Sea level rise and academia in one nation: New Zealand

One nation recently published a climate action plan. Its climate minister stated that some of the country’s homes will have to be relocated as sea and river levels rise.

I’d like to share this as one example of how we respond to climate change, and to share some observations about how one way it can impact higher education. Here I’ll comment on the minister’s statement alone; hopefully I can get to the plan itself later on.

The nation is New Zealand. Climate minister (and how many governments have such a position?) James Shaw said that global warming will drive a major housing move:

about 70,000 coastal homes in New Zealand were at risk from rising seas, and many more inland homes were at risk from flooding rivers.

Moving is one option of several:

“In some highly exposed areas, the risk from natural hazard and climate impacts may become intolerable,” the report says. “Inundation of buildings and infrastructure will start to occur, leading to direct damage and loss of some facilities like roads or other lifeline services, and public open space.”

The report says that a “managed retreat” from such areas will often be considered a last resort, to be used in conjunction with other adaptations such as installing seawalls and raising houses on stilts.

I want to make sure you hear that phrase “managed retreat.” It’s one the climate community has been talking about but which…