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 Canterbury Wellbeing Survey.
The figure shows the proportion of respondents who indicated that their community is moderately or very well prepared to plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change, in greater Christchurch, 2020 and 2022. The decrease, between 2020 (18.2%) and 2022 (16.8%) is not statistically significant.
The figure shows 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 2022. The difference in the proportion of Pacific/Asian/Indian respondents and European respondents that reported that their community is moderately or very well prepared to plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change (29.6% and 15.5% respectively) is statistically significant in 2022.
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 in 2022 (10.6% for 18 to 24 years, 13.2% for 25 to 34 years, 14.4% for 35 to 49 years, and 18.7% for 50 to 64 years) compared to the oldest age groups (25.2% for 65 to 74 years and 25.3% 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 that in 2022, a statistically significantly higher proportion of those in the lowest income group (<$30,000, 25.4%) reported that their community is moderately or very well prepared to plan for and respond to the impacts of climate change compared with those in the highest income group ($100,000+, 14.3%). Broadly, the figure indicates a negative income gradient, with increasing income being associated with lower levels of perceived preparedness.
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 and 2022.
Data Sources
Source: Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury - formerly Canterbury District Health Board.
Survey/data set: Canterbury Wellbeing Survey to 2022. 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.