New Zealand cannot escape the impacts of climate change and must start thinking about how to adapt
At IAG we believe that climate change is a critical issue for New Zealand. It is vital that everyone reduces the impact they have on the climate through cuts to their greenhouse gas emissions. But it is also essential that we all prepare for the inevitable impact that our changing climate will have. We want New Zealand to focus a lot more on how it will adapt to the inevitable and growing impacts that climate change is bringing.
Since 2018 we have been asking New Zealanders about their attitudes towards climate change, with an increasing focus on how the country should adapt. In this year’s survey we looked more closely at peoples’ readiness to adapt and their expectations of government, business and other New Zealanders in helping them to do so. We also looked at their expectations of the impact that COVID-19 will have.
The findings highlight a sense that the country’s response is improving, but also that important gaps remain. People need better information to make decisions and take personal action. We know that some land will be lost, but don’t know how to retreat from it. We know investment and support is needed, but don’t know how best to pay for it. And people are uncertain about the role that insurers and banks should have. These are gaps that IAG is ready to help fill.
If you would like to know more please download our report or take a look at our video.
This Ipsos-IAG survey was of 1,000 people and ran between 18 and 24 June. It has a margin of error of 3.1%.
If you’d like to talk more about climate change, our survey findings or what you think IAG should be doing, please get in touch with us at sustainability@iag.co.nz.