Environment
Climate change preparedness
Climate change impacts will be experienced most intensely at the local level, therefore community-based preparation is important to build capacity to adapt and reduce vulnerabilities to climate change [31]. Communities have local knowledge of their social, political, economic, and environmental circumstances, which can inform responses to climate change impacts [32].
This indicator presents the proportion of those 18 years and over who reported that their community is moderately or very well prepared to plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change, in the 2020 Canterbury Wellbeing Survey.
The figure shows that 18.2 percent of respondents in greater Christchurch indicated that their community is moderately or very well prepared to plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change. In Waimakariri District, a slightly higher proportion (21.7%) of respondents indicated that their community is moderately or very well prepared compared to Selwyn District and Christchurch City (19.1% and 17.6%, respectively), however, these differences are not statistically significant.
The figure shows no statistically significant differences, by ethnicity, in the proportion of respondents who reported that their community is moderately or very well prepared to plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change, in greater Christchurch, in 2020. While the proportion for Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents is higher than for European and Māori respondents (24.6% versus 18.4% for Māori and 17.7% for European respondents), this difference is not statistically significant.
The figure shows a clear positive relationship between perceived climate change preparedness and age. Lower proportions of respondents from younger age groups reported that their community is moderately or very well prepared to plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change (14.2% for 18 to 24 years, 11.3% for 25 to 34 years, and 17.3% for 35 to 49 years) compared to the oldest age groups (25.6% for 65 to 74 years and 30.9% for 75+ years). These differences were statistically significant between the three younger age groups (18 to 24, 25 to 34, and 35 to 49 years) and the two oldest age groups (65 to 74 and 75+ years).
The figure shows no statistically significant differences by long-term health condition or disability (for either age group), in the proportion of respondents who reported that their community is moderately or very well prepared to plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change, in greater Christchurch in 2020.
Data Sources
Source: Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury - formerly Canterbury District Health Board.
Survey/data set: Canterbury Wellbeing Survey 2020. Access publicly available data from Te Mana Ora | Community and Public Health website www.cph.co.nz/your-health/wellbeing-survey/
Source data frequency: Annually.