The road to resilience: Dynamic approaches to climate change

As an island nation, it is estimated that one in seven New Zealanders live within a flood-prone area, and with sea levels rising a reported 2.4mm each year due to global warming, the issue has become a growing concern. The compounding risks of climate change not only impact us socially and culturally, they place a significant strain on our economy; more than $840 million was claimed in insurance damages and economic losses from floods and droughts between 2007 and 2017. As climate change is increasing the average temperature of our planet, the pace in which icecaps are melting and sea levels are rising will continue to put strain on our economy. 

Previously, we have responded in a reactionary manner to natural disasters caused by climate change – managing the repercussions as they arise then implementing strategies to mitigate future impacts. However, we now have access to innovative technology that allows us to identify high-risk areas, make accurate assessments on how flood risk may evolve these areas, and determine the best actions moving forward to mitigate and manage these risks.