Interactive online tool – A Systems Approach to Climate Change, Water & Wellbeing

Climate change is going to bring increased flooding and droughts for many regions in New Zealand. How will this impact individual and collective wellbeing? And what can we do to reduce the impact?

Step inside our platform to explore the ways water-related climate changes will affect you and your community.

This visual platform draws together information from a range of sources, putting them in one place to aid our understanding of climate change impacts. The tool offers a comprehensive representation of these impacts on the economy, environment, public health, and wellbeing – a systemic view. Through a detailed illustration of the system at work, users can navigate specific subsystems, exploring economic, hydrological, and public health aspects, along with the flow of nutrients and contaminants occurring in different flooding and drought events. Users can deep-dive on specific themes, gaining a better appreciation of critical interconnections such as climate implications for freshwater management, water quantity regulations, freshwater system interventions, environmental disservices, and human wellbeing.

The platform’s significance is in its ability to visualise the design of policies aimed at modifying the system, addressing a clear need for strategic planning in the face of climate change challenges. The inclusion of interactive maps, connecting precipitation to groundwater levels and health risks, for example, fills a gap by providing tangible data and insights. This versatile tool serves as a valuable resource for testing ideas, fostering community understanding, and supporting stakeholders in making informed decisions and developing adaptation strategies. With its macroscopic approach, the interface contributes to model design and has the flexibility to incorporate additional modules, making it an adaptable solution for addressing the evolving challenges of climate change.