A must-watch conversation on the future of infrastructure in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Natural infrastructure is not an environmental add-on. It is a credible, investable infrastructure asset. So how do we move from reacting to risk to designing for the long term?
Watch the recording of our recent webinar - Natural Infrastructure Plan: Rethinking Infrastructure: From Risk to Resilience below.
A huge thank you to our guest speakers for sharing their insights:
- As Jonathan Groves (CEO and Managing Director QBE Insurance New Zealand & Pacific) noted, we’re dealing with decades of decisions from building on floodplains, constraining rivers, and relying on purely engineered solutions. Rebuilding for resilience requires a shift from insuring loss to actively reducing it.
- Claire Falck (CEO, BRANZ) highlighted the work being done to futureproof the built environment, and the critical role research plays in bridging the gap between understanding and action.
- From an energy perspective, Tracey Hickman (Chief Operating Officer, Genesis) explored what energy resilience really depends on, sharing how degraded natural systems are already impacting operations, from water flow to generation capacity. Her message was clear. Healthy ecosystems are not a ‘nice to have’, but core assets that underpin infrastructure performance.
- Andrea Marshall (Head of Environmental Planning & Sustainability, Auckland Airport) brought this to life through a real-world example at Auckland Airport, demonstrating what investment in natural infrastructure looks like in practice and the multiple benefits it is delivering.
Together, these perspectives point to a clear opportunity. We must move beyond reacting to risk and instead design infrastructure systems that are more resilient by nature.
Next in our series - Plan to Practice: Unlocking the Natural Infrastructure Plan - 28 July, 12.00pm-1.00pm
This session will move from concept to application, providing practical guidance on how to use the Natural Infrastructure Plan’s tools and frameworks, including the Investment Decision Toolkit, within your own organisations and projects. Register here.
