Abstract:
The scope of the thesis is to present the methodology of developing a representative, composite index
that contributes as a tool to assess the vulnerability of a system towards natural hazards, when the
system includes activities that are dealing with hazardous substances and there is the possibility of
triggering a Natural – Technical (Natech) accident. As the climate change brings new data in the
research field, an evaluation tool for assessing the impact of coastal flooding is expected to have an
important contribution in the urban land use planning and the related decision-making processes. The
proposed index “Coastal Industrial Vulnerability Index New Zealand (CIVINZ)” focuses on some
characteristics, unique to the study system, to succeed a more representative assessment of the
coastal flooding vulnerability at urban domains near to industrial installations in New Zealand. The
index is based on the vulnerability indices available and commonly used. For the identification of the
causal factors of the issue under study, the problem tree method is used, which leads to the
incorporation of innovative modules as parts of the composite index body. These modules highlight
the importance in the vulnerability assessment process of factors like the presence of industrial
facilities and Māori communities. The proposed index is expected to contribute to the assessment of
the additional vulnerability of an area near major hazard facilities (MHF) due to an industrial accident
triggered by a natural hazard, i.e., coastal flooding. The industrial activity in the urban space could
affect severely the resilience of these areas and it should be considered while land use planning, as
well as for risk management and mitigations measures prioritisation. Moreover, in the index body
there is a dedicated module that reflects how the presence of Māori communities and culture
contribute to the vulnerability assessment of a coastal urban area, due to the strong affinity of the
Māori culture with the ocean. Finally, a case study that incorporates the application of the proposed
index in four coastal urban areas close to MHF in New Zealand is presented to discuss the importance
of the proposed modules that take into consideration the specific characteristics of the study system.