'Doing nothing isn’t an option': Cataclysmic climate change projections spark action
Raging wildfires, scorching droughts, intense storms, and homes battered by floodwaters cataclysmic climate change predictions for Canterbury are driving a new campaign to avert a scary future for the region. The 'It's time, Canterbury' campaign launched on Friday. Along with the stark forecasts for temperature and sea-level rise, it highlights what Cantabrians can do to reduce the effects of climate change and what is already being done. All 11 city, district, and regional councils in the province are part of the campaign. Doing nothing isnt an option any more, Environment Canterbury (ECan) youth ropu representative Erana Riddell said at the campaign launch. READ MORE: * Underwater and on fire: How climate change is magnifying extreme weather in the US * Climate change doomsday scenario could start by 2050 if we don't act, report warns * Water projects 'critical' as scientists predict run of even higher temperatures We as young people are growing up in a world far different from our ancestors. Climate change doesnt just scare us, it frightens us immensely, because the impact its already having will be ever present for the rest of our lives. [This campaign is] a really good stepping stone to acknowledging that the climate is changing, and we need to change along with it. The campaign is centred on Niwas (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) climate projections for the region, based on a business as usual scenario including current levels of fossil fuel use . They predict Canterbury's average temperatures could rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2040, and 3.5C by 2090. The biggest increases will be in mountain and high country areas, which are already feeling the heat of droughts and wildfires . Cantabrians can expect a lot more hot days. By the end of the century, Twizel could have up to 135 days a year when temperatures climb past 25C, and Rangiora up to 100. Twizel currently has an average of 45 days a year over 25C. Summer rainfall for the parched paddocks of Banks Peninsula could drop another 15 per cent a further blow for locals already battling water restrictions and record-breaking dry conditions this summer. In contrast, South Canterbury could get 40 per cent more winter rainfall, and 25 per cent more throughout the year. There would also be fewer frost days region-wide, down to just five a year in Christchurch. Perhaps the most stark end-of-the-century prediction would be sea level rise, with waters expected to be 80 centimetres higher than today. Environment Canterbury (ECan) chief scientist Fiona Shanhun said it might be a lot to take in. Were trying really hard not to overwhelm people, [but] these figures are quite scary. A three-degree temperature increase might not seem like much, but it could be the difference between ice and water for glaciers , she said. Melting ice contributed to sea level rise, which could affect coastal Canterbury towns and taonga landmarks. Shanhun said hotter days could dry out soil and plants, leading to higher fire risk in places that had already been ravaged by wildfires, like Lake Ohau and Pukaki . It would affect farming in the agriculture-heavy region too. Changes to temperature and rainfall patterns, those things have an impact on crop growth, [and] an impact on irrigation and water storage needs. Warmer temperatures can affect animals as well ... they can suffer from heat stress, and may be less productive. The outlook for Canterburys biodiversity may be bleak too, with rising sea levels changing habitats and fewer frosts to kill off invasive pests, she said. Climate change is going to affect all of us, so its really important people know whats coming. What you can do tips from the Its Time, Canterbury website: The best thing people could do was learn more, including what they could do to help slow the process, Shanhun said. Its thinking about things like transport ... perhaps taking the bus a little more. Its thinking about what you buy and where it comes from. Its thinking about being energy efficient, turning lights off when you leave the room. Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr said there were pathways to get to net zero by 2050, which was within the lifetime of 70 per cent of New Zealanders already alive today. Now was the time to join the conversation, and every Kiwi could play a part, he said. No emission is too little to reduce. How is my local council responding? Check out more here Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods said Its time, Canterbury made it easy to dig into the reality of climate change. This has got to be a conversation that reaches everyone, not stuck at an elite level. ECan chair Jenny Hughey said it was well known that greenhouse gas emissions needed to be seriously reduced on a global scale to curb the worst impacts of climate change. But theres plenty we can do locally, and in many of our regions councils new long-term plans, climate change response is at the forefront . Riddell, who is also a mana whenua representative in the ropu, said iwi were facing even bigger problems. Coastal marae are faced with being washed out to sea, species are fat when they should be lean, plants are flowering earlier. Knowing when to harvest our saltwater fisheries, our environmental indicators, [those] intergenerational practices continuing them is going to be harder. Riddell said there was hope, but there needed to be commitment from both the community and its leaders. Cantabrians can check out what climate change will mean for their district, what their local councils are doing about it, and how they can help on the Its time, Canterbury, website .