An unrealistically hot forecast for 2100 could hurt your property values

An urban beach is pictured. In the foreground are two seagulls on a wooden picnic table, behind them is grass, people sunbathing and a golden sand beach. In the distance is a green hill dotted with a few houses. Sea-level rise will change how coastal areas are used.

Scorching Bay, Wellington. Photo by Suzi Kim cc by 2.0

The Government advises councils to imagine a world that’s up to 4.7C hotter by the end of the century when they map hazards. This “increasingly implausible” scenario could have implications for property sales, new housing and insurance, writes Olivia Wannan for Stuff including comments by Nick Golledge.