruamāhanga Strategy (carbon reduction strategy)
https://docs.cdc.govt.nz:8443/download/116026

Greenhouse gas inventories
2018: https://docs.cdc.govt.nz:8443/download/116025
2019: https://docs.cdc.govt.nz:8443/download/116024

First edition: September 2020
Updated: December 2020

Assumptions (Climate Change Advisor)
IPCC SCENARIOS
Mean temperature increase

Mid-century (2031-2050)
Late-Century (2081-2100)
RCP2.6: Low emissions scenario
0.5°C to 0.8°C
0.5°C to 0.8°C
RCP4.5: Intermediate/low emissions scenario
0.5°C to 1.0°C
1.0°C to 1.5°C
RCP6.0: Intermediate emissions scenario
0.5°C to 1.0°C
1.3°C to 2.0°C
RCP8.5: High emissions scenario
0.8°C to 1.0°C
2.3°C to 3.0°C

GWRC CLIMATE CHANGE ASSUMPTIONS
Greater Wellington regional Council provides climate change parameters for each Whaitua (super catchments) in the Wellington region. These parameters are based on the following reports:
-
Climate Change and variability – Wellington Region, report prepared by NIWA for GWRC, June 2017
-
Wellington Region climate change extremes and implications, report prepared by NIWA for GWRC, December 2019

These reports and parameters are based on the following IPCC scenarios:
-
RCP4.5: Intermediate/low emissions scenario
-
RCP8.5: High emissions scenario

2040
2090
Seasonal changes
Uncertainties
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
lower range for significant emissions reduction
Maximum warming in autumn and summer, least
(Paris Agreement targets met), and upper range
+0.7 to +1°C above present
+1.2 to +3°C above present
in winter
for high emissions.
Average annual T°C

Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
+0.5 to +1°C above present
+1 to +3°C above present
Maximum warming in autumn and summer, least
Lower range for RCP4.5 and upper range for
in spring
RCP8.5
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Between 0 and 30 days increase
Between 0 and 80 days increase
Temperature and seasonality
Hot days (above 25°C)

Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Between 5 and 30 days increase
Between 15 and 60 days increase
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Between 0 and 15 days reduction
Between 0 and 40 days reduction
Frost nights

Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Between 0 and 5 days reduction
Between 0 and 15 days reduction
Annual Growing Degree Days
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Increase of 0 to 300 GDD units

(GDD) base 10°C
Increase of 200 to 1000 GDD units
First edition: September 2020
Updated: December 2020

GDD = (T°Cmax + T°Cmin)/2) -

T°Cbase
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Measures potential for crop and
Increase of 200 to 900 GDD units
pasture growth
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Annual potential
+20 to +120 mm
+0 to +180 mm
evapotranspiration deficit (mm)

Measures drought intensity
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
+40 to +120 mm
+40 to +160 mm
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
0% to 10% decrease
There is a large uncertainty in the range of changes
Greater likelihood of positive changes in autumn,
due to model differences, emissions scenarios.
Average annual rainfall
5% decrease to 5% increase

winter and spring.
Changes against emission scenarios are not
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
necessarily linear.
10% decrease to 5% increase
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Although the uncertainty in average rainfall range
is high, extreme rainfall increases are more certain
Amount of rain falling during
0% to 10% increase
0% to 20% increase
due to the increased amount of water vapour that
heavy rainfall days (>99th

the atmosphere can hold as it gets warmer (about
percentile of daily rainfall)
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
8% increase in saturation vapour per degree of
0% to 15% increase
0% to 30% increase
warming)
River mean annual low flow
Rainfall patterns and intensity
discharge (MAL)
Up to 60% decrease
Up to 80% decrease

Measure water shortage in the
catchments
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
20% decrease to 40% increase depending on
River mean annual flood
catchment
discharge (MAF)
20% decrease to 60% increase depending on

Measures flood potential in the
catchment
catchments
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
20% decrease to 20% increase depending on
catchment
These figures are given by IPCC model averages.
Days of very high and extreme
100% to 150% increase
100% to 150% increase

Individual models can show much higher increases
forest fire danger
of up to 700%.
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
Ruamāhanga Whaitua:
0 to 4 days increase
0 to 12 days increase
Annual number of windy days

Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Wairarapa Coast Whaitua:
Wind
0 to 6 days increase
0 to 10 days increase
Intensity of wind during windy
days (>99th percentile of daily
0% to 3% increase
1% to 4% increase

mean)
The projected sea level rise for 2090 is based on
IPCC AR5 plus an estimated additional contribution
More regular storm events in the fragile coastal
from Antarctica, based on papers published in
Sea level and coastal hazards
Permanent sea level rise
+0.12 m to +0.24 m above present
+0.68 m to +1.75 m above present
environment may also mean faster and more
Nature in 2018. There is very high confidence in
significant coastal retreat.
sea level rise projections, probably more so than
any other variable.
Acidification of the ocean

General temperature rise of sea
Oceanic changes

water
Marine heatwaves

First edition: September 2020
Updated: December 2020