The National Disaster Resilience Strategy outlines the vision and long-term goals for civil defence emergency management in New Zealand
The National Disaster Resilience Strategy outlines the vision and long-term goals for civil defence emergency management (CDEM) in New Zealand, and the objectives to be pursued to meet those goals. It sets out what we expect in respect of a resilient New Zealand, and what we want to achieve over the next 10 years.
This Strategy is for all New Zealanders, and all those who live, work or visit here. It is intended to provide a common agenda for resilience that individual organisations, agencies, and groups can align with for collective impact.
The Strategy came into effect on 10 April 2019 and replaces the previous National Civil Defence Emergency Management Strategy. It will last for 10 years, although it can be reviewed before then if necessary.
Download the National Disaster Resilience Strategy
This New Zealand Sign Language video provides an introduction to the National Disaster Resilience Strategy.
This New Zealand Sign Language video provides information about the purpose of the National Disaster Resilience Strategy.
This New Zealand Sign Language video provides information about the National Disaster Resilience Strategy.
This New Zealand Sign Language video provides information about the National Disaster Resilience Strategy's inclusive approach to resilience and people disproportionately affected by disaster.
This New Zealand Sign Language video provides information about the second priority of the National Disaster Resilience Strategy - Effective response to and recovery from emergencies.
This New Zealand Sign Language video provides information about the third priority of the National Disaster Resilience Strategy - Enabling, empowering, and supporting community resilience.
This New Zealand Sign Language video provides recommended actions about what you can do to contribute to your own resilience or the resilience of others.
Vision and goal of the National Disaster Resilience Strategy
Our Vision
New Zealand is a disaster resilient nation that acts proactively to manage risks and build resilience in a way that contributes to the wellbeing and prosperity of all New Zealanders.
Our Goal
To strengthen the resilience of the nation by managing risks, being ready to respond to and recover from emergencies, and by enabling, empowering and supporting individuals, organisations, and communities to act for themselves and others, for the safety and wellbeing of all.
Identify and understand risk scenarios (including the components of hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and capacity), and use this knowledge to inform decision-making
Put in place organisational structures and identify necessary processes – including being informed by community perspectives – to understand and act on reducing risks
Build risk awareness, risk literacy, and risk management capability, including the ability to assess risk
Address gaps in risk reduction policy (particularly in the light of climate change adaptation)
Ensure development and investment practices, particularly in the built and natural environments, are risk-aware, taking care not to create any unnecessary or unacceptable new risk
Understand the economic impact of disaster and disruption, and the need for investment in resilience; identify and develop financial mechanisms that support resilience activities
Ensure that the safety and wellbeing of people is at the heart of the emergency management system
Build the relationship between emergency management organisations and iwi/groups representing Māori, to ensure greater recognition, understanding, and integration of iwi/Māori perspectives and tikanga in emergency management
Strengthen the national leadership of the emergency management system to provide clearer direction and more consistent response to and recovery from emergencies
Ensure it is clear who is responsible for what, nationally, regionally, and locally, in response and recovery; enable and empower community-level response, and ensure it is connected into wider coordinated responses, when and where necessary
Build the capability and capacity of the emergency management workforce for response and recovery
Improve the information and intelligence system that supports decision-making in emergencies to enable informed, timely, and consistent decisions by stakeholders and the public
Enable and empower individuals, households, organisations, and businesses to build their resilience, paying particular attention to those people and groups who may be disproportionately affected by disasters
Cultivate an environment for social connectedness which promotes a culture of mutual help; embed a collective impact approach to building community resilience
Take a whole of city/district/region approach to resilience, including to embed strategic objectives for resilience in key plans and strategies
Address the capacity and adequacy of critical infrastructure systems, and upgrade them as practicable, according to risks identified
Embed a strategic, resilience approach to recovery planning that takes account of risks identified, recognises long-term priorities and opportunities to build back better, and ensures the needs of the affected are at the centre of recovery processes
Recognise the importance of culture to resilience, including to support the continuity of cultural places, institutions and activities, and to enable the participation of different cultures in resilience
How will the Strategy’s objectives be achieved?
The Strategy provides the vision and strategic direction, including outlining priorities and objectives for increasing New Zealand’s resilience to disasters. The job of the Strategy is to show what we want to achieve over the next ten years. It is deliberately high level, with objectives broadly described.
A roadmap for the National Disaster Resilience Strategy will be developed, detailing how these objectives will be achieved. Its emphasis will be on work to be done over the next three-five years (and will be updated over time).
The roadmap will set out initiatives that contribute to the Strategy’s objectives. Examples of these are:
The implementation of the emergency management system reforms to improve how New Zealand responds to natural disasters and emergencies.
Revised CDEM Group plans and the National CDEM Plan
Local government planning, including long term plans, annual plans, and asset management plans.
Review and reform of key legislation that contributes to risk management and resilience, and any guidance on its implementation.
Climate change adaptation initiatives.
The roadmap is not a statutory document and cannot compel particular actions. Instead it will help people and organisations understand how the objectives of the Strategy will be achieved.
An initial roadmap will be developed in early 2021, and a longer-term roadmap developed alongside the National CDEM Plan review.
Be aware of the hazards or disruptions you could experience, your exposure – the things you have that are at risk from those disruptions, and your vulnerability – how you and your things might be adversely affected.
Reduce your risk factors
Think about the range of ways you could reduce your exposure or vulnerability, and invest in doing so where possible.
Future proof where possible
When making new purchases, think about how to future-proof yourself and build in resilience.
Prepare yourself and your household
Think about the range of impacts that could occur from emergencies (for example, power, water, or communications outages, access or transport issues, the need to stay in or out of your home for an extended period). Think about the things you would want or need to have available to you during that time. Remember to include animals in your emergency preparedness.
Plan for disruption
Consider how you would meet up with family/whānau and friends if there was a communications outage or access issues.
Stay informed
Talk to others about risk and resilience; find out the different ways you can stay informed during an emergency and how to receive alerts and warnings.
Know your neighbours
Get to know your neighbours and participate in your community – you are each other’s front line.
Be aware of the hazards or disruptions you could experience, how your assets (people and capital) might be impacted and the strengths and resources available to manage those disruptions.
Make resilience a strategic objective and embed it in appropriate actions, plans and strategies.
The continuity of your business (and the wellbeing of the people that rely on your products/services) depends on it.
Invest in organisational resilience
Reduce and manage the factors that are contributing to your risk. Ensure comprehensive business continuity planning, and consider building your ability to respond to the unexpected.
Seek assurances about supply chain resilience
Seek specific advice and assurances from suppliers as to their business continuity plans, stock carrying policies, exposure to non-supply and supply chain alert processes.
Benefit today, benefit tomorrow
Try to find crisis/disaster preparedness solutions that have everyday benefits for your organisation. As well as being prepared for tomorrow, you will have a better organisation today.
Consider your social impact
Consider how you can contribute to the resilience of your community, city or district. As well as helping your community, you will also be reducing the risks to your organisation of being disrupted.
Keep the long term in mind
Consider the longer-term changes in your environment, for example the impact of climate change, and how you can position your organisation to see these changes as an opportunity.
Collaborate with others and build your network
Find others with similar objectives in respect of risk and resilience, and collaborate with them – we are stronger together, and you have much to contribute and gain.
Learn about response and recovery
Understand how response and recovery will work in your district or area of interest, and build your own capacity to respond to and recover from disruption.
Seek to build a collective understanding of your risks: the hazards or disruptions you could face, your collective exposure in terms of people, animals, property, and assets, and your vulnerabilities – how these could be adversely affected.
Reduce your risk factors
Consider whether there are ways to reduce your community’s exposure or vulnerabilities – it needn’t cost money, but there may be options if it does.
Keep the long-term in mind
Consider the longer-term changes in your environment, for example, the impact of climate change, and what you can do about them.
Benefit today, benefit tomorrow
Try to find risk reduction, readiness, and resilience solutions that have an everyday benefit to your community. As well as being prepared for tomorrow, you will have a richer community today.
Learn about response and recovery
Understand how response to and recovery from emergencies will work in your city or district.
Understand your collective resources
Think about what resources you have, now or in an emergency, and how you could put them to work.
Make a plan and practise it
Community response and recovery planning helps communities understand how they can help each other after a disaster. Ask your local emergency management office for help if you need it, and practise any plans, as practicable.
Organise community events
Communities who know each other are stronger communities – in good times and in bad.
Identify and understand hazards and disruptions you could face, and the willingness and ability of your community to cope with disruption.
Organise for resilience
Consider whether your governance of risk and resilience is fit for purpose. Engage all interested parties and take a whole-of-city/district approach.
Make resilience a strategic objective
Make resilience a core strategic objective: the economic prosperity of your city/district, and the wellbeing of your communities depend on it.
Lead, promote, and champion
Lead, promote, and champion city/district-wide investment in resilience. Ensure resilience objectives are embedded in economic development plans and initiatives.
Tackle gaps in hazard risk management policy
Tackle gaps in hazard risk management policy, including matters of retreat or relocation from high risk areas, and adaptation to climate change.
Pursue resilient urban development
Pursue resilient urban development including risk-aware land-use decisions, and urban design and growth that incorporates resilience.
Increase infrastructure resilience
Assess risk, and ensure the resilience of critical assets and continuity of essential services.
Safeguard natural buffers
Utilise the protective functions offered by natural ecosystems wherever practicable.
Strengthen financial capacity
Understand the economic impact of disasters in your area, and the need for investment in resilience. Identify and develop financial mechanisms that can support resilience activities.
Strengthen societal capacity
Cultivate an environment for social connectedness which promotes a culture of mutual help. Support and enable grassroots efforts and organisations. Support diversity and promote inclusion.
Invest in organisational resilience
Ensure you have comprehensive business continuity planning in place, and consider and build your ability to respond to the unexpected.
Build capability and capacity for response and recovery
Ensure your capability and capacity is not just fit-for-purpose, but future-ready and adaptable.
Participate in mechanisms for the coordination of risk and resilience activity, and the implementation of this Strategy.
Monitor, assess and publicly report
Regularly report on:
risks and risk management,
economic loss from disasters,
resilience, and
progress on the Strategy.
Champion resilience
Promote the importance of resilience, including whole-of-society approaches, and the key values, principles, and priorities of the Strategy.
Make resilience easy
Create policies and legislation that enable and encourage resilient behaviours. Make it easy, affordable, and common-sense for clients, stakeholders, partners, decision-makers, and the public.
Tackle our complex risks
Tackle and progress some of the most complex risks facing society, including approaches for addressing risk in the highest hazard communities, and adapting to climate change.
Work together
Find others with similar objectives in respect of risk and resilience, and align policy and practice.
Invest in organisational resilience
Understand risk scenarios, including what is driving high risk ratings for your organisation and/or clients. Reduce and manage the factors that are causing your risk. Ensure comprehensive business continuity planning. Consider and build your ability to respond to the unexpected.
Invest in societal resilience
Consider societal needs and values, before, during, and after emergencies. Ensure investments are multi-purpose for stronger communities today, and in case of emergency.
Build capability and capacity for response and recovery
Ensure emergency management capability and capacity is not just fit-for-purpose, but future-ready and adaptable.
Ensure that the safety and wellbeing of people is at the heart of managing emergencies
Ensure that in emergencies the safety, needs, and wellbeing of affected people are the highest priority. Support and enable grassroots efforts and organisations. Promote inclusion and diversity.
The National Disaster Resilience Strategy Toolbox contains resources and graphical assets to help promote and implement the National Disaster Resilience Strategy.
Development of the National Disaster Resilience Strategy
Over the last 3 years the Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management held workshops with a wide range of people to think about a new Strategy. Representatives from over 300 organisations (from local and central government, social, community and voluntary sector groups, and the private sector including the business, lifelines and infrastructure sectors) participated.
The workshops sought views on resilience, including looking at our current state of resilience, discussing our desired outcomes and priorities for the future, and the actions we need to take to get to the desired future state.
A draft for public consultation was also released.
The National Disaster Resilience Strategy outlines the vision and long-term goals for civil defence emergency management (CDEM) in New Zealand, and the objectives to be pursued to meet those goals. It sets out what we expect in respect of a resilient New Zealand, and what we want to achieve over the next 10 years.