New Zealand: Auckland's poorest to suffer most in climate change
By Todd Niall and Mandy Te
Climate change means a quarter of Auckland's buildings will face flood risk and the city's poorest communities will be hit hardest, according to a ground-breaking assessment.
Auckland's poorer southern suburbs will be hit not only by hotter, drier weather over the next century, but will have the least ability to adjust or escape the change.
The wind will weaken, and change direction, bringing new pollution risks, while up to 2.5 per cent of the land area could be threatened by rising sea levels.
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The work paints for the first time a picture of how a New Zealand city will be affected by climate change over the next century.
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By 2110 the southern communities will have 90 extra "hot days", 10-20 more than the Auckland average, and the make-up of the communities will heighten the impact.
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A brief summary of the impact on the built environment shows 23 per cent of Auckland buildings, or 127,593, would be exposed to flood hazards, with 16,000 at risk of floor flooding in a one-in-100-year flood, with the city's paved surfaces and roads affecting the volume, speed and path of water in heavy rain.
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