<
https://theconversation.com/disaster-inertia-why-must-nz-keep-relearning-the-same-lessons-from-extreme-events-278192>
"In the aftermath of another summer of weather disasters, there were headlines
about a “growing gap” between recovery efforts and preparation for climate
change impacts.
There were calls for a rethink of how New Zealand approaches natural hazards
and for decision-makers to learn from the lives and homes lost in landslides
and floods.
If this sounds all too familiar, it is because the country has become locked in
a state of “disaster inertia” – one that has existed for longer than we might
think.
Our analysis of New Zealand’s post-disaster reviews over the past decade shows
the same problems – some dating back to 1986 – have been repeatedly identified
but rarely translated into meaningful policy reform.
Successive warnings from the scientific community about the country’s exposure
to extreme weather similarly go unheeded.
With each disaster, we found the country’s response and recovery system reacts
in a largely ad hoc way. The capacity and finances of local authorities, which
are often already grappling with major infrastructure deficits, are strained as
they lurch from one event to the next.
Put simply, New Zealand keeps patching up damage while failing to address its
systemic issues – leaving lives, livelihoods and property increasingly at risk
as climate impacts intensify."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
