19. Climate Change Volume One However, climate change may create new opportunities. Plant growth could improve due to longer growing seasons and rising carbon dioxide levels. Warmer temperatures and decreased frost risk may enable new crops to be established; for example, Marlborough may become more suited to growing red wine grape varieties. Changes in climate may also create the opportunity to develop new ways to produce renewable energy. The public health effects of climate change include warmer winters, which may alleviate cold related illnesses and death. This would have the added advantage of reducing energy consumption during the winter months. In contrast, hotter summers may cause heat stress while drier and windier conditions could create more dust and affect sufferers of respiratory disease. Windier conditions will also create additional challenges for the use of agrichemicals in the rural environment. Communities may enjoy the health benefits of warmer winters, but warmer temperatures may also have significant biosecurity implications. Sub-tropical diseases may become a problem if carrier insects become established. Rising average temperatures could lead to the wider establishment and spread of new and/or existing pest plants, increased abundance of animal pests and greater survival of a range of insect pests. The predictions of climate change at a national level involve significant uncertainty and little work has been undertaken to apply these national predictions to Marlborough’s climate. This makes the task of responding to the effects of climate change in Marlborough difficult. This situation is complicated further by the fact that New Zealand and Marlborough are subject to natural climate variations associated with La Nina/El Nino and the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation. These natural variations will be superimposed on human-induced long term climate changes. [RPS, R, C, D] Objective 19.1 – Mitigation of and adaptation to the adverse effects on the environment arising frm climate hange. o c This objective focusses on actions that the community can take to reduce the potential for adverse effects on the environment caused by climate change and to respond to any effects that do occur. One of the difficulties is that there is inherent uncertainty regarding the likely local climate changes in Marlborough and therefore the exact nature of those adverse effects is unknown, making it particularly difficult to plan for climate change. Further research will assist in this regard. In the meantime, it is prudent to promote actions that offset carbon emissions and retain sufficient flexibility in the use, development and protection of natural and physical resources to enable resource users to adapt to a changing climate. [RPS] Policy 19.1.1 – Promote actions within Marlborough to reduce or offset carbon emissions. Climate change is a global issue that New Zealand's central government is addressing at an international and national level. The RMA effectively excludes regional councils from the role of regulating emissions for climate change purposes (Sections 70A and 104E of the RMA). However, the Council can explore opportunities for supporting national policies and where appropriate promote methods that address climate change problems within New Zealand’s national policy framework for climate change. For example, the Council could assess and then address the carbon footprint of delivering its own services to the community and encourage businesses to do likewise. This is one of many actions the Council could undertake to enable Marlborough’s people and communities to play their part in responding to this global issue. [RPS] Policy 19.1.2 – Improve the community’s understanding of the potential effects of climate change on the Marlborough environment. Although there has been considerable research to predict long term climate change internationally and nationally, very few of the research findings have been applied directly to Marlborough’s climate. This makes it difficult to establish the likely effects of climate change on natural and 19 – 2