Aotearoa New Zealand’s Climate Change Adaptation Act: Building a Durable Future, Options and Models for Managed Relocation Policy, Working Paper 3

In June 2022, EDS commenced a project titled Aotearoa New Zealand’s Climate Change Adaptation Act: Building a Durable Future to develop recommendations for the content of a new Climate Adaptation Act. This was in response to the expressed government intention to develop new law to address the complex and distinctive issues associated with managed relocation such as funding, compensation, land acquisition, liability and insurance.

In February 2023, EDS released its first working paper for the project. Titled Principles and Funding for Managed Retreat, the paper focused on conceptualising managed retreat and exploring what principles might underpin a new system and how it might be funded. The second working paper, Current Legislative and Policy Framework for Managed Relocation, released in May 2023, described and evaluated the adequacy of the current law and rights-based systems applicable to managed retreat.

This third and last working paper in the series focuses in identifying options for reform. This draws on lessons learnt from national and international case studies and brings together options into two models for a potential reform package. The final report, which is due March 2024 will include concrete recommendations for the design of the Climate Adaptation Bill.