Tomorrow Kapiti Council has a choice – please come and support us.

For years, Kapiti CALM has been challenging Council’s reliance on the extreme-end SSP5-8.5 / RCP8.5 climate scenario in coastal hazard planning.

The Government recently sent a clear message when Minister Simon Watts told councils that high-end scenarios such as SSP5-8.5 and RCP8.5 should NOT be used as the primary planning assumption.

They should instead be treated as less-likely, high-impact scenarios for stress testing and contingency planning.

So what is Kapiti Council proposing?

NO CHANGE.

The officer recommendation before tomorrow’s Strategy & Policy Committee is to simply note the Minister’s advice — while continuing with Council’s current approach.

Even Council’s own report acknowledges that high-emissions scenarios such as SSP5-8.5 and RCP8.5 are now regarded by the IPCC and broader scientific community as less likely than intermediate emissions futures.

Yet Council says there is “no immediate need to change its current approach.”

THIS IS THE QUESTION KAPITI NEEDS TO ASK:

If the Minister says DON’T use the extreme-end scenario as the primary planning assumption — why is Kāpiti Council still proposing no change?

This is not about ignoring climate risks.

It is about asking whether Kapiti’s coastal planning is using the most appropriate and credible climate scenarios — and whether an extreme-end scenario should be driving decisions with potentially significant consequences for property owners and the wider community.

Kapiti CALM says: it’s time for Council to reconsider and will be making a statement to Council

TOMORROW — 22 SEPTEMBER, 9.30am

Kapiti District Council Strategy & Policy Committee

Agenda item 8.1 — Climate Change Scenarios

Kapiti residents deserve answers – please come and support us.

Council’s report can be read here…