Kaikoura quake highlights need for Risk Agency

The recent devastating Kaikoura earthquake and aftershocks has once again brought into sharp relief the need for New Zealand to be better prepared for natural disasters.

Councils are often at the forefront of disaster response and recovery and Local Government New Zealand says a proposed “Risk Agency” will help equip them and their communities to respond to future upheavals.

Planning for a centralised local government Risk Agency to assist councils in understanding their risk profiles and work to a common set of standards has been underway for over a year.

LGNZ President Lawrence Yule says the proposed Agency would establish guidelines and models local government could use to manage risks and share information so councils could make better informed decisions on how to prepare for and respond to hazard events.

“It will give each council equal access to world-best advice and information on hazard mitigation, adaption and recovery,” Mr Yule says.

A business plan for the Risk Agency is with central government, as it requires seed funding for the setup and the initial task of a standardised assessment of all hazards throughout the country and the nature of the risk they pose.

That assessment, combined with the skilled guidance of Agency staff, would help each council make decisions on matters such as moving or altering infrastructure, planning for development, and buying insurance.

LGNZ has recently worked with local authorities to produce a guide to financial aspects of risk management, including when and how to purchase insurance and has begun work on a risk framework. This will provide local authorities with a common way of speaking about and applying risk assessment and management tools and concepts.

“Councils are generally well placed to understand what’s at risk and what their residents want and need. They are also best placed to lead recovery locally. But there is currently variation in the resources and planning skills available to each of them. The proposed Risk Agency along with collaboration with the Crown and other agencies aims to fix that.”

“Getting better at preparing means communities and the nation can recover from disasters more quickly, both economically and socially,” Mr Yule says. “We need to do this because New Zealand has a high natural hazard environment, exposed to earthquakes, tsunami, landslides and volcanic activity.”

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Climate change a major issue for councils and communities

Helping Kiwi communities understand the implications of life in a changing climate will be a major focus for Local Government New Zealand in the coming triennium and beyond.

LGNZ President Lawrence Yule says given its implications for water quantity, infrastructure investment, civil defence and land use planning, climate change will be a key priority for local government in the years ahead.

A climate change position paper for local government will be considered by LGNZ’s new National Council at its first meeting this week. The position statement aims to demonstrate local government’s commitment to achieving the vision for prosperous communities, and encourage actions that mandate and empower local government to make the most effective contribution to mitigating emissions and adapting to the effects of climate change.

“Councils and their communities will need to consider how rising sea levels and more frequent storms will impact them and the infrastructure they use,” Mr Yule says.

“Most New Zealanders understand the fundamental causes and impacts of climate change, often at a global level, but many remain uninformed about the impacts that climate change could have or are unaware of how the actions of their community can help mitigate emissions.

“Local government has a major role to play in helping us all adapt to climate change. The OECD notes that when faced with climate change impacts communities look to local government. Decisions made today about infrastructure, land use and urban development will determine the extent and impact of climate change, and a community’s vulnerability or resilience.”

To start this conversation LGNZ launched in July the 2050 Challenge discussion document, which highlights major economic, social, cultural and environmental shifts New Zealand will face in the next 35 years, including as a result of climate change.

The climate change position statement seeks to demonstrate local government’s commitment to tackling climate change adaptation, and encourage actions that mandate and empower local government to make the most effective contribution to mitigating emissions and adapting to the effects of climate change.

Mr Yule says the decisions of local government alone will be just one part of a broader response and the position statement reflects this reality by considering how the decisions of other players can help local government decisions achieve good results.

“LGNZ continues to advocate for a forum for central and local government to discuss climate change issues, particularly in relation to areas where there is existing development and infrastructure investment,” Mr Yule says.

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