Environment Of New Zealand
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The environment of New Zealand is characterised by an endemic
flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...
and
fauna Fauna (: faunae or faunas) is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding terms for plants and fungi are ''flora'' and '' funga'', respectively. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively ...
which has evolved in near isolation from the rest of the world. The main islands of
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
span two
biome A biome () is a distinct geographical region with specific climate, vegetation, and animal life. It consists of a biological community that has formed in response to its physical environment and regional climate. In 1935, Tansley added the ...
s,
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...
and
subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...
, complicated by large mountainous areas above the tree line.Walter, H. & Breckle, S-W. (2002). ''Walter's Vegetation of the Earth: The Ecological Systems of the Geo-Biosphere''. New York: Springer-Verlag, p. 86

There are also New Zealand Subantarctic Islands, numerous smaller islands which extend into the subantarctic. The prevailing weather systems bring significantly more rain to the west of the country. New Zealand's territorial waters cover a much larger area than its landmass and extend over the continental shelf and abyssal plateau in the South Pacific Ocean, Tasman Sea and Southern ocean. Historically having an isolated and endemic
ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...
far into modernity, the arrival of
Polynesians Polynesians are an ethnolinguistic group comprising closely related ethnic groups native to Polynesia, which encompasses the islands within the Polynesian Triangle in the Pacific Ocean. They trace their early prehistoric origins to Island Sout ...
about 1300 AD and then later European settlers began to have significant impacts on this system, with the intentional and unintentional introduction of new species and plants which often overwhelmed their natural competitors, leading to a significant loss of native ecology and
biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
, especially in areas such as bird life. Today, most parts of New Zealand are heavily modified by the effects of
logging Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidder, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or trunk (botany), logs onto logging truck, trucksagriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
and general human settlement, though large areas have also been placed under protection, combined in many cases with efforts to protect or regenerate native ecosystems (aided by the fact that especially the South Island of New Zealand has a very low population density).


Physical environment


Natural disturbances

New Zealand has many natural disturbances to its environment which endemic species have evolved to tolerate. These include local events with short return times like landslides, floods,
el nino EL, El or el may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional entities * El, a character from the manga series ''Shugo Chara!'' by Peach-Pit * Eleven (''Stranger Things'') (El), a fictional character in the TV series ''Stranger Things'' * El, fami ...
and fires (rare before the arrival of humans). Long term events like massive eruptions and glacial maxima have also affected the current distribution of species in New Zealand.


Soil

New Zealand's soils are affected by bedrock, climate, vegetation and the time it has had to develop, In the central North Island the felsic volcanic rocks is deficient in elements (like
cobalt Cobalt is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Co and atomic number 27. As with nickel, cobalt is found in the Earth's crust only in a chemically combined form, save for small deposits found in alloys of natural meteoric iron. ...
) needed by plants. While the rare
ultramafic rock Ultramafic rocks (also referred to as ultrabasic rocks, although the terms are not wholly equivalent) are igneous and meta-igneous rocks with a very low silica content (less than 45%), generally >18% MgO, high FeO, low potassium, and are usua ...
s of the South Island are so rich in required elements it is used as fertilizer. The warmer climate of Northland weathers rock more quickly leading to deeper soils. In Fiordland and similar wet steep environments landslides reduce the time for
soil formation Soil formation, also known as pedogenesis, is the process of soil genesis as regulated by the effects of place, environment, and history. Biogeochemical processes act to both create and destroy order ( anisotropy) within soils. These alteration ...
.


Climate

The main geographic factors that influence New Zealand's climate are the temperate latitude, with prevailing westerly winds; the oceanic environment; and the mountains, especially the
Southern Alps The Southern Alps (; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) are a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand, New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the range's western side. The n ...
. Conditions vary sharply across regions from extremely wet on the West Coast of the South Island to almost
semi-arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a aridity, dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below Evapotranspiration#Potential evapotranspiration, potential evapotranspiration, but not as l ...
in
Central Otago Central Otago is an area located in the inland part of the Otago region in the South Island of New Zealand. The motto for the area is "A World of Difference". The area is dominated by mountain ranges and the upper reaches of the Clutha River ...
and the
Mackenzie Basin The Mackenzie Basin (), popularly and traditionally known as the Mackenzie Country, is an elliptical intermontane river basin, basin located in the Mackenzie District, Mackenzie and Waitaki Districts, near the centre of the South Island of Ne ...
of inland Canterbury and
subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...
in Northland. Historical
maxima and minima In mathematical analysis, the maximum and minimum of a function are, respectively, the greatest and least value taken by the function. Known generically as extremum, they may be defined either within a given range (the ''local'' or ''relative ...
are in
Rangiora Rangiora is the largest town and seat of the Waimakariri District, in Canterbury Region, Canterbury, New Zealand. It is north of Christchurch, and is part of the Christchurch metropolitan area. With an estimated population of Rangiora is the ...
,
Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...
and in Ranfurly,
Otago Otago (, ; ) is a regions of New Zealand, region of New Zealand located in the southern half of the South Island and administered by the Otago Regional Council. It has an area of approximately , making it the country's second largest local go ...
.


Ecosystems and ecology

New Zealand has a wide variety of ecosystems and classification methods for them. The biota of New Zealand is one of the most unusual on Earth, due to its long isolation from other
continent A continent is any of several large geographical regions. Continents are generally identified by convention (norm), convention rather than any strict criteria. A continent could be a single large landmass, a part of a very large landmass, as ...
al landmasses. Its affinities are derived in part from
Gondwana Gondwana ( ; ) was a large landmass, sometimes referred to as a supercontinent. The remnants of Gondwana make up around two-thirds of today's continental area, including South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia (continent), Australia, Zea ...
, from which it began to separate 82 million years ago (the break being complete by 66 Ma ago), some modest affinities with New Caledonia and Lord Howe Island, both of which are part of the same continental plate as New Zealand and in part from Australia. New Zealand has a richly varied flora of imported and native species, the indigenous varieties having developed quite significantly due to the geographic isolation of the country before human migration and plant imports became common. However, the combination of external factors such as climate change and invasive species, as well as increasing agricultural and other human land uses have led to widespread damage. New Zealand's forest ecosystems for example are being considered as the second most endangered of the world, with only 7% of the natural habitat remaining. New Zealand's
biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...
exhibits high levels of
endemism Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
, both in its
flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...
and
fauna Fauna (: faunae or faunas) is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding terms for plants and fungi are ''flora'' and '' funga'', respectively. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively ...
. Until recently the islands had no native terrestrial
mammal A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three ...
s except for three species of
bat Bats are flying mammals of the order Chiroptera (). With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their very long spread-out ...
s (although terrestrial, "archaic" mammals did exist in New Zealand until 19 million years ago, in the form of the Saint Bathans mammal), the main component of the fauna being insects and birds. Its flora is dominated by Gondwanan plants, comprising historically of forests, most famously the giant
kauri ''Agathis'', commonly known as kauri or dammara, is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees, native to Australasia and Southeast Asia. It is one of three extant genera in the family Araucariaceae, alongside '' Wollemia'' and ''Araucaria'' (being ...
.
Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
and European settlers introduced a wide range of mammals some of which have become serious
invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...
. New Zealand has developed a national Biodiversity Action Strategy to address conservation of considerable numbers of threatened flora and fauna within New Zealand. Conservationists recognised that threatened bird populations could be saved on offshore islands, where, once predators were exterminated, bird life flourished again. Around 30 species are listed as endangered. The flightless kiwi, a national symbol, is also under threat.


Forests

Native New Zealand forests (or "
the bush "The bush" is a term mostly used in the English vernacular of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, where it is largely synonymous with hinterlands or backwoods. The fauna and flora contained within the bush is typically native to the regi ...
") are broadly divided into temperate (broadleaf) and
beech Beech (genus ''Fagus'') is a genus of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to subtropical (accessory forest element) and temperate (as dominant element of Mesophyte, mesophytic forests) Eurasia and North America. There are 14 accepted ...
forests, introduced pine forests also cover a large part of the country. Native deciduous plants are extremely rare, with only 11 species losing all their leaves in winter, none of which are common
canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an a ...
forming trees. The beech forests are most common in high elevations and cold climates, while temperate forests dominate elsewhere. The temperate forests have a higher biodiversity partially in the canopy and undergrowth flora. It is common for New Zealand's forests to be referred to as
rain forest Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...
particularly in the western high precipitation zones. Temperate forests vary across the country, but prefer warmer environments to the beech forests. They are noted for the many canopy layers they have. Near the coast they become stunted due to salt and exposure to wind. Beech forests are divided into four varieties based on the dominant tree species and their geographic distribution is largely related to elevation. Black beech (or hard beech) forests are found in the warmer lowlands of the North Island and northern South Island. Red beech are found in direr foothills, while silver beech occupy a similar elevation but prefer a wetter environment. Mountain beech are found at high elevation near the tree line, which in New Zealand is below 1000 m. Beech trees do not flower every year, a year in which they flower is called a mast (or mast year). The effect of the whole canopy flowering at the same time introduces a lot of food into forest at once and leads to a population spike in those species that can quickly respond (typically mice). New Zealand had a 2018
Forest Landscape Integrity Index The Forest Landscape Integrity Index (FLII) is an annual global index of forest condition measured by degree of anthropogenic modification. Created by a team of 47 scientists, the FLII, in its measurement of 300m pixels of forest across the globe ...
mean score of 7.12/10, ranking it 55th globally out of 172 countries.


Grasslands

New Zealand has extensive natural tussock grasslands in locations where elevation and climate has limited forest growth. This includes the Central Plateau in the North Island and extensive areas of the South Island between the
tree line The tree line is the edge of a habitat at which trees are capable of growing and beyond which they are not. It is found at high elevations and high latitudes. Beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the environmental conditions (usually low ...
and the alpine environment. There are also smaller areas of tussock grassland on flood plains due to the constantly shifting substrate and greater likelihood of frost. New Zealand's grassland ecosystems evolved in the absence of grazing mammals. Birds ( Moa) and invertebrates were the main browsers until the introduction of sheep, goats and deer in the 1800s. Multiple species of tussock are present and dominate at different elevations and climates, with the maximum size of the species decreasing with increasing altitude. Tussock grasslands also help transfer water from the upper to lower catchment due to comparatively low transpiration.


Alpine

New Zealand has two main ecosystems where cold and high winds limit biological activity. As the Southern Alps were uplifted relatively recently far from other mountain chains the New Zealand biota has quickly adapted to the new environment. Superficially New Zealand's sub-antarctic islands are similar to the sub alpine zone.


Rivers and wetlands

New Zealand lakes, rivers and wetlands are the most threatened of the countries major ecosystems. Many coastal rivers have been dammed and most of New Zealand's wetlands have been drained. The damming of river can greatly change the sediment content and water flow.


Coastal

Dune systems are constantly moving and plants have adapted to this environment. Vegetation is stunted due high winds and salt. In the North Island large mangrove forests have formed.


Marine

Including the inter-tidal zone, the Marine ecosystem is by far New Zealand's largest and most diverse. It extends from the sub-tropics to sub antarctic waters, more than 30° of latitude. Less than 1% of the area has been surveyed in detail and about 150 new species are discovered every year. The marine environment has been heavily affected by fishing and the introduction of exotic species.


Rare natural ecosystems

Currently there are 72 recognised rare terrestrial ecosystems in New Zealand. They are environments that were always relatively uncommon like
cave Caves or caverns are natural voids under the Earth's Planetary surface, surface. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. Exogene caves are smaller openings that extend a relatively short distance undergrou ...
s, serpentine soils or
hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...
s and those which have become endangered. There are also ecosystems where the physical environment is largely controlled by animal activity, such as areas of significant
guano Guano (Spanish from ) is the accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats. Guano is a highly effective fertiliser due to the high content of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium, all key nutrients essential for plant growth. Guano was also, to a le ...
deposition.


Cultural landscapes

Farmland and urban environments are marked by the high number of introduced species, that have not evolved to interact with each other in the same ecosystem. These landscapes can affect the local climate, such as the 2.5 °C temperature rise in
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
from the
urban heat island Urban areas usually experience the urban heat island (UHI) effect; that is, they are significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas. The temperature difference is usually larger at night than during the day, and is most apparent when winds ar ...
effect or the decreased transpiration from farmland. This increase in soil water content and reduction in the stabilising effects of roots leaves deforested areas prone to soil loss and landslides.


Unsustainable practices

As with many other countries there are a number of
environmental organisation An environmental organization is an organization coming out of the conservation or environmental movements that seeks to protect, analyse or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation from human forces. In this sense the environme ...
s that are working towards addressing various
environmental issues Environmental issues are disruptions in the usual function of ecosystems. Further, these issues can be caused by humans (human impact on the environment) or they can be natural. These issues are considered serious when the ecosystem cannot recov ...
in New Zealand. The move to carry out genetic engineering in New Zealand is opposed by environmentalists on economic and environmental grounds and the release of
genetically modified organism A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. The exact definition of a genetically modified organism and what constitutes genetic engineering varies, with ...
s now has a strict regulatory regime under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996. Mining in New Zealand often encounters opposition from environmentalists. Coal mining in the West Coast region is of concern and there are plans to start the Cypress Mine, the Escarpment Mine Project, the Mt William North Mining Project, as well as issues at the long established Stockton Mine.
Lignite Lignite (derived from Latin ''lignum'' meaning 'wood'), often referred to as brown coal, is a soft, brown, combustible sedimentary rock formed from naturally compressed peat. It has a carbon content around 25–35% and is considered the lowest ...
mining in the Southland region is also encountering opposition.
Hydraulic fracturing Fracking (also known as hydraulic fracturing, fracing, hydrofracturing, or hydrofracking) is a well stimulation technique involving the fracturing of Formation (geology), formations in bedrock by a pressurized liquid. The process involves the ...
(fracking) is also of concern. A proposed soapstone mine in the Cobb Valley has also raised environmental concerns. Deforestation in New Zealand is now of negligible concern since logging indigenous forest on public land has ceased and it requires a permit to be carried out on privately owned land. In the past 800 years of human occupation New Zealand has lost about 75% of its forests due to deliberately lit fires and land clearance. The management of waste in New Zealand has become more regulated to reduce associated environmental issues. Water pollution in New Zealand is an ongoing issue. A 2009 study tested 300 rivers and streams around the Western world and found the Manawatū River was loaded with the highest
gross primary production In ecology, primary production is the synthesis of organic compounds from atmospheric or aqueous carbon dioxide. It principally occurs through the process of photosynthesis, which uses light as its source of energy, but it also occurs through ...
(GPP). High GPP rates are an indication of poor
ecological health Ecological health is a term that has been used in relation to both human health and the condition of the environment. * In medicine, ecological health has been used to refer to multiple chemical sensitivity, which results from exposure to synthet ...
and can lead to various
environmental issue Environmental issues are disruptions in the usual function of ecosystems. Further, these issues can be caused by humans (human impact on the environment) or they can be natural. These issues are considered serious when the ecosystem cannot recov ...
s. Fish and Game, a statutory government body, started a dirty dairying campaign to highlight water pollution due to dairy farming. It led to the creation in 2003 of the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord, a voluntary agreement between Fonterra, Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and regional councils. in 2011 the
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment __NOTOC__ The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (''Te Kaitiaki Taiao a Te Whare Pāremata'' in Māori language, Māori) is an independent Officer of the New Zealand Parliament appointed by the Governor-General of New Zealand, Govern ...
claimed the use of 1080, a pesticide using
sodium fluoroacetate Sodium fluoroacetate, also known by its trade name as a mammal poison compound 1080, is an organofluorine chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the sodium salt of fluoroacetic acid, and contains sodium cations and fluoroacetate ...
, was "effective and safe". The government and
Federated Farmers Federated Farmers of New Zealand is a lobby and advocacy group for farmers and rural communities. It has a network of 24 regional organisations and six industry groups. Federated Farmers lobbies on farming issues both nationally and within eac ...
maintain it is an effective tool for controlling possums over large areas. However its use remains contentious, with debate between conservationists and livestock farmers on one side and hunters and
animal rights Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all Animal consciousness, sentient animals have Moral patienthood, moral worth independent of their Utilitarianism, utility to humans, and that their most basic interests—such as ...
activists on the other. Concerns are also raised about security of potable water supplies in areas where 1080 is applied.


Environmental politics


Climate Policy

New Zealand pledged to reach zero GHG emissions by 2050. In September 2020, The labour party promised to advance a target of 100% energy from renewable sources by 2030.


Politics and public opinion

The Values Party, the first ever national level environmental party, was formed in 1973. The
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand (), commonly known as Green or the Greens, is a Green politics, green List of political parties in New Zealand, political party in New Zealand. Like many green parties around the world, it has four pillar ...
, which was formed in 1991 and included some members from the defunct Values Party, was initially in Parliament as part of the Alliance Party. The level of protection of the environment from the different political parties varies according to their position on the
left-right political spectrum Left and right or left–right may refer to: * Left and right directions, body relative directions in terms of an observer * Left and right as designating different chirality, chiralities, independent of an observer (as in left glove, left-eyed fl ...
. The right wing ACT Party scores the lowest and the left wing
Green Party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as environmentalism and social justice. Green party platforms typically embrace Social democracy, social democratic economic policies and fo ...
scores the highest.


Environmental funding

There are a number of different sources for environmental funding in New Zealand. The
Nature Heritage Fund The Nature Heritage Fund is a funding body of the New Zealand Government set up in 1990 for the purchase of land which has significant ecological or landscape value. It is administered by the Department of Conservation, but controlled by the Min ...
is a New Zealand Government funding body set up in 1990, and administered by the Department of Conservation, for the purchase of land which has significant ecological or landscape features. To support community efforts, the
Community Conservation Fund The Community Conservation Fund is a fund made available in New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of ...
is available. Funding is for established community groups that have an
ecological restoration Ecological restoration, or ecosystem restoration, is the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, destroyed or transformed. It is distinct from conservation in that it attempts to retroactively repair ...
project on public land that can be sustained after the two-year funding period. There are also Biodiversity Funds.


Protected areas

Nearly 30 per cent of the land mass of New Zealand is in
public ownership State ownership, also called public ownership or government ownership, is the ownership of an industry, asset, property, or enterprise by the national government of a country or state, or a public body representing a community, as opposed t ...
and has some degree of protection. The level of protection varies according to the land status. New Zealand also has nine
wilderness area Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural) are Earth's natural environments that have not been significantly modified by human activity, or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally ...
s where air access is limited, numerous "mainland islands" and
marine reserves A marine reserve is a type of marine protected area (MPA). An MPA is a section of the ocean where a government has placed limits on human activity. A marine reserve is a marine protected area in which removing or destroying natural or cultural ...
.


Environmental law

The roots of New Zealand environmental law can be traced to the
common law Common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law primarily developed through judicial decisions rather than statutes. Although common law may incorporate certain statutes, it is largely based on prece ...
of Britain. The increasing environmental awareness of the 1960s led to a specific body of
environmental law Environmental laws are laws that protect the environment. The term "environmental law" encompasses treaties, statutes, regulations, conventions, and policies designed to protect the natural environment and manage the impact of human activitie ...
that developed in many Western countries including New Zealand. Environmental law became more integrated in the 1980s with the passing of the Environment Act 1986 and the Conservation Act 1987. These Acts set up the Ministry for the Environment,
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment __NOTOC__ The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (''Te Kaitiaki Taiao a Te Whare Pāremata'' in Māori language, Māori) is an independent Officer of the New Zealand Parliament appointed by the Governor-General of New Zealand, Govern ...
and the
New Zealand Department of Conservation The Department of Conservation (DOC; Māori language, Māori: ''Te Papa Atawhai'') is the public service department of New Zealand charged with the conservation of New Zealand's natural and historical heritage. An advisory body, the New Zealand ...
. The most significant Act of Parliament concerning environmental law was the passing of
Resource Management Act The Resource Management Act (RMA) passed in 1991 in New Zealand is a significant, and at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water. New Zea ...
in 1991. Issues under the Act are adjudicated by the
Environment Court of New Zealand The Environment Court of New Zealand () is a specialist court for plans, resource consents and environmental issues. It mainly deals with issues arising under the Resource Management Act, meaning that it covers a wide range of potential future ...
.


Treaties and international agreements

New Zealand is a signatory to a number of treaties and international agreements: * The
Framework Convention on Climate Change The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the UN process for negotiating an agreement to limit dangerous climate change. It is an international treaty among countries to combat "dangerous Global warming, human interf ...
, 1992 – ratified on 8 September 1993 * The
Convention on Biological Diversity The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is a multilateral treaty. The Convention has three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); the sustainable use of its ...
, 1992 – ratified on 16 September 1993 * The
Montreal Protocol The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It was agreed on 16 ...
on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, 1989 – ratified on 21 July 1988 * The
Antarctic Treaty The Antarctic (, ; commonly ) is the polar region of Earth that surrounds the South Pole, lying within the Antarctic Circle. It is diametrically opposite of the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of A ...
, 1959 – ratified on 1 November 1960 – Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, 1980 – ratified on 8 March 1982 – and others *
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea Treaty, is an international treaty that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities. , 169 sov ...
, 1982 – ratified on 19 July 1996 * The
Basel Convention The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, usually known as the Basel Convention, is an international treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations ...
on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, 1989 – ratified on 20 December 1994 * The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 2001 – ratified on 24 September 2004. *
Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter The Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972, commonly called the "London Convention" or "LC '72" and also abbreviated as Marine Dumping, is an agreement to control pollution of the sea by dum ...
, 1971 (London umpingConvention) – ratified on 30 April 1975 – and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973 – not yet ratified * The
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Convention may refer to: * Convention (norm), a custom or tradition, a standard of presentation or conduct ** Treaty, an agreement in international law ** Convention (political norm), uncodified legal or political tradition * Convention (meeting ...
of Wild Flora and Fauna, 1973 – acceded to on 10 May 1989 * The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, 1971 (
Ramsar Convention The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites (wetlands). It is also known as the Convention on We ...
) – signed on 13 August 1976 with effect from 13 December 1976 * Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific, 1989 (Wellington Convention) – ratified on 17 May 1991 * South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, 1985 – ratified on 13 November 1986 * Convention for the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific Region, 1986
PREP PowerPC Reference Platform (PReP) was a standard system architecture for PowerPC-based computer systems (as well as a reference implementation) developed at the same time as the PowerPC processor architecture. Published by IBM in 1994, it allow ...
– ratified on 3 May 1990 * The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the
Convention on Biological Diversity The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is a multilateral treaty. The Convention has three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); the sustainable use of its ...
– ratified on 24 February 2005 New Zealand is a depositary to the following environmental treaties: *Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities *Convention for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPFC) * Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific *
Protocol I to the Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific The Wellington Convention (formally, the Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific) is a 1989 multilateral treaty whereby states agreed to prohibit the use of fishing driftnets longer than 2.5 kilometres in ...
* Protocol II to the Convention for the Prohibition of Fishing with Long Driftnets in the South Pacific


Evaluations of New Zealand's environmental performance


State of the Environment reporting

The Ministry for the Environment has produced a number of reports on the State of the Environment in 1997 in 2007, and 2016.


Environmental Performance Index

The
Environmental Performance Index The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is a method of quantifying and numerically marking the environmentalism, environmental performance of a state's policies, highlightning the degradation of the planet's life-supporting systems on which hum ...
(EPI) is a method of quantifying and numerically benchmarking the environmental performance of a country's policies. It results in a score out of 100. In 2016 New Zealand scored 88 out of 100, and ranked 11 out of 132 countries. In 2010, in terms of ecosystem effects on water quality New Zealand scored 40.3 points out of 100 for ecosystem vitality for freshwater and was ranked 43rd out of 132 countries.


OECD environmental performance review

In 2007, the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; , OCDE) is an international organization, intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and international trade, wor ...
(OECD) conducted an environmental performance review of New Zealand. Some of the main conclusions and recommendations were that:OECD (2007). ''Conclusions and Recommendations: OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: New Zealand''. OECD, Paris *energy intensity is about equal to the OECD average *intensity of water, fertiliser, and pesticide use is low for OECD countries. However, the review period saw 'significant increases, with consequent growth in pressures on the environment' *New Zealand should strengthen national policy guidance (policy statements, national environmental standards) *New Zealand should further integrate environmental concerns into economic and sectoral decisions, particularly by using economic instruments to internalise environmental costs of economic activities *New Zealand should further develop international environmental cooperation.


See also

* Timeline of the New Zealand environment * Natural history of New Zealand *
Sustainability in New Zealand The importance of sustainability in New Zealand is increasingly recognised, and the government has taken steps to promote sustainable practices. History Over the relatively short period of human occupation in New Zealand, significant changes ...
* Waste in New Zealand ** Electronic waste in New Zealand ** Food waste in New Zealand ** Litter in New Zealand *
Conservation in New Zealand Conservation in New Zealand has a history associated with both Māori and Europeans. Both groups of people caused a loss of species and both altered their behaviour to a degree after realising their effect on indigenous flora and fauna. Prote ...
** Invasive species in New Zealand **
List of New Zealand animals extinct in the Holocene This is a list of New Zealand species extinct in the Holocene that covers extinctions from the Holocene epoch, a Geologic time scale, geologic epoch that began about 11,650 years Before Present (about 9700 Common Era, BCE) and continues to th ...
* Environmental movement in New Zealand * Pollution in New Zealand ** Water pollution in New Zealand ** Pesticides in New Zealand ** Dirty dairying * Deforestation in New Zealand * Climate change in New Zealand


References


The New Zealand environment in film

*''Wild South'' series *''He Ao Wera'' – a documentary by Mike Smith and Hinekaa Mako about the effects of climate change on communities in Aotearoa. *''Earth Whisperers/Papatuanuku'' – this Kathleen Gallagher film was shot around New Zealand by cameramen Alun Bollinger and Mike Single. It focuses on 10 visionary New Zealanders out to prove that a shift in consciousness can heal our environment.


Further reading

* * *The academic journal
Environment and Nature in New Zealand
'


External links


Ministry for the EnvironmentDepartment of ConservationParliamentary Commissioner for the EnvironmentEcological Economics Research centre New Zealand
(formerly known as the New Zealand Centre for Ecological Economics)
Environlink
– a regional council driven funding scheme for research
ourfuture.net.nz
– a project for mapping environmental initiatives in New Zealand
www.greenpages.org.nz
– a directory of environmental organisations in Aotearoa {{World topic, Environment of, noredlinks=yes