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Land-use planning for natural hazards in New Zealand: the setting, barriers, ‘burning issues’ and priority actions

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Abstract

Land-use planners have a critical role to play in building vibrant, sustainable and hazard resilient communities in New Zealand. The policy and legal setting for natural hazards planning provides a solid foundation for good practice. But there are many examples of ‘bad practice’ that result in unnecessary risks and, in some cases, exposure to repeat events and potentially devastating impacts. Much, therefore, remains to be done to improve hazards planning policy and practice in New Zealand. This article explores the questions: What role does land-use planning play in managing hazard risks in New Zealand; and what needs to be done to reduce hazard risks and build community resilience? The article starts by describing the milieu within which natural hazards planning takes place. It goes onto outline the stakeholders and institutional and legal setting for natural hazards planning in New Zealand, including barriers to realising the potential of natural hazards planning. This synthesis reveals a number of ‘burning issues’, including the need to: (a) Improve understanding about the nature of hazards; (b) Prioritise risk avoidance (reduction) measures; (c) Provide national guidance for communities exposed to repeat events and address the relocation issue and (d) Mainstream climate change adaptation. Each ‘burning issue’ is discussed, and priority actions are recommended to realise the potential of land-use planning to reduce natural hazard risks and build community resilience in New Zealand. Ultimately, the challenge is to develop a cooperative hazards governance approach that is founded on coordinated policies, laws and institutions, cooperative professional practice and collaborative communities.

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Notes

  1. In New Zealand, the term ‘mitigation’ is commonly used to mean reduce or alleviate hazard risk; not eliminate it. Mitigation in the USA, for example, is commonly used to mean reduce or eliminate hazard risk.

  2. For the purpose of this article, central government refers to ministries and national level agencies. ‘Regional councils’ refer to councils that have jurisdiction over a region, while ‘district councils’ refer to councils that have jurisdiction over a district. City councils and unitary councils (e.g., Napier City Council, Gisborne District Council) are included with district councils. In some instances, ‘territorial authority’ is used in place of ‘district/city/unitary council’, and ‘regional authority’ is used instead of ‘regional council’. Local government refers to both regional and district councils collectively.

  3. See Tonkin and Taylor (2006) for a detailed overview of hazard-related laws and landmark law cases.

  4. Iwi management plans have statutory recognition under the RMA and reflect Maori tribal knowledge about and provisions for dealing with resource management issues.

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Acknowledgments

Bruce Glavovic gratefully acknowledges the support of the New Zealand Earthquake Commission. The authors would like to acknowledge the support from the Foundation of Research, Science & Technology’s ‘Hazard & Society’ research programme and advice from Dr David Johnston of the Massey University/GNS Science Joint Centre for Disaster Research. We also appreciate constructive feedback from anonymous reviewers that facilitated improvements to the paper.

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  1. Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    B. C. Glavovic

  2. GNS Science, Lower Hutt, New Zealand

    W. S. A. Saunders & J. S. Becker

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  1. B. C. Glavovic
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  2. W. S. A. Saunders
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Correspondence to B. C. Glavovic.

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Glavovic, B.C., Saunders, W.S.A. & Becker, J.S. Land-use planning for natural hazards in New Zealand: the setting, barriers, ‘burning issues’ and priority actions. Nat Hazards 54, 679–706 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-009-9494-9

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