Cost to Society

Impacts on Society

New Zealand is projected to get hotter nation wide and dryer east of the main divide and in the far north

Maps of New Zealand showing projected changes in temperature and precipitation from 1995 to 2090. The left map displays temperature increase in degrees Celsius, ranging from 0.8 to 1.8, represented by yellow to red colors. The right map shows precipitation change as a percentage, with changes from -10% to +15%, indicated by orange to blue colors.

NZ Government climate projections by NIWA indicate a solid warming trend nation wide, and reduced rainfall east of the main divide and in the far north.

Flooding will intensify

In a warmer climate we have more water vapour in the air because of more evaporation off the oceans. This gives additional energy to storm systems that hit harder, do more damage, and cost more.

A flooded rural area with houses and trees submerged in water, surrounded by partially flooded fields and vegetation.

Man examining dry grass on a hillside under a clear blue sky.

Droughts will get longer and hotter

A warming climate is a drying climate for many parts of the world including much of our farmlands. Our hill farmers are already suffering from low commodity prices, and the prospect of more intense droughts will hurt them even more.

The societal cost of ex-tropical cyclones is escalating

The cost of carbon pollution can be measured in the damage done by extreme weather events.

Cyclone Gabriel in 2023 cost around $4 billion and also added to inflation around the country.

Bar chart showing costs of various natural disasters in New Zealand from 1987 to 2023, with Canterbury earthquakes at $22,883 million and Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 as a notable recent event. Source: ICNZ.