Climate change: Most Kiwis don't think NZ is moving fast enough

Three quarters of Kiwis think New Zealand isn't moving fast enough to tackle climate change, a just-released poll shows. Photo / Paul Taylor

Fewer than a quarter of Kiwis think New Zealand is moving fast enough to tackle climate change, a just-released poll shows.

The fourth annual survey from insurer IAG New Zealand also suggested more people think businesses should be doing their bit to help combat the climate crisis.

It found that 79 per cent of respondents saw the Government as being responsible for taking action – up from 65 per cent in 2018 – while 71 per cent now saw businesses as also needing to play a part, a rise of 14 per cent.

Yet it suggested most didn't think the country was on track.

Just 23 per cent thought the current response was moving fast enough, and only 37 per cent were confident that New Zealand would be able to reduce the impacts of climate change.

The company's sustainability and climate change spokesman, Bryce Davies, said the results showed a need for a step change in the country's response.

'"New Zealanders need to see meaningful action that shows we understand and are reducing the risks posed by our changing climate."

The survey comes a day after the Climate Change Commission's final advice was publicly released – setting out an ambitious roadmap to bring net greenhouse gas emissions down by 42 per cent, within just 14 years.

"The Commission's final advice is an important milestone but does not change the fact that we have locked in impacts that require us to adapt," Davies said.

"Any delay in meeting our targets will worsen those impacts for current and future generations."

Climate Change Minister James Shaw said it was good to see the vast majority of Kiwis expected strong action.

"Whilst cutting our emissions is obviously a huge part of what we need to do to create a clean, safe and healthy future for Aotearoa, the climate is already changing and there will be some effects that we cannot avoid," he said.

"So, in addition to supporting the transition to a low carbon New Zealand, we can also see from this survey that people want us to take action to ensure our communities are made much more resilient to the unavoidable effects of global climate change.

"That is a priority for us."

The poll also highlighted the difficulty in deciding how New Zealand equitably pays to adapt to a changing climate.

Only 31 per cent of respondents agreed the Government and local authorities should raise rates and taxes - and only 4 per cent thought the costs to businesses of adapting should be passed on to customers.

It also showed that climate change remained an important issue for 79 per cent of respondents, and their understanding on the expected impacts was still high.

Nine in 10 thought climate change would increase coastal inundation due to sea-level rise; 85 per cent thought it would lead to more frequent and intense storms and floods; 88 per cent expected more frequent and extreme droughts; and 83 per cent anticipated more frequent and extreme wildfires.

"New Zealanders have a really thorough understanding of how the climate is changing, and to an extent how we are going to have to change with it," Victoria University climate scientist Professor James Renwick said.

"There is a clear concern for equity and fairness in how we cover the costs and the damage, and a strong consensus among the public that individuals should not have to foot the bill."

Researchers have already warned that thousands of seaside homes around New Zealand could face soaring insurance premiums - or even have some cover pulled altogether - within 15 years.

Nationally, about 450,000 homes that currently sit within a kilometre of the coast are likely to be hit by a combination of sea level rise and more frequent and intense storms under climate change.

Along with preparing an Emissions Reduction Plan – due by the end of the year – the Government also plans to introduce new legislation to help communities adapt to climate-driven impacts