Aotearoa New Zealand lies on the boundary between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates, meaning New Zealanders are, and will continue to be, at risk from a broad range of natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions. Many communities, and much industry and infrastructure, are located in areas that are likely to be affected by these hazards and their associated impacts.
There is currently a significant level of work being carried out through branded natural hazard programmes to discover more about these hazards and the risks they pose to people, as well as communicate these risks to the public.
The Plate Boundary Network aims to strengthen the relationships between the branded natural hazard programmes actively involved in sharing information on natural hazard and impact science and carrying out public education and engagement in Aotearoa New Zealand.
A multiagency, multidisciplinary, collaborative research programme led by volcanologists at the University of Auckland and GNS Science. DEVORA grew out of the ‘Auckland: It’s Our Volcano’ project in 2008. It is aimed at an improved assessment of volcanic hazard and risk in the Auckland metropolitan area, and to provide a strategy and rationale for appropriate risk mitigation. The aim is that the project findings will be useful in improving business decision making and risk management
A five-year study of the most active supervolcano system in the world located in New Zealand’s central North Island. The research will:
A five-year study of the largest and most active fault in New Zealand, the Hikurangi subduction zone. The research involves:
A collaborative programme engaging scientists and Wellington region partners to better understand Wellington region’s earthquake hazard and risk. It aims to increase Wellington region’s ability to get through a major earthquake by conducting research, learning from recent earthquakes and working with Wellingtonians.
A programme of scientific modelling, coordinated response planning and community engagement designed to build collective resilience to the next Alpine Fault earthquake, across the South Island.
AF8 [Alpine Fault magnitude 8] is a collaboration between science and the six South Island Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) groups. It commenced in July 2016, and is led by Emergency Management Southland on behalf of the six South Island CDEM groups.
AF8 aims to share the Alpine Fault hazard and impact science and preparedness information widely, through outreach and engagement activities, to increase awareness, enable conversation and build societal preparedness to natural hazard events in the South Island.
Resilience to Nature’s Challenges is one of 11 National Science Challenges funded by government to tackle the big science opportunities and challenges facing Aotearoa New Zealand. The mission of the Challenge is to accelerate Aotearoa New Zealand’s resilience to natural hazards.
Phase 2 of the Challenge commenced in July 2019 and is focused around two major themes that align with the Government’s National Disaster Resilience Strategy.
Hosted by the University of Canterbury, QuakeCoRE and the UC Quake Centre aim to share their research and passion for earthquake resilience with the wider community, through a programme of Education, Outreach and Training (EOT) that engages with industry stakeholders, researchers in the field of disaster resilience, school students, and the wider community.