- Guidance
- Summary
Addressing risk and uncertainty in decision-making
Recommendations for better risk assessment methods (May 2024)
Most risk assessment methods and processes in use in Aotearoa New Zealand do not support cumulative effects assessments, the needs and aspirations of Māori, or ecosystem-based management.
For example, current methods generally do not consider differing worldviews and desired outcomes, nor do most methods operate well in a world of cumulative effects from multiple activities and sparse numeric data. The choice of risk assessment methods matters as many methods can constrain an assessment and its outcomes.
Decision-making tools that can communicate risk (including indirect effects) and the degree of uncertainty associated with a particular decision are urgently required.