Dabbling in climate policy
A freebee for a Māori Health provider
My wife Louise chairs the Board of Directors for local Māori Health provider, Uruuruwhenua Health, which roughly translates as Passport to Good Health. As a government-funded entity, they’re required to have a Climate Change policy. She wondered if I could help out by providing one (free of charge). If she’d asked me as a NIWA employee, the charge would have been considerably more! It was an interesting exercise that follows on nicely from two recent posts (here and here), so I’m passing a slightly modified version of it on here (free of charge). No doubt it can be improved.
Climate Change Policy - Uruuruwhenua Health
As noted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC), Climate Change will have far-reaching implications for the world, and urgent action is now required. Fortunately for us, projected effects are largest in the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the Arctic. They will be relatively small in New Zealand due to the moderating influence of the Pacific Ocean. Within New Zealand, coastal areas will be most affected, and in the Central Otago region served by Uruuruwhenua Health, effects will be relatively small.
Nevertheless, Climate Change is a global problem, and we should all be part of its solution because on a per capita basis, New Zealanders are amongst the worst contributors. And if nothing is done about it, we will increasingly be inundated by climate refugees who will irreversibly change our societies.
The Otago Regional Council states that for the wider Otago region Climate Change could mean any or all of the following:
Warmer temperatures (more hot days, fewer frosts)
More wet conditions (winter and spring)
Significant decreases in snow
More windy days
An increase in storm intensity
Local wind extremes
More thunderstorms
Sea level rise
All except the last will be relevant to Central Otago. Although now more than 5 years old, Bodeker Scientific’s comprehensive 2017 report to the Central Otago District Council is still the most relevant. The region covered is similar to that served by Uruuruwhenua Health. The map below, which shows their projected changes in rainfall in that region, is just one of their many useful outputs.
Note that only the darkest colour (centered over Ranfurly) indicates a decrease. Rainfall is projected to increase in all other areas, particularly in the west. For example, the annual rainfall in Cromwell is projected to increase by around 70 mm, an increase of around 10 percent over its current mean.
The most important of these physical effects are likely to be extreme events: such an increased risk of flooding due to the increased rainfall (especially in the west) and its severity during storms, and the increased drought and fire-risk during extended hot-dry spells. There will also be economic flow-ons from the decreased viability of winter sports like skiing. Increases in winter rainfall could affect health issues arising from dampness in houses, though this is less of a concern here than other regions. Changes in timing of seasonal activities of fruit harvests caused by changing frost patterns may influence the long term viability of workers in the Seasonal Solutions programmes. Reductions in snow cover will also have implications for river flows, with larger flows in winter, and smaller flows in summer. This may be beneficial for energy prices for clients because most consumption is during winter months. However, it’s not obvious that a warmer climate will result in lower electricity bills. Although winter nights may be warmer, the increased humidity may lead to more daytime fog in this region. There will also be an increased need for cooling in summer.
From Uruuruwhenua’s perspective, psychological (rather than physical) issues arising from the stress of changing policies may be the most immediate and pressing, at least over the next few years. This could include dealing with social unrest associated with unpopular policies. Mental stress issues will be particularly applicable to the agricultural industries (especially meat and dairy sectors), who will be called upon to make significant changes.
The clientele of Uruuruwhenua may be disproportionately affected compared with the wider population of Aotearoa. This is a microcosm of a global injustice. Although the current contributions to climate change are dominated by USA and China, the largest cumulative effect - since the beginning of the industrial revolution - has been from wealthy developed western countries (e.g., in Europe and North America). But it’s the developing countries, especially the low-lying territories in the Pacific Islands and Bangladesh that will bear the brunt of the effect (e.g., land-loss through rising sea levels).
At a local level, the lower average income of the Uruuruwhenua clientele will make them more vulnerable to change and at the same time less able to adapt or mitigate.
We can in principle mitigate Climate Change by, for example:
installing efficient insulation and heating appliances (e.g., heat pumps)
installing rooftop solar panels to harness renewable solar energy
considering energy efficiency if a car is needed, and preferably using an electric car
minimizing fuel use through walking and cycling; and using public transport where possible
minimizing travel for communication outside the local region by using zoom
minimizing holiday travel, especially overseas
growing our own food, and buying locally (to minimize transport costs)
eating less meat (which is both carbon intensive and water intensive to produce)
avoiding consumer waste by recycling.
At a personal level many of these – especially the first three - are largely unattainable by the Uruuruwhenua client base because the capital outlay is too large. They are more concerned with having a roof over their heads, putting food on the table, and maintaining good health and education. On the other hand, the rest are all achievable cost-saving measures.
All of those actions are achievable for larger organization like Uruuruwhenua Health, and make good economic sense.
Finally, there is evidence that distrust of authority makes Māori more susceptible to ‘fake news’ and ‘conspiracy theories’. For example, it has been reported that “ NZ Europeans (28%) were less likely to indicate belief in two or more statements associated with misinformation compared with Māori (42%), Pacific (46%), and Asian New Zealanders (37%)”. Such disinformation on Climate Change has led to disastrous delays in meaningful action. We can all play our part in avoiding that pitfall. Having access to the relevant information is key. We should ensure that staff are well educated on the subject of Climate Change, including its causes, its effects, and how to adapt and mitigate against it. This could be achieved by providing staff seminars on the topic. Wherever possible, we should take every opportunity to communicate scientifically-sound evidence-based views on climate change to the clientele.
At Uruuruwhenua Health we aim for a triple bottom line approach: optimizing our contribution to social well-being, environmental health, and a just economy. The three “P's”: People, Planet, and Prosperity. In particular, we will attempt to mitigate climate change and its effects by:
Improving energy efficiency wherever possible
Minimizing waste
Being mindful of stresses induced by climate change and measures to curb it
Combating disinformation on climate change through education of staff and clients.