New Zealand oceans warming 34% faster than global average, putting homes and industry at risk, report finds

NZ$180bn worth of housing and $26bn of infrastructure at risk of flooding and storm damage, new government report finds.

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The report presented a wide array of risks associated with the marine changes, including threats to indigenous marine species, coastal inundation and flooding of homes, as well as stronger and more devastating storms, and risks to communities and the economy.

It noted 219,000 homes worth $180bn were located in coastal inundation and inland flood zones, while more than $26bn worth of infrastructure was vulnerable to damage. About 1,300 coastal homes could face significant damage from extreme weather.

[...]

Some regions will experience a rise of 20cm to 30cm in sea levels by 2050, a tipping point for some communities, Collins said.

“Sea levels that reach that height mean that a coastal storm that used to happen every 100 years could start happening every year,” she said.

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