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 climate changes from 1995 to 2090, with a left map depicting temperature increase in Celsius using a red to yellow color scale, and a right map showing precipitation change in percent using a blue to green color scale.

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 house and surrounding trees heavily flooded by rising water from a nearby river, with some waterways visible. The floodwaters have inundated the yard and possibly parts of the house, with trees and fields also submerged.

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.

A man crouching in a dry, hilly landscape during daytime, examining the ground.

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 comparing costs of various natural disasters from 2010 to 2023, including earthquakes, cyclone Gabrielle, cyclone Debbie, floods, storm damage, and flooding, with costs labeled in millions of dollars.