The joint GNS Science and NIWA RiskScape programme has significantly improved our understanding of New Zealand’s natural hazards risk over the last decade.  Additionally, new science has gone further to help understand the social and economic impacts of catastrophic events through the MERIT research programme.  Our complement of risk tools, developed using both domestic and internationally leading science, are crucial to help us understand the impacts of future events and implement cost-effective options to build resilience.  This workshop will cover how these tools have been applied in recent years and outline new innovations underway which will make their implementation easier into the future.

Workshop Scope:

• Natural hazards risk modelling in New Zealand and how it improves our understanding of risk
• How risk tools developed in New Zealand have been used in recent years to inform improved disaster risk governance during response
• How socio-economic tools have contributed to risk reduction assessments to guide infrastructure investment.

Main Objectives:

• Introduce workshop participants to the history of risk modelling in New Zealand using case studies on how it has been applied in recent years
• Introduce workshop participants to new versions of risk tools that are available or in development in New Zealand including RiskScape and Merit through an interactive demonstration session
• Workshop risk intervention options through the interactive risk bow-tie methodology for both ‘fun’ and applied examples (http://www.satarla.com/risk-bowtie---tailings-dam-failure-example.html) to demonstrate how risk tools in New Zealand can benefit participants