Our Changing City

The Council is using an innovative digital tool to engage and educate people in Pōneke about disruptions caused by climate change and how we can work together to find solutions for the future.

About the project

Winning a global prize worth US$1 million in 2022 was just the beginning of three years hard mahi for two Council teams.

Smart Council and the Climate Change Response team joined forces to secure the prestigious award in the Bloomberg Global Mayors Challenge. Their goal was to further develop an innovative digital community engagement tool to raise awareness about localised climate impacts and explore ways to prepare for climate disruption in the years ahead.

Since then, the teams have continued to work together to develop an interactive touchscreen experience to take Wellingtonians on a journey through the past, present and future. This incorporates the latest climate science data provided by NIWA, GNS, Wellington Water and other agencies, alongside te ao Māori perspectives.

The project leverages the powerful data-driven visual storytelling capability of the digital city model, a lifelike digital representation of our city that allows us to visualise complex information in a meaningful way. It provides accessible, engaging experiences for people to explore the changing shape of Wellington, and supports the Council’s Climate Adaptation Community Engagement Roadmap.

This mahi is the start of the Council’s community conversations about climate adaptation planning – Phase 2 of the six-phase roadmap. Phase 3 will begin next year, engaging with Wellingtonians on the design of the community planning processes ahead of consultation starting in 2025/26.

Our Changing City experience

Presented as part of a pop-up interactive experience called Our Changing City, the touchscreen tool and supporting information is a hands-on, engaging way to learn more about climate disruptions like floods, landslides and sea level rise in Pōneke. It provides examples of the many ways we can plan for the changes ahead we may experience at home, at work and across the capital.

Our Changing City focuses on the Motukairangi | Eastern Ward and is a pilot for how we might work with other communities to plan for the impacts of climate change across the capital. None of the risk information in Our Changing City is new – it’s just being presented in a new way. This data is already available in the District Plan and online maps.

Our Changing City is being held at three Council venues between late October and mid-December. It’s free, and anyone can visit during normal opening hours:

  1. Motu-Kairangi Miramar Library, 30 October-13 November
  2. Te Awa-a-Taia Kilbirnie Library, 15-29 November
  3. Ākau Tangi Sports Centre, 2-16 December

To find out more, or how to get involved with climate adaptation planning, visit Let’s Talk.

Next steps

Once the pilot in Motukairangi I Eastern Ward ends at the end of the year, an evaluation process will be completed in early 2025.

The external funding for this project ends in July 2025.

In the future, other cities will be able to learn from our project and progress to help them develop similar engagement opportunities in their own areas.

Background

Pōneke is a coastal city highly exposed to climate change impacts such as sea level rise, storm surges, flooding and slips. With few options for relocating infrastructure, businesses and homes, it’s vital we explore ways we can prepare for climate disruptions. New tools and engagement methods are needed so everyone can gain a better understanding of climate disruption and participate in co-creating a climate-resilient city.

In 2021 the Council entered the Bloomberg Mayors Challenge, a competition that recognises the boldest and most ambitious urban innovations to address current issues including climate and the environment. The challenge was entered by over 600 cities worldwide and in early 2022 15 cities worldwide were selected as overall winners. Wellington was the only city in Aotearoa to be awarded a top prize in the prestigious challenge.

Contact us

If you need more information contact Kelly Henderson, Innovation Lead.
Email: kelly.henderson@wcc.govt.nz