Graham Kennedy: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Graham Kennedy: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 21 March 2012. Volume:678;Page:1152. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
12. 
Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Climate Change Issues 
: Is he concerned by a recent report of an international team of scientists that even with a two degree celsius rise in average global temperature future generations could face sea levels of up to 12 to 22 metres higher than at present? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON (Minister of Conservation) 
 on behalf of the Minister for Climate Change Issues: Yes. The estimates of sea level rise in this report are in line with estimates from the science community over the past few years. But I note that the author himself puts these estimates in context by stating that such changes could take centuries or millennia and that “The current trajectory for the 21st century global rise of sea level is 2 to 3 feet …”. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: In light of that reply is the Minister concerned that the Government’s current guidelines for local councils on sea level rise for 2100 are 28 percent lower than the level estimated by the scientists; if so will he inform the local government and environment Ministers that we have now got it wrong? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: The current guidelines for local authorities that they consider the consequences of a mean sea level rise of at least 0.8 metres is in line with the findings of the report for sea level rise out to the end of this century. The lead author of that report just mentioned himself said: “The current trajectory for the 21st century global rise of sea level is … (0.8 to 1 metre) …”. This is in line with the Government guidance. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: Working on the understanding that the guidelines actually were 0.5 to 0.8—so not exceeding 0.8—is the Minister concerned that no consideration appears to have been given to the prospect of sea level rise in the rebuild of Christchurch given that a city’s life cycle is over centuries and will the Minister now act on my report of August 2011 that the rebuild should account for a sea level rise of 2 metres by 2100 bearing in mind the report of the conference in Berlin which suggested by consensus a sea level rise of 0.9 to 1.6? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: The Ministry for the Environment has provided guidance to all local councils regarding planning for an expected increase in sea levels. In terms of the specific report the member refers to I would encourage the member to make a representation to the local councils if he feels that any specific factors do need closer attention. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: How can it be more broadly when the global economy was projected by the OECD last week to quadruple by 2050 and without new mitigation policies global energy demand to be 80 percent higher and 85 percent reliant on fossil fuels and emissions 50 percent higher that the Minister can repeatedly assure this House that every Government including New Zealand is doing enough to combat climate change? 
Hon KATE WILKINSON 
: The member is correct: climate change is a global issue and a global response is needed. New Zealand is committed to fulfilling our international responsibilities. New Zealand is a small player but we are doing our fair share and our guidance will continue to be informed by sound science. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: I seek leave to table two documents. The first is a report by the Geological Society of America in  
Geology  
online dated 19 March headed “Implications of global sea level for Antarctica deglaciation”. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Dr Kennedy Graham 
: The second document is an OECD report 2012 of last week:  
OECD 
Environmental Outlook to 2050: The Consequences of Inaction 
. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.