Business outlines recommendations for effective and enduring adaptation response

The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and the Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) have made a series of recommendations for accelerating adaptation in Aotearoa New Zealand in their joint submission to the Government’s Draft National Adaptation Plan and Managed Retreat Proposals.

The joint response reflects the views of more than 160 businesses that contribute more than a third of New Zealand’s GDP and are committed to securing the country’s low emissions and climate resilient future.

“Recent severe weather events including flooding on the East and West Coasts of Aotearoa New Zealand are acute and urgent reminders of the importance of accelerating our actions on climate change with a double-pronged approach, through both mitigation and adaptation,” says SBC Executive Director Mike Burrell.

“The National Adaptation Plan and Managed Retreat Proposals represent a significant and critical step towards building the resilience required for the country to manage the irreversible impacts of a warming world.”

“This joint response draws on the insights and expertise of our members and outlines key recommendations for impactful measures that will support an effective, and most importantly enduring, adaptation response,” says Mr Burrell.

The submission outlines 13 key recommendations including:

– establishing an enduring National Adaptation Framework that goes beyond a six-year timeframe 

– engaging early on managed retreat, including on risk, costs, and responsibilities, and 

– setting national adaptation targets and indicators to measure progress.

SBC and CLC members are already working together through their newly established Adaptation Working Group to raise the profile of business adaptation, as well as lift business capability and action on adaption. The Working Group has also developed a definition of what adaptation means for businesses.

The Coalition will also soon be launching a new Statement of Ambition reflecting signatories’ desire to unite New Zealand businesses to accelerate our transition towards a zero-carbon and resilient future, which will include an increased focus on ambitious adaptation action.

“Never before has this kind of collective leadership been more important or urgent, as Aotearoa New Zealand moves to harness the opportunities posed by securing a low-emissions and climate resilient future,” says CLC Convenor and Z Chief Executive Mike Bennetts.

“Alongside SBC members, the Coalition is stepping up to demonstrate the role business can play by taking meaningful action on adaptation and we stand ready to help collectively shape adaptation activity for the benefit of all New Zealanders.”

SBC and CLC commend the Government on developing the country’s first draft National Adaptation Plan, and now call on them to work meaningfully with business to deliver a final plan that provides clarity and certainty on a collective and enduring pathway forward.

Read SBC and CLC’s full joint submission the Draft Adaptation Plan and Managed Retreat proposals here. 

The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) is a CEO-led membership organisation with more than 120 businesses from all sectors, ambitious for a sustainable New Zealand. Members represent more than $111 billion of collective turnover, 34% of GDP, and more than 180,000 full-time jobs. Our network gives members unparalleled influence and the ability to take large-scale collective action. SBC is part of the BusinessNZ network and is the New Zealand Global Network partner to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. www.sbc.org.nz

The Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) was launched in July 2018 to promote business leadership and collective action on climate change. With more than 100 signatories, they now account for almost 60% of New Zealand’s gross emissions, $122 billion of collective turnover, around 38% of GDP, and employ over 220,000 people. Signatory commitments include measuring and publicly reporting their greenhouse gas emissions, setting a public emissions reduction target, and working with suppliers to reduce their emissions. www.climateleaderscoalition.org.nz