Greater Wellington — Impacts on our region

We are already seeing the impacts of climate change on our region and these will continue to become more apparent over time.

Temperatures are warming and weather patterns are shifting, and these changes will have both positive and negative effects for different activities. It is important that we understand the projected impacts of climate change, so we can factor this into our planning and the work that we do.

A report we commissioned from NIWA in 2017 projects that there will be significant impacts to our region by 2090 if global emissions are not significantly reduced. The annual regional temperatures, for instance, could increase by up to 3°C.

Wellington and Wairarapa will experience significant increase in hot days
Frost occurrence, including in the high elevation areas, is projected to significantly decrease
Spring rainfall will reduce by up to 15% in eastern areas
Up to 15% more winter rainfall could be experienced along the west coast
The risk of drought will increase in the Wairarapa
More extreme rainfall events

Impact maps of climate change

Storytelling maps

Climate change projections and impacts

Wellington Regional Climate Change Impact Assessment - Summary Wellington Regional Climate Change Impact Assessment - Final Report Climate change projections and impacts - Summary Climate change and variability - Full report Climate Change and the Greater Wellington Region - a new vision

Climate extremes special reporting

Climate extremes report 2020 Climate extremes report 2019

West of the ranges projections

A supplementary 2022 report was commissioned specifically for west of Wellington’s Tararua and Remutaka ranges, to acknowledge the region as a climate change ‘hotspot’.

Wairarapa projections

A supplementary 2021 report was commissioned specifically for the Wairarapa, to acknowledge the region as a climate change ‘hotspot’. The report follows the same conclusions…

Seasonal climate monitoring

Greater Wellington measures key climate drivers that can influence our region.

Whaitua catchment projections

Climate change projections for west of Wellington’s Tararua and Remutaka Ranges

Climate Change Projections for the Wairarapa

Our publications

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Seasonal Climate Catalogue

Seasonal variation of climate, atmospheric and oceanic variables, 1972-2022 Read more here

Published 26 Sep 2023

Download now (PDF 32 MB)

Regional climate mode impacts on the Wellington Region

In this study we investigated the relationships between inter-annual, sub-seasonal, and decadal climate modes and different climate variables in the Wellington Region. Read more here

Published 01 Jul 2018

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Wellington Region climate change projections and impacts 2017

A climate change report was produced by NIWA in 2017 for the Wellington Region, including high resolution projection maps of climate variables and commentary on impacts of climate change for… Read more here

Published 01 Jan 1970

Download now (PDF 2.8 MB)

Whaitua Catchments Climate Change parameters

PREPARED BY: NIWA Read more here

Published 01 Jan 2017

Download now (PDF 383 KB)

Climate change and variability - Wellington Region 2017

This report describes changes that may occur over this century in the climate of the Wellington Region, and outlines some possible impacts and implications of these changes. Read more here

Published 01 Jun 2017

Download now (PDF 19 MB)

Historic climate extremes analysis for the Wellington Region

This report follows the ‘Wellington Region Climate Change Extremes’ report completed by NIWA for Greater Wellington Regional Council in 2019 (Pearce et al., 2019). This report is considered an appendix… Read more here

Published 01 Dec 2020

Download now (PDF 7.9 MB)

Wellington Region climate change extremes and implications

This report explores projections for a range of extreme climate indices in the Wellington Region (temperature and rainfall), comparing the recent past to modelled future conditions, and considers implications of… Read more here

Published 01 Dec 2019

Download now (PDF 11 MB)

Climate change projections for west of Wellington’s Tararua and Remutaka Ranges

The climate west of Wellington’s Tararua and Remutaka Ranges is already changing, and these changes will continue for the foreseeable future. It is internationally accepted that human greenhouse gas emissions… Read more here

Published 30 Sep 2022

Download now (PDF 22 MB)

Climate change projections for the Wairarapa

The climate of the Wairarapa is changing, and these changes will continue for the foreseeable future. It is internationally accepted that human greenhouse gas emissions are the dominant cause of… Read more here

Published 01 Sep 2021

Download now (PDF 8.7 MB)

Updated February 26, 2024 at 9:13 AM

Get in touch

Phone:: 0800496734
Email:: info@gw.govt.nz