From projections of more dry days by 2090 to a fifty-three percent increase in the over-65 population by 2048, the data is clear - Wellington is changing.
Global megatrends reflected regionally across climate, society, technology, and resources have the potential to impact local assets, infrastructure, and the communities they serve, said panel facilitator WSP CFO Ben Holland.
“The choices that we make last forever and will impact generations to come. It's important the decisions we make won't become prematurely obsolete.”
Chair of Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) Daran Ponter was asked which megatrend poses the greatest challenge to the Wellington region.
He said climate change is the foremost challenge, noting the Council’s emissions reductions efforts, including electrifying its public transport fleet - at twenty-two percent of buses so far, with an announcement on hybrid trains expected soon.
Flood control is another focus for GWRC. Daran pointed to the Hutt Valley’s RiverLink project, which will give the Hutt River “more room to move” and see work done on the river's stopbanks.
"We've also leaned into a project to increase the resilience of flood protection schemes around New Zealand. There are now fifty-five flood schemes in development around the country and another twenty-five schemes in the next year."
On infrastructure governance, Wellington City Council (WCC) CIO Jenny Chetwynd highlighted the need for robust project management, especially as infrastructure decisions are increasingly intersecting with climate and natural hazards resilience and community needs.
She said it’s important to design for flexibility and be agile, pointing to social housing as an example where WCC is investing $400 million over 10 years to improve seismic resilience.
Rawiri Faulkner from Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira urged longer-term thinking grounded in Treaty principles. The Crown and iwi will always be here, he said, and there’s value in co-investing for infrastructure outcomes that serve the environment and community.
In an example of how we need to do a better job of managing our human behaviour and respecting the environment, he cited a study done by NIWA where thirty-six percent of paua at Hongoeka north of Wellington were of legal size. Fifteen years later, in a repeat of the same study, only two percent were of legal size.
“[We should] do what we can do together to be better. Investing in the long term will be worth it. We have to invest in things that make the future better - whether it's climate adaptation, environmental protection, or resilient infrastructure."
WSP Head of Planning Rachel Lawson was asked how she sees the role of planning evolving to address risk in the megatrends, especially sea level rise and more intense storms. She saw the megatrends not as threats, but as opportunities – saying planning can disrupt the future in a positive way, setting a direction that helps us make better choices now.
“It can be easy to get stuck in a doom loop. But the alternative view is to look at [the trends] and search for opportunities to create the future we want.”
In a question posed to all panelists - what single collective action could future-proof Wellington? - the answers were clear: stronger collaboration, clear aspirations, and a shared legacy mindset. They emphasised that responding to megatrends isn't just about mitigating challenges but about taking opportunities to build a more resilient, connected, and future-ready capital.
The panel discussion was held as part of WSP’s Future Ready programme of work, which helps clients understand upcoming challenges - like climate change, technological advancements, and societal shifts – and ‘design for it today’.
