Future Coasts Aotearoa

Transforming coastal lowland systems threatened by sea-level rise into prosperous communities

Aotearoa New Zealand’s coastal lowlands are our flat low-lying land (or plains) adjacent to coasts and estuaries. Our coastal lowlands are valued for many reasons, including unique ecological wetlands, cultural sites of significance, valued recreational areas, highly-productive agriculture and are popular places to live. 

Unstoppable sea-level rise (SLR) will force changes to coastal lowlands and our use of these environments.  

Future Coasts Aotearoa is a five-year (2021-2026) collaborative research programme led NIWA that aims to transform coastal lowland systems threatened by relative sea-level-rise into prosperous communities.
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Future Coasts Aotearoa
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What's new:

A serious game for a serious purpose

We have been developing a serious game (adaptation simulation) using a coastal lowland scenario under the effects of climate change and sea-level rise.

We will use the game to discover people’s behaviours and preferences for sea-level rise adaptation and the data it generates to build a multi-agent behavioural model that shows how people would behave over time in a changing climate in response to a range of policies and resource constraints.

Find out more about the game and the multi-agent model.

Shallow_groundwater_AshleyRiver
NIWA

New tool reveals shallow groundwater elevations

The first-of-its-kind online tool shows areas that could be exposed to shallow groundwater hazards, right now, based on existing groundwater measurements.

The research team pulled together 2.4 million real-life readings of groundwater depth from around the country. To fill in the gaps, they used machine learning trained on factors that influence the water table, such as land elevation, soil type and nearness to waterways.

The result is a risk screening tool to manage hazards, guide adaptation planning for existing land use choices, and plan future developments.

Find out more and access the tool.

Pathways thinking

Click on the different pathways buttons to learn more information about each pathway

We are presenting these resources using Pathways thinking; a strategic planning approach that allows for uncertainty and change. This framework encourages you to consider many different options, how long they may be effective for and when you may need to change tack. The approach focusses on informed planning and acknowledges that there will be many ways to do things.

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