Environment

Wellington Harbour receives significant stormwater, wastewater overflow, and contaminant loads from the urbanised catchment, resulting in periodic beach closures and impaired ecosystem function. While baseline water quality is moderate, rainfall-driven contamination events are frequent and the long-term trajectory under climate change is adverse.

Wellington hosts nationally significant urban biodiversity including the Zealandia/Karori wildlife sanctuary, but urban expansion, predator pressure, and habitat fragmentation continue to threaten indigenous species and ecosystem connectivity across the wider city. The success of Zealandia demonstrates what is achievable but also highlights how much of the urban landscape remains hostile to native biodiversity.

Wellington's urban streams — including the Kaiwharawhara, Korokoro, and Waiwhetu — are significantly degraded by urban runoff, stormwater infrastructure, and historical channelisation. Most urban streams fail to meet the water quality and ecological standards set by the Whaitua te Whanganui-a-Tara freshwater planning process.

Wellington's coastal margins — particularly Petone Foreshore, Lyall Bay, and the Kāpiti Coast — face growing coastal erosion and flooding risk from sea-level rise and increased storm intensity. The combination of subsidence risk from earthquake activity and sea-level rise creates compound exposure in low-lying areas.