NSW Recovery Plan - Supporting plan of the NSW State Emergency Management Plan

New South Wales is rich with diversity of people, history, culture, and landscapes. Covering more than 800,000km2, 8.2 million people call the state home with forecast growth putting the population at 10 million by 2041.

NSW's striking natural topography and a changing climate can make regions and communities more susceptible to disasters of increasing frequency and magnitude. Since 2019, the impact of disasters and emergencies on NSW communities, local economies, infrastructure, and the natural environment has been unprecedented.

Every Local Government Area has been affected by an emergency or natural disaster in recent years. Many NSW communities were devastatingly impacted by the catastrophic 2021-22 flood events, in particular the Northern Rivers and the Central West. Others are still recovering from the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, while the COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way we live and work.

The increased frequency and intensity of disasters and other emergencies challenge how we collectively prepare, respond and recover. There is growing recognition that a greater emphasis on preparedness and planning, rather than reactive emergency management, is key to reducing risk and the impact on communities.