Toka Tu Ake EQC has awarded more than $NZ1.2 million ($1.12 million) to 14 research teams as part of its Biennial Grants round.    

The grants offer funding to winning submissions based upon five categories – people empowerment, building resiliency, smarter land use, governance and economics, and quantifying hazards and their impacts. 

EQC Head of Research Natalie Balfour says the projects, headed by researchers from leading universities, scientific bodies and economic groups, will provide critical insights on improving natural hazard resilience across the country.   

She notes an “exceptionally high” quality of proposals in this year’s submissions and credits encouraging opportunities for Maori relevant researchers.   

“The successful projects cover most of our natural hazards from volcanoes to landslides, and many of the projects incorporate effects of climate change on these hazards, such as one on slope hazard hotspots in Aotearoa’s changing climate. 

“Some also include matauranga Maori or are led by Maori researchers, such as one project about coastal inundation losses on Maori assets in the southern Marlborough district which will integrate Te Ao Maori with contemporary science to analyse coastal inundation losses for adaptive resilience.”    

She highlights previously funded projects, which have led to new building guidelines for engineers, detailed areas of increased risk and informed forecasters against the likely impacts of future events as a successful model for the program and credits participants for their continued efforts to improve risk protection.   

“Investing in science and research is critical, as is translating it into tangible and appropriate outputs for others to use,” Dr Balfour said.   

“If we can put sound data and research into the hands of key decision-makers like policy makers, local councils, designers, engineers, builders and most importantly, the New Zealand public, that’s when we can start making a difference.”