Addressing risk and uncertainty in decision-making

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.