First developed in 2019, the indicators track how the New Zealand population’s vulnerability to natural hazards and climate-related hazards is shifting over time, to support better planning and decision-making. This 2025 update offers a fresh snapshot of both emerging pressures and areas of resilience across the country, highlighting where support is most urgently needed.
While some trends are encouraging, such as improved access to internet and mobile phones and fewer homes affected by damp or mould, others point to deepening hardship for many households.
Led by EHINZ Principal Analyst Kylie Mason and overseen by Professor Barry Borman, the updated indicators are relevant to a wide range of hazards, including extreme weather events (like floods, heatwaves and wildfires), natural disasters (such as earthquakes and tsunami) and public health emergencies (such as pandemics). The SVIs offer a vital tool for councils, emergency services, government agencies and planners working to build more resilient communities.
Ms Mason says understanding the vulnerabilities of local communities can be very helpful to inform risk reduction activities and to help communities become more resilient.
“Vulnerability doesn’t mean someone will definitely be harmed in a hazard event, or that they lack resilience, but they may be more likely to experience negative impacts on their health and wellbeing during or after a hazard event,” she explains.
The updated Social Vulnerability Indicators focus on two big questions: Who is most vulnerable in a natural hazard, and how well can they recover afterwards?
To answer these, the indicators look at factors that shape both susceptibility (such as age, health and disability) and resilience – a community’s ability to prepare for, cope with and recover from events like floods, heatwaves or pandemics.
These are explored across six key areas that influence resilience:
- Financial resources to cope with crises or losses
- Social connectedness
- Awareness, knowledge and skills to cope with hazards
- Safe, secure and healthy housing
- Access to sufficient food and water during shortages
- Participation in decision-making.
The social vulnerability indicator data, based mostly on 2023 Census data, are available for local communities across New Zealand.
EHINZ will also launch an interactive online mapping tool later this year, allowing the public and organisations to explore vulnerability data in their area and track how it has changed over time.
The SVIs are a valuable resource for identifying at-risk populations, guiding local interventions and supporting climate resilience efforts. Monitoring social vulnerability is a core focus of EHINZ’s work on climate and health, ensuring communities across Aotearoa are supported before, during and after hazard events.
Access the Social Vulnerability Indicators 2023 surveillance report June 2025.
Find more information about Social Vulnerability Indicators, heat maps and datasets.
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