How Much Water? L1-2

Over two thirds of the Earth's surface is covered with oceans. Over a third of the world's population lives within 100 km of the coast. In New Zealand, this proportion is much greater. Nearly all of New Zealand's population live within 50 km of the coast. Two thirds of New Zealand's population live within 5 km of the coast (Statistics NZ, 2016).

Official projections suggest there will be up to one metre of global sea level rise between 2015 and 2100. The maps below show the elevation of land in some of our coastal cities. The full maps can be downloaded from the bottom of this page. The areas in purple and green are areas that are less than one metre above current sea level.

(Image source: Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, 2015)

Suggestions for Student Discussion and Further Investigation

  • Choose the map above which is of the city where you live or is closest to where you live.
  • What is shown on the map by the purple colour? What is shown by the other colours?
  • What significance do the purple and green colours have with predictions for global sea level rise by the year 2100?
  • Comment on the possible impacts to the city, and to the population that live there, of a sea level rise of around one meter.
  • Is sea level rise preventable? Investigate what we can do to make a difference.

Curriculum Mapping

Mathematics and Science in the New Zealand Curriculum.