RiskScape, a collaboration between NIWA and GNS Science with Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake, is a software application for analysing natural hazard consequences.
RiskScape software provides a risk analysis framework for calculating consequences to people, buildings, infrastructure, the environment and other elements exposed to any natural hazard type.
The software’s flexible designed provides disaster risk researchers and professionals with a tool to improve their understanding of natural hazard risk, make risk-based decisions and implement cost-effective risk reduction.
About RiskScape software
RiskScape software supports a flexible modelling engine for multi-hazard risk analysis. It gives modellers the ability to customise risk model workflows and data that feeds into these models.
RiskScape software is built on open source programming languages and complies with Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards for spatial analysis of multi-hazard risk.
A 2022 paper in the journal Natural Hazards, RiskScape: a flexible multi-hazard risk modelling engine, presents the architecture and features of RiskScape software.
Partnership with Toka Tū Ake NHC
In 2019 Toka Tū Ake Natural Hazards Commission (NHC) joined NIWA and GNS Science in developing of RiskScape as its future multi-hazard risk modelling software.
Read the media release: New Zealand to have world-leading natural hazard risk modelling tool
RiskScape prototype software
A RiskScape desktop software prototype was released in 2017 and is no longer supported.
Examples of work underpinned by RiskScape
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Coastal inundation risk in the Pacific
News article25 October 2024Researchers created national sea-level risk profiles for populations, buildings, croplands & infrastructure under present & future climate scenarios. -
Microsites for rapid impact assessment & recovery after Cyclone Gabrielle
News article25 October 2024The rapid impact assessment tool provides a scenario model framework to rapidly assess natural hazard exposure or impacts. -
Pacific Risk Tool for Resilience, Phase 2 (PARTneR-2)
Research ProjectThe three-year PARTneR–2 project aims to help countries in the Pacific become more resilient to the impacts of climate-related hazards. -
PARTneR (Pacific Risk Tool for Resilience)
Research ProjectUnderstanding how hazards impact people and the environment provides the foundation for informed decision making for a resilient Pacific. -
Responding to and preparing for extreme weather events
Research ProjectFollowing extreme weather events in 2023, NIWA reprioritised research to help affected communities recover and prepare for the future. -
Forecasting impacts from extreme weather
Research ProjectThis project aims to establish connections between weather and river flow forecasting, inundation prediction and risks to people and assets. -
Mā te haumaru ō nga puna wai ō Rākaihautū ka ora mo ake tonu
A NIWA-led research programme developing a system to map flood hazard consistently across the whole country. -
Future Coasts Aotearoa
Transforming coastal lowland systems threatened by sea-level rise into prosperous communities
