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Indigenous-led community research in a changing climate: impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle on the health and wellbeing of Māori in Te Tairāwhiti, Aotearoa New Zealand

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Indigenous-led community research in a changing climate: impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle on the health and wellbeing of Māori in Te Tairāwhiti, Aotearoa New Zealand

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A full free-text research article which discusses (1) the impacts on Māori health and wellbeing, (2) the critical role of marae (sacred place of Māori culture), (3) the impacts on rural and coastal communities, (4) the response from Iwi (tribal group) health providers and (5) Māori leadership. We conclude with key reflections and considerations for research about climate change and extreme weather events by, with and for Indigenous communities.

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Rachel Bolstad Slide deck from NZPF Conference 2025

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Natural Hazards Portal - Look at your area (NHC)

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Natural Hazards Portal - Look at your area (NHC)

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Use this portal to access interactive maps about natural hazards in your region/area

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Natural Hazards Portal: Natural hazards in your area

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Depending on where you live and work in Aotearoa New Zealand the natural hazards you may face can vary. Learning about the natural hazards in your area is the first step to understanding and managing your natural hazard risk.

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NASDAP Wisdom from two worlds Bolstad & Katene (July 2025)

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NASDAP Wisdom from two worlds Bolstad & Katene (July 2025)

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Rachel Bolstad and Steve Katene slides NASDAP 2025.

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Bolstad Katene NASDAP Climate Change presentation 2025

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Survey of climate change and sustainability in primary and intermediate schools (2020)

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Survey of climate change and sustainability in primary and intermediate schools (2020)

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Climate change and sustainability in primary and intermediate schools report | New Zealand Council for Educational Research

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How does climate change and sustainability feature in primary and intermediate school classrooms and whole-school practices?

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Survey study of climate change and sustainability in secondary schools (2020)

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Survey study of climate change and sustainability in secondary schools (2020)

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How are secondary schools responding to climate change?

In 2020 we surveyed a sample of English-medium secondary schools to find out how climate change and sustainability feature in classroom teaching and learning, and whole-school practices.

The findings suggest that whole-school approaches and responses to climate change and sustainability-advocated for in the international literature-are not common in secondary schools. While students in most schools have learning opportunities relating to climate change and/or sustainability, the nature and focus of these opportunities vary.

Key findings include:

Many secondary teachers and school leaders expect climate change will have an impact on their communities within their students' lifetimes.

Secondary schools are generally supportive of student environmental and climate leadership, but it is uncommon for secondary schools to have a school-wide focus on climate change.

Science and social science subjects were the most likely to address climate change in the classroom, but it is sometimes addressed in other learning areas including English, the arts, languages, technology, mathematics, and health and physical education.

Some schools offer specific sustainability classes or integrated/cross-curricular programmes.

Causes/impacts and personal actions are a common focus in the classroom. Collective and systemic actions are less likely to be a major focus.

Some teachers commented on constraining factors that limited the extent to which they or their students could engage in collective and systemic change-making as part of their learning.

The least common focus in classrooms where climate change is addressed is "students' career options and pathways in a 'green' or 'transition' economy".

Other less common focuses included: mātauranga Māori or other indigenous knowledges as sources for positive climate and sustainability action; the specific impacts of climate change for Pacific peoples; local or regional adaptation or mitigation activities; and critical or media literacy, including how to evaluate science evidence or media reporting about climate change.

The survey also asked whether the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has had any impact on thinking and practice with respect to climate change. Some teachers saw the COVID-19 response as a model for personal and systemic changes that could make a positive impact on climate change and sustainability. Others said COVID-19 had eclipsed all other priorities and thinking, including any attention given to climate change.

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Climate change and sustainability in secondary schools report

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How are secondary schools responding to climate change? In 2020 we surveyed a sample of English-medium secondary schools to find out how climate change and sustainability feature in classroom teaching and learning, and whole-school practices. The findings suggest that whole-school approaches and responses to climate change and sustainability-advocated for in the international literature-are not common in secondary schools.

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Extreme Weather Events -Growing UP in NZ Survey

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Extreme Weather Events -Growing UP in NZ Survey

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Research on the impacts for young people who experienced extreme weather events in 2023

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About the Extreme Weather Survey

Growing Up in New Zealand was asked to help understand how the storms and cyclone that hit some parts of Aotearoa New Zealand in early 2023 impacted the wellbeing of young people and their families.

This is an important project and an opportunity for the voices of young people and their families to be heard in relation to how we prepare for and manage future extreme weather events in our country.

In August 2023 we reached out to around 1,400 families in some of the most affected areas of Aotearoa to ask them to take part in the Extreme Weather Survey and share some of their experiences.

‍What happens to the data from this project?

The information will help the government and other groups help plan for future events as well as support the recovery effort that is still going on in many parts of the country.

Any information you or your child shared as part of this survey will become part of your Growing Up in New Zealand data and be available to other approved researchers, it will however not have your or your child's name or any other identifying information included.

If you have any questions about this project you can get in touch with one of our team.

Support Services

If you are worried about anything about extreme weather please talk to your family or friends. You can also find help at the support services listed below.

‍

‍

Thank you for taking part!

Thank you to all the young people and families that took part in the survey. The information you have shared will help inform the government's current response and future planning for storms or floods. Thank you also to the community groups and marae that helped with the data collection.

We know a lot of Growing Up in New Zealand families were affected by the extreme weather events in 2023. We've created a guide to help young people to cope with their emotions and to be ready. It's called the "Uncivil Defence" guide and can be downloaded here (PDF).

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Extreme Weather Survey | Growing Up in New Zealand

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The Growing Up in New Zealand Extreme Weather Survey is helping the government understand how the flooding and cyclone that affected parts of the North Island of Aotearoa in 2023 is impacting young people and their families.

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How educators in Te Matau-a-Māui have supported their communities in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle

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NZCER Blog: Climate stressors are impacting our primary schools

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NZCER Blog: Climate stressors are impacting our primary schools

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More frequent extreme weather is impacting schools, families, and communities across Aotearoa.   For the first time in 2024, we asked about these impacts in NZCER’s national survey of primary schools.

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Climate stressors are impacting our primary schools | New Zealand Council for Educational Research

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Image - Piers Fuller - Gladstone School, Wairarapa Flash flooding, 2018

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Case studies research: Towards flourishing climate education in Aotearoa New Zealand

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Case studies research: Towards flourishing climate education in Aotearoa New Zealand

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Ki te ako āhuarangi tōnui ki Aotearoa | Towards flourishing climate education in Aotearoa New Zealand | New Zealand Council for Educational Research

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Climate change presents escalating risks to young people and communities, including risks to the achievement of educational outcomes.

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Climate Action Resolution Template for School Boards (USA source)

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Climate Action Resolution Template for School Boards (USA source)

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This USA-based template contains an example format and sample language for a Climate Action Resolution for School Boards.

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Climate Action Resolution Template for School Boards | eePRO

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This template contains an example format and sample language you can include in your Climate Action Resolution. Be sure to personalize the resolution with information specific to your school district. This resource is featured in a State and Local Climate Education Policy Toolkit.

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A Shared Future - Helen Clark Foundation report

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A Shared Future - Helen Clark Foundation report

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This report calls for significant change to the way communities are engaged in climate adaptation planning. With climate change reshaping our lives, culture, and public health in profound ways, this issue has never been more urgent

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A Shared Future - The Helen Clark Foundation

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With climate change reshaping our lives in profound ways, we must change the ways we engage with communities on climate adaptation planning.

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Just Adaptation: what does justice mean, and how can it guide adaptation planning and decision-making?

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Just Adaptation: what does justice mean, and how can it guide adaptation planning and decision-making?

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Climate change adaptation has the potential to be unfair or inequitable, especially for groups who are more susceptible to harm. In this report we describe how to incorporate justice considerations into adaptation work, starting with theories of justice and ending with their practical implications. We draw from academic literature as well as from international and national reports. It is intended for anyone involved in adaptation processes, including government agencies, councils, researchers and community members.

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Rachel and Tracy's Slides from 2024 NZSBA Conference

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Rachel and Tracy's Slides from 2024 NZSBA Conference

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Slide deck used in Workshops 8 June 2024

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This guidance aims to promote and facilitate sectoral engagement and participation in scenario analysis, to improve the quality and comparability of scenario analysis and

disclosures by individual climate reporting entities (CREs).

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Use this template to identify risks, strategies, and actions your school can take in response to climate change and the need to make just and 'tika' transitions to a low-emissions future

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Mana Ora: Students Decarbonising Schools

Empowering students to take the lead in climate action.

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Mana Ora Students Decarbonising Schools is a transformative initiative that empowers students to take the lead in climate action. Through practical projects, collaborative learning, and real-world impact, it nurtures the next generation of environmental leaders. Developed in partnership with sustainability-focused educators, the programme is making a significant contribution to our global efforts to combat climate change.

Mana Ora Case Studies

Kristin School

For Kristin School, the Mana Ora programme stimulated a deep dive into transport and community consultation.

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Mana Ora Students Decarbonising Schools is a transformative initiative that empowers students to take the lead in climate action. Through practical projects, collaborative learning, and real-world impact, it nurtures the next generation of environmental leaders. Developed in partnership with sustainability-focused educators, the programme is making a significant contribution to our global efforts to combat climate change.

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Climate Disclosures Checklist (NZ Climate Reporting Standards)

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Climate Disclosures Checklist (NZ Climate Reporting Standards)

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Climate-related disclosures are mandatory for over 200 entities in New Zealand, with requirements spanning Governance; Risk Management; Metrics and Targets; and Strategy. This checklist is designed to offer entities, whether their disclosures are mandatory or voluntary, a place to start

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Climate Caucus School Trustees Handbook (Canada)

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Climate Caucus School Trustees Handbook (Canada)

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This Canadian resource illustrates the sorts of things School Trustees and their schools can do in response to climate change

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School Trustees - Climate Caucus Handbook.docx

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A Tika Transition embraces tikanga Māori and the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a source of climate solutions.
The Tika Transition Guide provides useful questions to help funders achieve a just, equitable and tika transition that reflects our unique Aotearoa context.

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Mana Ora: Students decarbonising schools evaluation

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Mana Ora: Students decarbonising schools evaluation

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In 2023 Auckland Council’s Sustainable Schools team piloted a project called Mana Ora: Students Decarbonising Schools. This project aimed to empower students, with support, to plan and implement action projects linked to decarbonisation within their schools.

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In 2023 Auckland Council's Sustainable Schools team piloted a project called Mana Ora: Students Decarbonising Schools. This projectaimed to empower students, with support, to plan and implement action projects linked to decarbonisation within their schools. The five theme areas below provided project inspiration.

Eighteen Mana Ora projects were implemented in early childhood, primary, and secondary schools. NZCER was engaged to evaluate the impact of Mana Ora in 13 English-medium settings. A separate process gathered learning from Mana Ora projects in 5 Māori-medium settings.

The evaluation found that Mana Ora largely succeeded in achieving its intended outcomes for students, teachers, and advisors.

Many students said it was "empowering" to see ways they could take action on climate change and sustainability issues through making a change in their own school.

Many students were able to explain new understandings they had developed about climate change and/or decarbonisation.

Many lead teachers said Mana Ora had contributed to their confidence and knowledge to teach about and inspire climate action learning.

Advisors said that Mana Ora had helped build their own knowledge and confidence about how to "connect the dots" between school sustainability practices and decarbonisation.

The evaluation also identified opportunities to improve and expand on the foundations laid by Mana Ora.

Direct measurement of the decarbonising impacts of the student projects was outside the scope of the evaluation. However, the evaluation findings align with other studies that demonstrate the benefits of learners having opportunities to engage in climate action projects, including decarbonisation, as a means to build climate knowledge and understanding, a sense of personal connection, and power to make change. Together, these studies indicate that schools can benefit from tackling decarbonisation together, with time and space to share, compare, and learn from one another's successes and challenges.

The Mana Ora evaluation builds on a 2022 NZCER report for Auckland Council's School carbon footprinting pilot project.

For more about Auckland Council Education for Sustainability: Education for sustainability (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz)

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Mana Ora: Students Decarbonising Schools evaluation | New Zealand Council for Educational Research

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In 2023 Auckland Council’s Sustainable Schools team piloted a project called Mana Ora: Students Decarbonising Schools. This project aimed to empower students, with support, to plan and implement action projects linked to decarbonisation within their schools. The five theme areas below provided project inspiration.

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Effective Climate Governance - climate scenario analysis

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Effective Climate Governance - climate scenario analysis

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This resource explores climate scenarios in the New Zealand governance context, and provides guidance around why climate scenarios are useful tools for boards and how directors should engage with the development, analysis and review stages of the process.

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Practical guidance by directors for directors on climate governance

The impacts of climate change are increasing in scope, scale, and speed. The time to debate settled science or politics has passed. Organisations need to act. Directors must guide them.

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Practical guidance by directors for directors on climate governance The impacts of climate change are increasing in scope, scale, and speed. The time to debate settled science or politics has passed. Organisations need to act. Directors must guide them.

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Montana Youth Climate Activists Win Climate Case

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Montana Youth Climate Activists Win Climate Case

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A state judge ruled Monday that Montana’s oil and gas policies are infringing on young people’s constitutional rights to a safe environment, handing a big win to youth climate plaintiffs that will likely reverberate across the legal landscape.

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Montana Youth Climate Activists Get Historic Win in State Case

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A state judge ruled Monday that Montana’s oil and gas policies are infringing on young people’s constitutional rights to a safe environment, handing a big win to youth climate plaintiffs that will likely reverberate across the legal landscape.

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Schools as community hubs in emergencies

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Schools as community hubs in emergencies

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In late January, Auckland experienced the most severe recorded rainstorm in its history. As the water rose in Mt Roskill, two local schools became places of refuge for people who suddenly found themselves displaced

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Schools as community hubs in emergencies – Education Gazette

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NZCER Blog: School Boards and Climate Transitions

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NZCER Blog: School Boards and Climate Transitions

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What questions did BoT have about climate transitions at the 2023 NZSTA conference?

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Recently we ran workshops on climate transitions for Boards of Trustees at the NZSTA Conference 2023. We'd first offered these workshops at the 2022 NZSTA conference based on NZCER's ongoing climate research. This year we invited Tracy Finlayson from the Ministry of Education's Carbon Neutral Government Programme to join us as a co-presenter.
Why "climate transitions"?
We framed our session as an opportunity to explore climate transitions. One of the challenges of climate change is that it can feel big, scary, overwhelming, and outside of our control. Talking about "transitions" help us think about the changes in a different way. A transition is defined as the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another. When we talk about climate transitions, we mean both the transitions that will need to happen because of the impacts of climate change, and the transitions that are needed to move towards a low-emissions future.

We began the workshops by inviting people to share how climate transitions are being experienced in their schools and communities. Some shared their experiences of flooding and cyclone events in early 2023. Some reflected on changes happening in their communities as part of efforts to reduce climate emissions. We then talked about three key climate transitions that our society needs to make, and why these are important:

Reducing emissions - taking action to put less carbon into the atmosphere.

Adaptation - dealing with the impacts of climate change.

Just Transitions - ensuring the transition to a climate-changed, low-carbon future is equitable and socially just.

We invited Board members to brainstorm all their questions about climate transitions, putting these on post-it notes and clustering them on a wall.

We could see at least four big themes in their questions.

Responsibilities and prioritisation

Lots of questions indicated Boards were uncertain about what their responsibilities were (or might be in the future) with respect to climate transitions. Uncertainty about prioritisation was another theme.

"Is it the Board's responsibility, and if so how important is it compared to other priorities?"

"What policies will Boards need to develop on climate? (E.g. emissions reduction, school closure in emergencies, etc)

"Will climate transitions be as big as health and safety in the future?"

"What will get the most change in [emissions] reductions - prioritisation of options?"

Reporting expectations

Board members wondered what schools would - or might - need to report about climate emissions and/or climate risks. They wondered how such reporting might be done, and what that might look like for schools and at the national level.

"Will schools do a climate risk assessment to feed into MoE?"

"Will schools have to report on emissions like corporates do?"

"Is there a national emissions protocol to measure emissions?"

Funding and resourcing

Of course, Board members also had questions about funding and resourcing.

"What resources are available to Boards to navigate climate transitions?"

"Will there be funding for schools to cope with transitions/develop new strategy?"

"Will funding reflect the need for better and more appropriate materials?"

Young people's learning and wellbeing

Finally, there were questions about how to support young people's learning and wellbeing through climate transitions.

"How to keep kids positive and not fearful of the challenges ahead?"

"Is there a plan to help teachers teach positive approaches to climate change response?"

"What do we have in the national curriculum to prepare children/youth?"

"How much should climate change awareness be shared to our tamariki at school?"

"How do we get our kids through unsafe environmental changes (e.g. flooded areas)?"

Addressing Board members' questions

We explained to Board members we might not be able to answer all their questions yet, but we discussed what's happening in some of the relevant policy spaces such as the Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP), the National Flood Risk Management Programme, and the Curriculum Refresh.

The CNGP in particular has some fairly clear implications for all public sector organisation, including state schools and kura as it requires state sector organisations to measure, report, and eventually reduce and offset emissions. At present, the Ministry of Education is doing the reporting on behalf of schools and kura, building a portfolio-level picture of schools' annual emissions based on centrally held data.

Tracy Finlayson from the Ministry's CNGP team shared a bit about how this is being done, and what this might look like if a school was to try to understand its own emissions profile. She also talk about how a school, or a network of schools, might use this information to prompt discussion and action. This section of the workshop generated lots of discussion and questions.

We talked about climate justice and some of the specific social justice and equity issues that our education systems already need to address, and which also need to be considered when we think about climate transitions in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We prompted Board members to think about what connections they could make by applying a "climate-conscious" lense to their key objectives under the Education and Training Act 2020, which include:

to ensure every student at the school is able to attain their highest possible standard in education achievement

to ensure the school is a physically and emotionally safe place

to give effect to relevant students rights

to be inclusive of and cater for students with differing needs

to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Given everything we'd explored in the workshop, I encouraged Boards to ponder these two questions:

How can Boards be climate-conscious within these objectives?

Will these objectives need to evolve to be more explicitly climate-conscious?

Just scratching the surface

It's important for Boards of Trustees to know that this is an actively evolving and sometimes quite complex space. Even where there might not be clear answers yet, Board members can do a lot just by asking these kinds of questions in their schools, and helping to keep climate transition conversations alive in their schools and communities.

The good news is that each year it's getting easier to find information that might be exactly what a school or Board of Trustees might be looking for with respect to climate transitions. I encourage Boards to look into the rapidly-growing field of "climate governance". Currently most of the literature in this space is geared towards Boards in the corporate and finance sectors, but I think Boards in education and social sectors should be supported to develop capabilities in this area too.

To keep this conversation going, I've prepared this padlet of Climate resources for whole-school leadership and governance

I hope your school or Board finds this useful. If you do, let me know!

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Responsibilities, expectations, and learning: What do Boards of Trustees need to know about climate transitions?

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Recently we ran workshops on climate transitions for Boards of Trustees at the NZSTA Conference 2023. We'd first offered these workshops at the 2022 NZSTA conference based on NZCER's ongoing climate research. This year we invited Tracy Finlayson from the Ministry of Education's Carbon Neutral Government Programme to join us as a co-presenter.

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A guide to just transitions: He puka arataki whakawhitinga tika

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A guide to just transitions: He puka arataki whakawhitinga tika

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This guide was created to help communities and organisations run their own just transition processes in response to challenges like climate change, rapid technological change, employment changes in regions and the transition to renewable energy in a way that fairly shares both the positive and negative effects.

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A guide to just transitions for communities in Aotearoa NZ | Motu

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This guide was created to help communities and organisations run their own just transition processes in response to challenges like climate change, rapid technological change, employment changes in regions and the transition to renewable energy in a way that fairly shares both the positive and negat…

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The Carbon Neutral Government Programme(external link) (CNGP) aims to accelerate emissions reduction in the public sector. It requires public sector organisations, including state schools and kura, to:

measure and report their emissions annually;

set emissions reduction targets;

introduce emissions reduction plans; and

offset any remaining Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from 2025.

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Learn more about how we are working to create an education system that contributes to a sustainable future for New Zealanders.

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Education for a climate-changing future - early learning

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Education for a climate-changing future - early learning

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Mō tātou te taiao ko te atawhai, mō tātou te taiao ko te oranga

It is for us to care for and look after the environment to ensure its wellbeing, in doing so we ensure our own wellbeing and that of our future generations.

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Climate action | Climate education | Climate change

Mō tātou te taiao ko te atawhai, mō tātou te taiao ko te oranga
It is for us to care for and look after the environment to ensure its wellbeing, in doing so we ensure our own wellbeing and that of our future generations.
Introduction | Kōrero whakataki

The local and global environment is the source of human health and well-being, and connection with the environment is a fundamental requirement for vibrant and healthy communities. 1

We are confronted today with many pressing issues, appearing all over the world. The burning of fossil fuels is disrupting our climate, habitats, and all living things. Our lifestyles and industries release many forms of pollution to whenua (land), wai (water) and air that are unhealthy. Our rate of consumption is depleting limited resources, and in many places we are degrading our natural fertility base of water and soil. These issues need action urgently. 2

Education has a critical role to play as it strengthens the ability of individuals and communities to positively influence the environment and society. Through informed choices, action, and innovation, people, young and old, can contribute to redesigning how we live and work - and help create a more sustainable future.
Image: How do toys and play help tamariki contribute to redesigning how we live and work - to help create a more sustainable future?
Climate change - a definition

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. These shifts may be natural, such as through variations in the solar cycle. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas.

Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a blanket wrapped around the earth, trapping the sun's heat and raising temperatures. Examples of greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change include carbon dioxide and methane.

Many people think climate change mainly means warmer temperatures. But temperature rise is only the beginning of the story. Because the Earth is a system, where everything is connected, changes in one area can influence changes in all others. 3

The role we have in early childhood

There is growing recognition that young children will be the ones most affected by climate change and we, in the early learning sector, are in the unique position of being directly connected with these future decision makers. As kaiako, we are regularly supporting ākonga to connect with their local place and people, make sense of this and some of the science behind what they observe and learn about.

We can also offer our ākonga opportunities to slow down and connect to the place we stand. Exploring, observing, connecting, questioning, and being part of actions that engage the head, the heart, and the hands, and that support te taiao, the environment.

As Professor Wally Penetito states "We need to start where our feet are, but never let it stay there. That's the beginning point only. Everything else moves out from that. It's kind of like ... a basic principle of education - about begin with the stuff you know, and then move into the unknown". 4

Te Whāriki - a supportive, holistic curriculum

Children's foundational knowledge, curiosity, and enjoyment of learning is supported through quality teaching and curriculum, guided by the framework of Te Whāriki.

The Principles: Empowerment | Whakamana; Holistic development | Kotahitanga; Family and community | Whānau tangata; and Relationships | Ngā hononga are woven together with the Strands to ensure the heart of Te Whāriki is given expression.

Strand Mana aotūroa | Exploration lends itself particularly well to introducing scientific knowledge and concepts to children.

The strands Mana atua |Wellbeing, Mana whenua | Belonging, and Mana tangata | Contribution are equally important to nurture children's sense of holistic wellbeing, respect for the natural world, and to foster a kindred spirit and contribution to the wider community.

Climate change highlights the importance of science knowledge and understanding, including mātauranga Māori of which there is so much to learn. Te Tiriti o Waitangi, a key foundation of Te Whāriki, ensures the relationship that tangata whenua hold with the land, and the values placed on the care of her, guides kaiako working with mokopuna to instil a love and respect for Papatūānuku. Kaiako are encouraged to develop curriculum that enriches children's science-related thinking and knowledge and children's development of working theories and learning dispositions in response to the world around them from a diversity of cultural perspectives.

The Ministry of Education provides a range of resources on this site to help kaiako integrate domain knowledge into the curriculum and provide the vocabulary and thoughtful conversations to help children make meaning for themselves.

Within the early learning sector there are many actions we can take, every day, to bring about positive change. "We as educators, individuals, whānau, and communities, closely connected with our place and our planet can bring our head, heart, and hands to the creative work of looking after our precious world." 5

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Mō tātou te taiao ko te atawhai, mō tātou te taiao ko te oranga It is for us to care for and look after the environment to ensure its wellbeing, in doing so we ensure our own wellbeing and that of our future generations.

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What large New Zealand businesses need to report about their climate risks

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What large New Zealand businesses need to report about their climate risks

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2023 is the first year when many large companies have to keep compulsory records about their climate impact – including the impact of their lending (banks) and investments (Kiwisaver funds). Read more in this story.

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Imagine a future where a series of extreme weather events unfold in New Zealand over three months, killing people and devastating property.

There's a scientific consensus that climate change made them worse.

The public has a surge of concern, and elects a new Government with a strong mandate to act on climate change. What would that mean for businesses?

Under one possible future, the Government charges owners of petrol and diesel cars $100 a year to immediately cut transport emissions, while under another the Government bans fossil-fuelled cars, with obviously flow-on effects for car manufacturers.

In another future, technology advances so quickly that trucking companies can run on zero-emissions vehicles much sooner than expected - while banks strangle lending to those firms still relying on fossil fuels. In another, an influx of migrants from the Northern Hemisphere arrives in New Zealand to escape climate extremes, with impacts on companies affected by population changes.

These are real examples of the kinds of scenarios businesses will have to confront under new climate disclosure rules, outlined by watchdog the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) at a July 20 seminar.

After years of patchy, ad hoc disclosures, 2023 is the first year when many large companies have to keep compulsory records about their climate impact - including the impact of their lending (banks) and investments (Kiwisaver funds).

In a slew of reports due to land between April and the end of 2024, they'll have to reveal publicly not only their impact on heating the planet, but the heating planet's potential impacts on them - and how well-equipped they are to cope, or even thrive in different futures.

As an investor, it's obvious that you won't want to pour your money into a company that won't survive climate change.

But even a person without a bean to their name should be able to get a better feel for how climate-savvy their bank, retailer or (in some cases) potential employer is, and whether they'll get through the changes that are coming. What exact scenarios are relevant depends on the company, but they have to think of futures where temperature rise hits 1.5C, 3C and one other scenario, at minimum.

Although the change is designed mainly to inform current and potential investors, anyone should be able to use the reports to get a better look at how big companies are preparing.

Until now, many have reported on such things using a purely voluntary system - however consistent, compulsory disclosures should make it easier to compare the roughly 200 of the country's biggest companies that are affected.

The change covers large banks, Kiwisaver funds, insurance companies and big NZX-listed businesses, including some listed retailers and power companies. As well as emissions, these businesses will need to report on their climate goals, as well as more skills-based measures like the level of climate planning and awareness in their boards and senior management.

The market watchdog that will be enforcing the new rules - the Financial Markets Authority - says it will start by educating companies that don't comply with the disclosures, then ultimately crack down on anyone not responding to tailored "feedback".

Amongst other requirements, the new rules will force companies to confront climate change by analysing how their business could fare in different futures, depending on variables such as how fast countries reign in emissions, technology developments, social shifts, new laws and other factors.

Those futures are business-specific. For example, a coastal airport might study different sea level rise scenarios, while a dairy company may look at changing consumer demand for low-emissions products. A bank may examine what happens to its loan book if its clients make losses on their fossil fuel assets, or if rural mortgages fall over during a slew of longer droughts.

Jenika Phipps manages a seven-person team at the Financial Markets Authority, which will read company disclosures and assess whether they comply.

She says the rules are more about coming clean on what you are doing or not doing - so you can be fairly judged - as opposed to requiring any particular action to reduce a company's impact. Here and overseas, climate-watchers hope that directing investment towards cleaner and better-prepared companies will stop what the Productivity Commission has called the "systematic over-valuation" of dirty assets.

Questions Phipps' team will be asking include: "Does the board know anything about climate change? Are they looking to upskill? Do they even monitor anything to do with climate in the organisation?"

"Do they identify climate risks? Maybe they don't, maybe they do," she adds.

Phipps says being aware of the risks (and preparing) is something any business should be doing anyway - and it might help them see new opportunities, as well as downsides.

"Some of the flooding events that have happened recently, like in the Hawke's Bay and Auckland, that disrupted supply chains for the horticulture industry - there's a business risk there, and they're being made worse," she says.

"Ultimately, the world needs to transition to a low-emissions economy. So there's the risk of your business not doing that, and basically not being a viable business because it hasn't kept up with changing technology or changing consumer preferences, or changing laws in terms of subsidies or taxes or bans.

"The EU is tightening up a lot in terms of putting in trade restrictions, and only wanting low-emissions products. If you're not keeping up with that world transition to a low-emissions economy, there's a business risk," she says.

Some industries have already joined together to come up with a shared set of future scenarios, which individual companies will have to tailor to their individual needs when they carry out a risk check.

Phipps says, even with the new rules, not all company reports will be directly comparable - there'll still be scope to choose different approaches, or use different scenarios to gauge how their businesses might fare.

But their analyses "have to be plausible, they have to be challenging, internally consistent [and other things]", she says.

"We'll go back to them saying, 'What's the proof? What underlying scientific data from the IPCC or Niwa, or another credible organisation are you relying on to make that assumption?"

"People will be able to rely on those disclosures, because we'll be checking the underlying data."

Phipps says the regime is new, so enforcement will start out "educative and constructive."

"For the first year of reports, we are going to be focusing on reviewing as many reports as we can, and providing feedback. It will be phone calls, emails, meetings, letters, as well as a monitoring report for everyone."

"We will very much expect entities to improve on that feedback, particularly if they're given individual feedback. And that will be the focus of the second year of reporting, you know [to see] that they have improved to reasonable degree," she says.

"If we aren't seeing improvements, then we would be looking at the standard enforcement response."

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Companies now have to imagine a hothouse climate - would they survive?

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Market watchdog says it will start softly but eventually crack down on those not responding to "feedback".

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Psychological perspectives on climate change - NZ Psychological Society

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Psychological perspectives on climate change - NZ Psychological Society

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Multiple resources compiled by the NZ Psychological Society. Psychologists are uniquely positioned to inform others’ understanding and to help change human behaviour and attitudes, and this is crucial to a lower-carbon future.

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Climate Change :: NZ Psychological Society

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The role of psychology for climate change action and the NZPsS Climate Psychology Taskforce (CPTF)

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How to be an activist - High Tide Don't Hide

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How to be an activist - High Tide Don't Hide

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There are many, many ways to push for systemic change. Here are some recommendations from High Tide Don’t Hide’s student strike leaders.

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Climate Hope, Wellbeing, and Action. NZAEE

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Climate Hope, Wellbeing, and Action. NZAEE

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Supporting educators, learners and communities as we navigate a climate-changed Aotearoa.

It has been a devastating start to the school year for many communities and we are sending aroha to all those affected by the weather events. As educators, many of our young people will be seeing the photos, or be even closer to the impacts, and will be asking why and wanting to know what can be done. They are hearing (often for the first time) leaders confirming that this is a result of climate change, and want to know more to understand it better.

We know it can be overwhelming for kaiako to sift through all the information, so we've created this collection of articles, resources and videos, focused on positive and hopeful approaches to climate education and action in Aotearoa.

Moving forward with respect and hope

The concept of climate adaptation has quite rightly dominated media coverage since the flooding and cyclone damage. This is an emotional and complex aspect of our response to climate change, and it's worth taking some time to explore different perspectives, knowledge systems and evidence, before you start exploring this with ākonga.

What's empowering is if you have whānau looking into the past and learning from how our tīpuna used to respond to climate impacts on specific locations. Our tīpuna were smart enough to say: "Well, this place is very vulnerable during this season. Let's be careful and relocate up to a safer environment."
- Dr Shaun Awatere

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Where to Start: Climate education resources

What does climate education actually look like? Before you start delving into the complex science of climate systems, it's important to think about what's appropriate for the ākonga you work with and the issues that are most important in your local community. Rachel Bolstad, researcher at NZCER, explains some key things for educators and parents to consider in the following RNZ interview from 2021.
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Helping children cope with climate anxiety (Listen - 17 mins)

"By engaging in practices like gardening, thinking about what we do with our food waste, composting, worm farming and those things, although they might seem small, they actually have a direct connection to climate, because there are greenhouse gas emissions that can be reduced through those actions.

So you don't necessarily need to know about greenhouse gas impacts to actually do those practices, and there's a lot of value and reward and benefits to health and wellbeing through just engaging with those actions. There's a lot of research that shows when we are connected with nature, that has a direct benefit on our health and wellbeing." - Rachel Bolstad

You can read the research summaries from NZCER's climate education project here, including topics such as What can schools do? and Connecting climate change with place and culture

Younger Learners

If you're involved with national programmes such as Enviroschools, Para Kore, Garden to Table, or local projects that involve gardening, planting trees and reducing waste, these are excellent contexts for younger ākonga to take climate action. Get in touch with one of these organisations by clicking on the links above, or search by location in our Providers catalogue to find support in your area.

Focus on spending time in nature and simple wellbeing activities to help support ākonga through difficult times:

Older Learners

Teachers of students in Years 6 - 10 can use these recently updated resources, based on years of work in Aotearoa schools and evidence-based approaches:

Watch the video on the right to find out more about these resources and hear from student Keegan Verster, who speaks about the wellbeing and learning benefits from his involvement with the programme in Ōtautahi.

NIWA has also recently developed an inquiry unit and online 'serious game' focused on climate adaptation: Climate Adaptation teaching resources

Science Learning Hub have an excellent range of resources that support learners to engage with climate change through te ao Māori:

You can also search our Resource catalogue using the filter 'Rangi | Climate, Air, Sky' to find more resources.

Empowering Rangatahi

Educators working with secondary students and youth in the wider community have an important role to play in supporting and facilitating student-led actions. Watch these short films to get inspired:

We Asked to Be Heard (6 mins)
Tells the story of students in Ōtautahi who submitted on the local council's coastal adaptation framework.

High Tide Don't Hide (1 hour 20 mins)
This documentary follows the young people involved with the first School Strike for Climate movement in Aotearoa.

You can support students to attend the School Strike 4 Climate, with planned events on May 26th around the motu.

Encourage students to explore the range of organisations in Aotearoa focused on advocacy and climate action, such as Pacific Climate Warriers, 350 Aotearoa, Te Ara Whatu and Generation Zero, by sharing the NZ Climate Action Network website.

Some ideas for supporting older students with wellbeing | hauora can be found on the Whenua Iti Outdoors website, including activities and videos created in collaboration with rangatahi, exploring how connection with nature can improve our wellbeing.

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For further information and ideas, check out these related Spotlights and Professional Learning pages on our website:

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Climate Hope, Wellbeing and Action | by NZAEE

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Explore teaching resources, articles and videos to help support learning, wellbeing and actions in our climate-changed communities. Gain access free today.

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Student activism: NZCER literature review

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Student activism: NZCER literature review

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What do we know about student activism in Aotearoa New Zealand? How do schools view and respond to student activism? And, in what ways does the New Zealand Curriculum support student activism?

Student activism: Learning through doing explores what student activism looks like in this country. Youth attendance at the 2019-20 School Strikes for Climate marches, and other recent protest events for Ihumātao and Black Lives Matter, suggests that youth view activism as having individual and collective benefit. This paper uses recent literature and media reports to examine the relationship between activism and formal education, including the benefits and challenges associated with in-school activism. Recent examples of out-of-school youth activism are analysed, giving insight to youth activism participation and expression. Adult responses to youth activism, the framing of youth activism and the agency, and ideas about the educational potential of student activism are also discussed.

This paper suggests that schools and teachers are ideally placed to develop students' skills and competency to support their activism ambitions. However, the role of activism and activism education in schools is complex. In part, this complexity is fuelled by a mismatch between the perceptions and the realities of youth and student activism.

The ideas presented in this paper are relevant to school leaders and teachers thinking about ways of fostering student activism and agency, and to educationalists considering how activism education can provide a critical context for student learning and development.

The Student Activism project is part of NZCER's Te Pae Tawhiti Government Grant programme of research.

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Student activism: Learning through doing

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What do we know about student activism in Aotearoa New Zealand? How do schools view and respond to student activism? And, in what ways does the New Zealand Curriculum support student activism? Student activism: Learning through doing explores what student activism looks like in this country.

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INACTIVE - CURRENT STATUS UNKNOWN National Flood Risk Management Programme - Ministry of Education

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INACTIVE - CURRENT STATUS UNKNOWN National Flood Risk Management Programme - Ministry of Education

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This directory page provides information on plans to mitigate the risk of flooding at high-risk schools around the country.

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This directory page provides information on plans to mitigate the risk of flooding at high-risk schools around the country.

Level of compliance

Main audience

Other

Inform

Boards

Principals and Tumuaki

Property Managers

Overview

The Ministry of Education oversees more than 2500 schools across the country, and many are near the coast or inland waterways. That means they are potentially at risk from flooding and erosion.

The Ministry is a considerable stakeholder in terms of activities that may have an impact on existing and future educational facilities and assets across Aotearoa.

The Ministry assesses population changes, school roll fluctuations and other trends and challenges for education provision to identify changing needs and respond to them effectively.

We want to have a better understanding of flooding and erosion risks for schools and how they may change in the future.

Climate change increases these risks. It's difficult to predict the precise impact climate has on sea level rise and on storm events and when they may happen.

This uncertainty means we need to be prepared with options for several different scenarios for schools that are at highest risk from climate change.

The Ministry has responsibility not only for all state schools owned by the Crown, but also those state schools not owned by the Crown, such as designated character schools and state-integrated schools.

Scope of programme

This National Flood Risk Management Programme started as a desktop analysis of low-lying school sites potentially at risk from coastal flooding due to sea level rise. See 'Coastal Flood Risk' below for an outline of the progress this first tranche of work has made.

Beginning in September 2022, the programme broadened and is now also exploring the risks of flooding for schools in areas away from the coast.
This expanded scope aims to include schools potentially at risk of flooding from rivers and other waterways, as well as schools subject to the erosion effects of water, either at the coast or inland.

The goal of this broader programme is to develop a management approach for all schools facing flooding and erosion challenges.

The NFRM programme scope has recently been expanded to include river flooding and to support broader remediation and mitigation measures being undertaken by councils, local authorities, and other government agencies across Aotearoa.

Coastal flood risk

The programme initially used existing data from a variety of sources and some historic flooding information to establish that 103 schools - 50 in the South Island and 53 in the North Island - that are likely to be at risk from coastal flooding.
Note: Our first draft analysis generated a list of 111 schools. Eight of those schools were subsequently removed from the list when further information found sea level rise an unlikely risk at those locations.
Extreme sea levels (due to storms or high winds) could have an impact on 48 of the 103 schools on the list, without allowing for climate change or sea level rise. If the sea level rises less than one metre, a further 22 of these schools may be impacted by coastal flooding. The remaining 33 schools may experience coastal flooding if sea levels rise by more than one metre.

View the list of 103 schools [PDF, 146 KB] identified by the programme. For further information, please contact the project team at Floodrisk.Management@education.govt.nz.

We began the coastal flooding part of the programme by conducting a pilot study.

In September 2022, we made on-site assessments at five schools in Wellington and five schools on the West Coast of the South Island. The ten-school selection gave our survey teams a variety of school settings, a combination of open coast and harbour locations, and a mix of school sizes.

The information gathered is being used to develop and test our assessment methodology and advise on mitigation options for all 103 schools we've identified as potentially at-risk from coastal flooding.

Adaptive Pathways

The programme team has reviewed site assessments made at the ten pilot schools. A summary of findings will be posted here in due course.

Pilot study schools

North Island (Wellington)

Muritai School

Paremata School

Evans Bay Intermediate School

Seatoun School

Randwick School

South Island (West Coast)

Granity School

Paroa School, Greymouth

Blaketown School, Greymouth

Karamea Area School

Haast School

When we visited these ten schools, we looked for these details:

the school's elevation above sea level

the levels of main building floors

any structures built to prevent flooding

any evidence of, or anecdotes about, previous flooding

location of critical infrastructure (power, heating, data storage)

school access, such as key bus routes and access roads.

Risk map of schools likely to be affected by coastal flooding

Map of schools likely to be affected by coastal flooding

Click here for interactive map(external link) .

Region

Unlikely to be exposed to coastal hazards

Uncertain exposure

Likely to be exposed to coastal hazards

Figure: Initial screening of all schools' exposure to coastal hazards

National Flood Risk Management Framework

An assessment framework was developed by external consultants for the NFRM Programme to assess each school to determine which sites may be at risk from coastal inundation, now and into the future.

The framework:

details steps required to assess risks

classifies schools into risk categories

identifies requirements for developing adaptive pathways or remedial actions.

Deliverables

The Programme will produce three key pieces of documentation. Each document will be made available here as it is finalised.​

National Flood Risk Management Plan

An overarching framework for how schools can be assessed, and their risk level determined.​

Figure: Flood Risk Management Plan

National Flood Risk Adaptation Plan

This plan will detail adaptive pathways for at-risk schools as required.

Figure: National Adaptation Plan

National Flood Risk Advocacy Plan

This plan will outline the method, stakeholders, and timing for engaging with councils​ and other local authorities.

Figure: Advocacy Plan

Reference Group

The role of the Reference Group is to provide operational context for the NFRM Programme by:

Providing advice to the NFRM Programme on cultural, community, end user, industry/sector and agency perspectives, priorities, and concerns relating to the programme.

Providing advice to the NFRM Programme meetings and where relevant members will be asked to attend NFRM meetings.

Identifying potential localised benefits, risks, commercial/operating models, and to advise the NFRM Programme on the best methodology to maximise said benefits.

Providing insight about the optimal approach to minimise operational disruption during the discovery phase of the NFRM Programme, whilst providing high levels of end user engagement and customer service.

Ensuring that NFRM Programme operational risks, interdependencies and issues are identified, managed and/or appropriately recorded.

Providing guidance on how a communication and engagement strategy for multiple stakeholder groups can be tailored to provide the most favourable outcome.

Being strong advocates for the NFRM Programme.

Responsibilities of the Reference Group:

To act as an initial sounding-board for any systems, processes or procedures proposed as part of the NFRM Programme.

To monitor progress against the programme schedule and provide input on coordinating programme delivery with operational outputs.

To review action points to ensure they are resolved or completed in an accurate and timely manner.

To monitor and review programme risks and ensure mitigation actions remain effective.

To ensure lessons learnt are captured and fed into a cycle of continuous improvement.

The group meet virtually once a month, for approximately 60 minutes.

We have a representation of eight tumuaki in our NFRM Reference Group. If you are interested in joining the group, please submit an expression of interest to Floodrisk.Management@education.govt.nz.

Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions for the National Flood Risk Management Programme [PDF, 295 KB]
Is my school on the National Flood Risk Management Programme's list of at-risk schools?

Here is the full list of schools evaluated [PDF, 146 KB] as potentially at risk of coastal flooding. The list was generated from assessments of potential coastal flood risk only and consists of coastal schools that are low lying, located at (or just above) sea level and where sea level rise due to climate change may cause flooding problems in the future. (Note: the criteria for this list do not include potential risk of river flooding or erosion)

My school is on the list. What happens next?

Given the extended period over which sea level rise is expected to happen, the Programme will set out the expected timeframes indicating when schools may be impacted. We will then work with the community and local councils, to develop, where required, a proposed plan and timeframe for implementation with each school.

My school is not on the list. Why not?

Criteria for including a school on the list were applied primarily from elevation and location data, i.e., how close to the coastline and how high above sea level a school site appears to be. Please contact us if you feel your school site is at-risk from flooding.

How are schools determined to be at-risk?

Our analysis determines 'at-risk' as a combination of proximity to the coast and low elevation from sea level. The effects of sea level rise for a specific school may be influenced by local geographical features, council mitigation efforts, weather patterns, and other variables.

What puts a school into the 'at-risk' category?

We consider these factors:

Flooding hazards (due to extreme weather events or other factors).

Potential impact on the Ministry's education obligations.

Potential impact on the wider community.

Potential for:

Threat to safety of staff and students

Water supply compromised

Asset damage

Operation interruption

Access disruption

Disruption of civil defence activities.

Flood risks arising from climate change and sea level rise.

What are the next steps for the Programme?

The NFRM Programme scope has recently been expanded to include river flooding. The goal of this broader project is to develop a management approach for all state schools facing flooding and erosion challenges. The Programme is developing the following plans, which include both short-term and long-term considerations.

National Flood Risk Management Plan - an overarching framework for how schools are assessed and their risk level determined.

National Flood Risk Advocacy Plan - a collaborative plan for supporting councils and other local authorities with their mitigation and adaptation strategies.

National Flood Risk Adaptation Plan - detailing the adaptive pathways available for schools as required.

Our school's 10YPP plan includes flood mitigation. Should we proceed with that work?

Please contact the NFRM team before proceeding with any flood-related works.

Our school has a Flood Management Plan. Is that part of this programme's scope?

Yes, the NFRM team is gathering information about any plans schools have already developed. Please contact us at Floodrisk.Management@education.govt.nz.

Should we develop a Flood Management Plan for our school?

Yes, floods happen often in New Zealand, causing property damage and loss of life. If your school's property has been flooded in the past or identified as at-risk then you should have a Flood Management Plan.

Do you have advice for schools who feel they may be at-risk?

In the first instance, talk to your Ministry Property Advisor if you have concerns about flood risk. Review the information available from National Civil Defence emergency preparedness(external link) and the Ministry's Emergency Management Planning Advice for schools.

Contact the NFRM team at Floodrisk.Management@education.govt.nz if you have further questions.

We already have an incident plan and emergency response guidance. Should flood-related measures be included in these?

Yes, flood preparedness and clean up should be part of a school's Emergency Management Plan, particularly if your school has been identified as being at risk of flooding or has historically experienced flooding events. A template for an Emergency Management Plan is here [DOCX, 512 KB] .

What should we do if the school has a flood?

Stay out of flood water. Never try to walk, swim or drive through flood water. Many flood fatalities are caused by people attempting to drive through water.

Stay informed in an emergency. Listen to the radio or follow your local Civil Defence group.(external link)

Refer to your school's Emergency Management Plan [DOCX, 512 KB] .

Listen to any advisory from emergency services or local Civil Defence authorities.

Be prepared to evacuate. Self-evacuate if you begin to feel unsafe.

Follow instructions about evacuation of your area.

Turn off water, electricity and gas if advised to.

Move dangerous items as high above the floor as possible. This includes electrical equipment and chemicals.

Where can we find more information about being prepared for a flood or other emergency?

The Ministry has useful guidance about what to do before, during and after an emergency here: Emergencies and traumatic incidents

What should we do after a flood?

Only return to the school site after Civil Defence and emergency services have told you it is safe to do so. It may not be safe to return even when floodwaters have receded.

Stay away from damaged areas. You might hamper rescue and other emergency operations and be at further risk from the residual effects of floods.

Look before you step. After a flood, the ground and floors may be slippery or covered with debris, including broken bottles and nails.

Help others in the community if you can, especially people who may need extra help.

What do we do if our property is damaged by a flood?

Do not do anything that puts your safety at risk or causes more damage to your property.

Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you are certain it is not contaminated. Follow local council updates about the water supply and any 'boil water' notices. If you have your own drinking water supply, you should test it to ensure it is safe.

Contact your Property Advisor and take photos of damage. It will help speed up assessments of your claims. For more information on food safety during and after an emergency visit: Ministry for Primary Industries' website(external link) .

Is there a short-term or long-term climate plan from the Ministry?

The National Flood Risk Management (NFRM) Programme was established to support state schools potentially at risk from coastal flooding due to sea level rise. An initial desktop analysis of low-lying coastal schools revealed 103 schools [PDF, 146 KB] as likely to be at risk of flooding

Has the National Flood Risk Management Programme developed a plan?

The NFRM Programme is developing the following plans, which include both short-term and long-term considerations.

National Flood Risk Management Plan - an overarching framework for how schools are assessed, and their risk level determined.

National Flood Risk Advocacy Plan - a collaborative plan for supporting councils and other local authorities with their mitigation and adaptation strategies.

National Flood Risk Adaptation Plan - this will detail the adaptive pathways available for schools as required.

What is the projected cost of adaptation for schools at risk?

We are not at a stage in the programme to estimate potential costs. More information on the NFRM Programme's scope is here(external link) .

Further information

Useful links
National Flood Risk Management Programme Template for school Emergency Management Plan [DOCX, 512 KB] Emergencies and traumatic incidents Civil Defence: local groups(external link) National Civil Defence emergency preparedness - Get ready(external link)
Reference Documents
Report: Vulnerable Communities Exposed to Flood Hazard - Department of Internal Affairs(external link) Draft national adaptation plan - Ministry for the Environment(external link)
Related articles

Edgecumbe township flood defenses to be replaced - Coast and Country News(external link) (December 2022)

'We need to get cracking' - As seas rise, time for planning running out - MSN(external link) (August 2022)

Plea for Govt funding as Westport flood plan balloons from $10m to $54m - Stuff.co.nz(external link) (June 2022)

Govt promises support for Buller schools as series of flood events leave children fearful every time it rains - Stuff.co.nz(external link) (February 2022)

Rising tides put up to 94 schools at risk of flooding and closures - Stuff.co.nz(external link) (February 2021)

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National Flood Risk Management Programme

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This directory page provides information on plans to mitigate the risk of coastal flooding at high-risk schools around the country.

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Free downloadable booklets, practical guides to help you build your organisation's resilience step by step.

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Resilience guides for organisations Building resilience doesn't have to be hard.Our series of free downloadable booklets are practical guides to help you

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Psychologists’ research and expertise can help leaders communicate clearly and support their communities through times of crisis

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Disasters can make or break a leader. In the era of COVID-19, some leaders have risen to the challenge-keeping their communities, employees and students informed, pausing and restarting daily life, and managing the secondary effects of social and economic disruption.

Other leaders, meanwhile, are floundering-communicating poorly, not providing trustworthy information and failing to follow through on promises.

Although the pandemic differs from other crises in our lifetime, psychologists' research and expertise, developed in past crises, can still inform our responses, say those who have studied crisis leadership. Overall, their work has shown that leaders who communicate effectively and learn from their mistakes are poised for success. Those who dissemble and vacillate can harm and alienate their constituencies.

"What leaders have to realize is that when a crisis hits, you can't just rest on your laurels and think that everything will move along normally," says Ronald Riggio, PhD, a professor of leadership and organizational psychology at Claremont McKenna College in California. "You need to train, prepare and execute."

Clear communication

Perhaps the most essential element of crisis leadership is clear and trustworthy communication. Best practices for crisis communication, established through years of psychological and organizational research, include transparency, honesty and empathy.

Communicating well starts with understanding the questions your audience has, and then talking to experts and reviewing data to answer them accurately. Leaders then need to develop and test messages to ensure they don't confuse people, says psychologist Baruch Fischhoff, PhD, a professor in the department of engineering and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University.

For instance, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has relied heavily on the expertise of physicians and public health professionals in crafting his messages to constituents, including by featuring these experts during his press briefings.

Throughout the coronavirus crisis, leaders have had to relay a lot of bad news-extensions of stay-at-home orders, large-scale furloughs and layoffs, sickness and death. But leadership scholars agree that even in such dire circumstances, honesty is the best policy.

"Total transparency is essential," says psychologist Jeremy Hunter, PhD, an associate professor of practice and founding director of the Executive Mind Leadership Institute at the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University in California. "Leaders who withhold information essentially shoot themselves in the foot because that breeds mistrust and uncertainty."

Research by Fischhoff and Roxane Cohen Silver, PhD, a professor in the department of psychological science at the University of California, Irvine, shows that the public prefers honest answers, even when the news is bad-and that it's tough for leaders who lose trust to gain it back (Risk Analysis, Vol. 38, No. 1, 2018). In this moment, that includes admitting that much about the coronavirus-and how it will impact our lives in the coming months-remains unknown.

"Minimizing the uncertainty of what we're going through is disingenuous," Silver says. "What we can do is acknowledge that uncertainty is associated with anxiety-so the anxiety that many people are feeling right now is an appropriate reaction.

Finally, in communicating data to their followers, leaders should keep in mind that some people have trouble understanding numbers or performing mental math. That doesn't mean leaders should avoid sharing numeric information, says Ellen Peters, PhD, a psychologist and director of the Center for Science Communication Research in the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication.

"Providing numbers corrects misperceptions," she says. "People are far more likely to overestimate certain risks if you don't give them numbers" (Medical Decision Making, Vol. 34, No. 4, 2013).

That said, leaders sharing numeric information should do what they can to reduce the cognitive effort required of their audiences. That means providing only necessary information and doing calculations ahead of time to make data more relevant and digestible, says Peters. It can also include visual representations of numeric information and structured lists that outline what readers can expect in a longer piece of written communication " Health Literacy and Numeracy: Workshop Summary, " (National Academies Press, 2014).

Readiness is key

Though crises are almost by definition unexpected, effective leaders can and should still prepare for them, says Fischhoff. "You'll often hear leaders say they didn't have time to respond effectively in an emergency," he says. "But if you didn't have time, you didn't do your job. Your job is to be ready, know your audience and get them clear and accurate information about what's going on."

Public officials and leaders of large organizations should ideally complete training in crisis leadership-which typically teaches leaders to manage emotions, assemble emergency task forces and maximize technology and communication channels, says Riggio. At a minimum, he says, other leaders, such as small business owners, should have action plans in place for various potential emergencies, including an economic crisis, major lawsuit or natural disaster.

When a crisis hits, leaders should focus on managing their internal experience first before providing direction to their teams and communities, Hunter says. "Leaders should think about themselves as islands of coherence in a sea of chaos," he says. "Your ability to manage yourself in this process-to stay grounded and clear in a situation that's totally disorienting-is really what will make or break you."

One way to do that is to manage your own attention, including by engaging with media in a "Goldilocks way"-not too little, not too much, Hunter says. Too little information will leave leaders uninformed; too much can be overwhelming.

But managing also involves tuning in to your own internal emotional responses and understanding how those responses can influence decision-making, Hunter says. "What's happening in your body during a crisis? And how is that influencing the way you make sense of a situation and make decisions about it?" he asks. "If you can't see that consciously, then you've got one arm tied behind your back in terms of your capacity to think clearly about your options. If you're locked in fear, your ability to develop creative solutions is limited."

Takeaway lessons

Following a crisis, Riggio recommends conducting an after-action review (AAR), a structured debrief pioneered by the U.S. Army that involves analyzing an incident, the response and lessons learned. "When it comes to leadership development, leaders tend to learn more from their mistakes than from their successes," he says.

An AAR should include steps to prevent a future crisis-but also strategies for responding in the inevitable event that one occurs. This focused discussion should take place as soon as possible following a crisis and outline concrete guidelines for preventing or managing similar incidents moving forward, says Riggio.

For example, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and several other organizations conducted AARs following Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Harvey to assess preparedness and response operations, recommending improvements in staffing, housing solutions and other areas ( ASPR TRACIE Technical Assistance Request, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018).

A crisis can leave leaders and their communities shaken, but it can also present an opportunity for growth.

"Crises are places where we find our greatness because they push us in ways that, in times of normalcy, we don't get pushed. We find strengths and abilities that are latent inside us," Hunter says. "As a leader, this kind of crisis is an opportunity to find your greatness and to activate that in other people around you."

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Psychologists' research and expertise can help leaders communicate clearly and support their communities through the pandemic.

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The board's role in a crisis guide includes findings from interviews with chairs, board members and chief executives who have experienced major crises over the last 10 years.

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Chapter Zero New Zealand is part of a global network of board directors committed to taking action on climate change. Proudly hosted in Aotearoa by the Institute of Directors.

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Chapter Zero New Zealand is part of a global network of board directors committed to taking action on climate change. Proudly hosted in Aotearoa by the Institute of Directors.

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Connecting climate change with place and culture. NZCER 4

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Connecting climate change with place and culture. NZCER 4

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Investigating how climate change connects with the places we live, learn, and work can inspire climate solutions based on localised thinking. Connecting culture to place highlights opportunities for culturally-sustaining climate responses. This briefing is part of a series. Other topics include:

You can find all the briefings, and other reports and articles on our project page.

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Connecting climate change with place and culture: Research briefing 4

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Investigating how climate change connects with the places we live, learn, and work can inspire climate solutions based on localised thinking. Connecting culture to place highlights opportunities for culturally-sustaining climate responses. This briefing is part of a series. Other topics include: You can find all the briefings, and other reports and articles on our project page.

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Learning and career pathways for a low-carbon future. NZCER 3

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Learning and career pathways for a low-carbon future. NZCER 3

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This briefing discusses education's role in supporting and inspiring learners on career pathways to a low-carbon future. This briefing is part of a series. Other topics include:

You can find all the briefings, and other reports and articles on our project page.

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Learning and career pathways for a low-carbon future: Research briefing 3 | New Zealand Council for Educational Research

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PO Box 3237 Te Pakokori, Level 4, Stantec Building, 10 Brandon Street, Wellington NZ, 6011

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Teaching and Supporting Climate Change Resilience

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Teaching and Supporting Climate Change Resilience

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How can educators support young people with climate education and wellbeing?

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How can educators support young people with climate education and wellbeing?

For this recorded webinar in May 2023, we were joined by passionate young people from the Next Generation Conversation, a coalition of climate change activists aged 9 - 15yrs old, based in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Climate educator Sian Carvell, who has worked with these young people for over five years, is also the author of 'Huringa Āhuarangi: whakareri mai kia haumaru āpōpō | Climate Change: prepare today, live well tomorrow'. She was joined by Jenny Ritchie and Ali Glasgow, who were part of the team that developed Te Tai Unuora | Climate Wellbeing Guide, which has recently been updated.

Watch the highlights video to hear:

Advice and insights from Caitlin, Hazel, Joel and Keegan (first 20 minutes)

Key messages from Sian, Jenny and Ali about the importance of climate education and wellbeing for our young people (last 10 minutes)

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You can watch the full webinar recording (59 mins) to hear introductions from all of our speakers and answers to some additional questions: Full webinar recording

For an overview of the climate learning programme and wellbeing guide, watch this recording from our conference last year:
Climate Education and Wellbeing (30 mins) Sian Carvell, Jenny Ritchie and Keegan Verster

Read Sian's spotlight on our website: Street Art - Children's Voices and Climate Action

Watch We Asked to Be Heard to find out more about the Next Generation Conversation students and their advocacy work for climate adaptation.

It has been amazing to be a part of this group. To be listened to, to be heard, and for adults to take us seriously. Not just to be seen, to be really heard. It has been an awesome opportunity to change problems. To look back and say, I was part of that. It is empowering. - Caitlin Rees

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Teaching and Supporting Climate Change Resilience

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Watch highlights from our webinar discussion with young people from Next Generation Conversation and climate educator Sian Carvell. Gain access free today.

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Carbon Reduction Guidance Booklet - Ministry of Education

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Carbon Reduction Guidance Booklet - Ministry of Education

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These partner documents from Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education provide guidance for schools and kura to:

place climate change within a te ao Māori lens,

connect with Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and the New Zealand Curriculum, and

provide some practical actions that schools and kura can take to reduce carbon emissions

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Tāku, Kia ora ai te ao and Me, growing a thriving world

These partner documents from Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education provide guidance for schools and kura to:

place climate change within a te ao Māori lens,

connect with Te Marautanga o Aotearoa and the New Zealand Curriculum, and

provide some practical actions that schools and kura can take to reduce carbon emissions

The actions are based on research and experiences of kura and schools. The guidelines aim to provide information to further support best practice for teachers and schools, with case studies, examples of carbon reduction tools and links to resources.

Click on the button above to visit the webpage, where you can download the guidelines.

As guardians we have a responsibility to ensure that Atua Māori and all things created by Atua Māori are cared for and nurtured. In caring for them, we also support their mana and mauri. If nurtured sustainably, they further prosper and thrive with vitality. If they are healthy, then we, the teina (younger siblings) are also healthy.
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- Me, Growing a Thriving World, Pg 10

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Advice for schools and kura to support climate actions within a te ao Māori lens and with links to curriculum. Gain access free today.

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Tips for youth on Boards - Community Governance Aotearoa

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Tips for youth on Boards - Community Governance Aotearoa

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Young board members can provide new ways of thinking and working, bringing intergenerational views, voices, and knowledge to the board table.

Bring your youth and vitality to a board and gain some great new skills and experience along the way. We've listed out a few of the key benefits you can bring to the boardroom below.

Create positive change

Bring your skills to a cause or organisation which aligns with your values. Being on a board will allow you to get involved in different ways other than on-the-ground volunteering.

Boards play a pivotal role in decision-making. Be part of the decisions made for your generation and the next.

Your youth perspective is important as it increases relevance and connection to the community that the board serves.

Develop your own leadership skills

Share the room with governance leaders and thought leaders who you can learn from. Observe how they run their organisation, tackle problems as a collective, how they weigh up potential risks, and how they interact with other people.

As you start to get an understanding of the culture, you will begin to see characteristics you admire and appreciate. This is an awesome opportunity to lean in and sharpen your own skills.

Build your networks

Through your service on a board, you'll have excellent opportunities to meet other people and build your networks. A good network allows you to:

strengthen your business connections

gain new knowledge, ideas, and perspectives

seek career advice

build confidence.

Your responsibility as a youth representative

As a youth representative, it's important that you regularly connect with your peers to ensure their voices are heard at the board table.

Here's an idea of what you can expect as a youth representative:

Attend meetings to discuss issues which have an impact on youth.

Collaborate with established local, regional, and national youth groups.

Listen and respect the views of other young people and feed these views back to the board for consideration and action, if appropriate.

Vote on board matters.

Act responsibly when representing a board.

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Essential tips for youth on boards - Community Governance Aotearoa

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Young board members can provide new ways of thinking and working, bringing intergenerational views, voices, and knowledge to the board table. Bring your youth and vitality to a board and gain some great new skills and experience along the way. We've listed out a few of the key benefits you can bring to the boardroom below.

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Ministry of Youth Development - participation resources

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Ministry of Youth Development - participation resources

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People and organisations that want to encourage young people to participate in their project, and young people who interested in getting involved, often ask the Ministry of Youth Development - Te Manatū Whakahiato Taiohi for practical examples of youth participation in action.

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The Youth Participation Videos DVD profiles youth participation projects from around New Zealand that have been supported by the Ministry of Youth Development (MYD).

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Climate Justice - why does it matter? NZCER 5

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Climate Justice - why does it matter? NZCER 5

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What is climate justice, and why does it matter? This briefing introduces the concept of climate justice, exploring interconnections with indigenous worldviews, rights-based frameworks, and ecofeminism. We invite educators, learners, and communities to explore these ideas and what they mean for your climate actions.

This briefing is part of a series. Other topics include:

Download the briefing from the link below. You can find additional reports and articles on our climate project page.

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Climate Justice: Why does it matter? Research briefing 5

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is climate justice, and why does it matter? This briefing introduces the concept of climate justice, exploring interconnections with indigenous worldviews, rights-based frameworks, and ecofeminism. We invite educators, learners, and communities to explore these ideas and what they mean for your climate actions. This briefing is part of a series.

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Climate change: What can schools do? NZCER 1

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Climate change: What can schools do? NZCER 1

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What can schools do about climate change? This briefing provides some starting point suggestions for schools, based on our research into systemic educational response to climate change. These ideas will also be useful for early learning centres, tertiary education settings, and community learning space. This briefing is part of a series. Other topics include:

You can find all the briefings, and other reports and articles on our project page.

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Climate change: What can schools do? Research briefing 1 | New Zealand Council for Educational Research

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PO Box 3237 Te Pakokori, Level 4, Stantec Building, 10 Brandon Street, Wellington NZ, 6011

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Leadership and school-wide climate responses: NZCER 2

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Leadership and school-wide climate responses: NZCER 2

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School leadership, and school-wide approaches, play a key role in effective climate change response. These ideas will also be useful for early learning centres, tertiary education settings, and community learning spaces. This briefing is part of a series. Other topics include:

You can find all the briefings, and other reports and articles on our project page.

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Leadership and school-wide climate responses: Research briefing 2

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School leadership, and school-wide approaches, play a key role in effective climate change response. These ideas will also be useful for early learning centres, tertiary education settings, and community learning spaces. This briefing is part of a series. Other topics include: You can find all the briefings, and other reports and articles on our project page.