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Green Plans in Action: New Zealand: Management Strategies
Government Walking the Talk to Sustainability
To help central government agencies become more sustainable, the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) has developed the Govt3 Program. Forty-seven agencies have formally signed up, and there are less formal partnerships with sustainability leaders in the wider public and private sectors. Govt3 has two cross-cutting themes: sustainable procurement and energy efficiency. (More...#1) Joint partnership agreements between MfE and local government are essential for national environmental reporting. MfE and all 16 regional councils have signed the Environmental Information Sharing Protocol whereby MfE and councils agree to share environmental data. (More...#2) In addition, MfE works with hapu and iwi to develop tools that support reporting of Maori environmental values and promote Maori involvement in environmental monitoring and reporting. MfE takes an active role in promoting NZ's renewable energy through its Projects to Reduce Emissions. MfE fully funds projects with goals of implementing the use of renewable energy sources (landfill gas, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal and cogeneration) to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Mandatory Bottom Lines
National Environmental Standards are mandatory bottom line regulations, known as minimum standards, that apply nationally and in doing so bring greater certainty and consistency in resource management. Local councils can impose stricter standards when local conditions permit. Bottom line regulations were called for by many different sectors of the community, including business and government. Any decisions and actions taken under the RMA are required to meet these minimum standard principles of sustainable management. The RMA is flexible in recognizing the definitions of sustainability are not static and will change as environmental information grows. The RMA has set up a process for determining environmental quality bottom line standards, ensures they will not be contravened, and within that framework people have the freedom to make their own decisions. The opposite is true in community owned or managed resources, where activities are not allowed unless specifically permitted. This system has produced a mandatory bottom line of environmental protection.
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
In NZ, Environmental impacts of products are considered through the use of LCA. It is a methodology for the objective assessment of environmental impacts arising from the production, use and disposal of different products and services.Ê LCA takes into account such impacts as global warming, ozone depletion, resource depletion, eco-toxicity and nutrient enrichment. As one of NZ's top exports, LCA's indicate that wood products typically have less environmental impact compared to competing non-wood products such as steel, concrete, aluminium, PVC, etc. in terms of energy used and global warming potential.Ê
State of the Environment Reporting
The Ministry for the Environment is the principal advisor reporting to the Government and the community on the health of NZ's environment and international environmental matters. The primary purpose of state of the environment reporting is to support decision-making by providing credible and timely environmental information. It aims to provide information that can answer what is happening to the environment, why, what will happen if action is not taken now, and if response policies and actions are providing desired effects. These reports assess how well impacts on the environment are being managed but they also review policy, educate and benchmark against other countries. Local government agencies monitor and report on the state of the environment in local areas. Information is currently available on: Air Quality (More...#1), Recreational Water Quality (More...#2), and Sustainability (More...#3).
Long-Term Energy Strategy
In 2006 NZ's government developed radical long-term steps to reduce greenhouse gases caused by the production and use of energy with a timeframe leading up to 2050. In its goal for energy solutions, NZ has pledged to deliver clean, secure, and affordable energy while treating the environment responsibly. A main focus for the long-term energy efficiency plans involves the introduction of renewable fuels as substitutes for petrol and diesel as well as internalizing the cost of fossil fuel emissions in the electricity sector to those who produce them. This plan encompasses strategies for mechanisms to consider RMA consent applications for wind and geothermal electricity generation projects in groups, to better compare national benefits and environmental impacts. NZ has also established a fund to support early deployment of marine-based electricity generation such as wave or tidal. In 2007, $6.8 M was set aside to fund more further research on energy efficient technologies, partnerships with industry to promote and develop new funding mechanisms, and support businesses that supply or install energy efficient technologies. The same year the Ministry for the Environment, acting under special Resource Management Act powers, developed fast track plans to build a geothermal power station near Taupo as a step towards NZ's goal of achieving 90% of electricity to be generated from renewable resources by 2025. As of April 2008, oil companies will be required to sell biofuels along with the petrol and diesel they sell, reaching 3.4 percent of total fuel sold by 2012.
Tools and Guidelines for Monitoring
In making choices about the use of natural resources accurate information is essential to identify environmental impacts, set realistic targets, assess progress, detect past errors, or objectively weigh economic and environmental values. Environmental information is collected from central and local government agencies, crown research institutes, universities, businesses, iwi, and other researchers to assist decision-making, and satisfy international reporting requirements. The Ministry's work program includes Environmental indicators (More...#1), Classification Systems (More...#2), and Guidelines and Tools (More...#3)
Public Participation
The RMA developed into stakeholder-approved legislation from the ground up with government providing a massive media education approach encouraging public participation in open telephone lines. People were asked to call in their opinions on what they perceived were the resource issues. This public participation continued through a series of issue-specific working parties including members of various stakeholder groups from around the nation engaged in writing, discussions and debates focused on needed environmental legislative changes. An integrated core group of public service and private sector citizens provided a channel for working parties to submit their ideas for synthesis. Government workers then went around the country holding community meetings to answer questions and support further education and public participation. Since the early 1990's, industry, central and local governments, and environmental organizations have created a number of successful multi-party approaches to sustainability by gaining the interest of the public through educational collaborative campaigns and programs across participating sectors. (More...)
Simply Sustainable
National Environmental Standards not only protect people, they also secure a consistent approach and decision-making process throughout the whole country, creating a level playing field. Every New Zealander expects and deserves a clean, healthy environment for themselves and future generations. In 2004 fourteen standards were introduced for prevention of toxic emissions and the protection of air quality. There are currently proposed national standards for clean up of contaminated lands, application of treated biosolids to land as fertilizing and soil conditioners, and proposed standards human drinking water sources. These National Environmental Standards are regulations under the RMA, and apply nationally. Each regional, city or district council must enforce the same standard, and in some circumstances councils can impose stricter standards. In 2007, the NZ Government pledged to set aside $800 M of its budget for investment in wide-ranging programs to improve the state of the environment. (More...)
Science On Tap Rather than On Top
Scientists have the technical expertise to advise, but unless elected or appointed to do so, they do not have the mandate to make moral and political judgments on behalf of society. The role of science in policy making is not without controversy in NZ. The perceptions of key sectors and stakeholders about science, its validity and conclusiveness are key factors that influence trust. Over-emphasis on science as a basis for making decisions may undermine other important considerations such as issues of equity, culture and traditions, and community values. Equally, under-emphasizing the role of science may result in ineffective policies and uncertain outcomes because of the lack of supporting evidence and methods to measure and assess effectiveness. (More...)
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