The Insurance Council of New Zealand says the country can no longer afford a business-as-usual approach to climate change, following the release of the Climate Change Commission’s 2026 National Climate Change Risk Assessment.
ICNZ Chief Executive Kris Faafoi says the report delivers a stark warning that climate change is already reshaping life across Aotearoa and demands urgent action from government, councils, businesses and communities.
The Commission’s assessment warns New Zealand faces escalating threats from floods, coastal erosion, inundation, severe storms and other climate-related hazards that are expected to intensify in frequency and severity over coming decades.
The report says current approaches focused mainly on disaster response and recovery will no longer be enough to protect communities, infrastructure and the economy from growing environmental risks.
Faafoi says building resilience now will be critical to protecting whānau, businesses and public infrastructure while also maintaining access to affordable insurance in high-risk areas.
The Insurance Council says proactive investment in climate adaptation, hazard planning and resilient infrastructure will ultimately cost less than repeatedly rebuilding communities after major weather disasters.
Recent polling commissioned by ICNZ found overwhelming public support for preventative action, with 87 percent of New Zealanders backing efforts to reduce risks before disasters occur.
The Commission’s report highlights concerns New Zealand remains trapped in an expensive cycle of emergency response and recovery rather than investing at the scale needed to prepare for long-term climate impacts.
Communities across Aotearoa have already experienced devastating floods, cyclones and slips in recent years, with climate-related damage placing increasing pressure on local government, insurers and homeowners.
Climate experts warn some areas may eventually become too risky or expensive to insure unless stronger adaptation measures are introduced.
Māori communities are also expected to face disproportionate impacts from climate change, particularly in coastal and rural regions where whenua, marae, wāhi tapu and infrastructure are increasingly vulnerable to environmental change.
The Insurance Council says stronger collaboration between central government, councils, iwi and the private sector will be essential to improving resilience and protecting future generations.
The Climate Change Commission’s full National Climate Change Risk Assessment is now publicly available.
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