<
https://theconversation.com/rising-seas-threaten-to-swallow-one-of-nzs-oldest-settlement-sites-new-research-260799>
"One of Aotearoa New Zealand’s oldest settlement sites is at risk of being
washed away by rising seas, according to new research.
Te Pokohiwi o Kupe (Wairau Bar) near Blenheim is a nationally significant
archaeological site. It dates back to the first arrival of people and holds the
remains of first-generation Polynesian settlers as well as many cultural
artefacts.
The site is significant for the local iwi, Rangitāne o Wairau, because of its
history of colonial exploitation and the eventual repatriation of koiwi tangata
(ancestral remains) in 2009, which marks an important moment in the modern
history of Rangitāne.
Coastal flooding is already a hazard at Te Pokohiwi o Kupe, but this increases
dramatically as sea level rises. The study, led by Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o
Wairau in partnership with researchers at Earth Sciences NZ, shows about 20% of
the site could be inundated during a 100-year storm event under current sea
levels.
But with 50 centimetres of climate-driven sea-level rise, which could occur as
soon as the 2050s under high-emissions scenarios, more than half of the site
could flood in the same event. If sea levels rise to a metre, which could be
reached during the early 2100s, three-quarters of the site will be inundated
and subject to significant erosion."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
