New areas for international Environmental Cooperation
Media release: 4 November 2008
Representatives of Chile, New Zealand, Singapore and Brunei have included education for sustainability, renewable energy development, and sustainable tourism practices in their goals for the next phase of the P4 Environment Cooperation Agreement.
These new goals were agreed in October at the Second Meeting of the Parties to the Environment Cooperation Agreement of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership (P4 Agreement) in Santiago.
The purpose of the meeting was for the parties to report back on the first two years of the implementation of the agreement and to establish a work programme for the next two years. The programme for cooperation is based on 5 key themes: Energy, Climate Change, Waste, Environmental Management and Urban Sustainability.
Ministry for the Environment Deputy Chief Executive, Lindsay Gow announced two exciting projects for early November: One is a week-long workshop on education for sustainability to be hosted by the Enviroschools Foundation from 2-9 November. Teachers from all P4 countries will be attending the workshop. The other is support for a Chilean delegation to attend the NZ Geothermal Association Seminar in Taupo from 10-14 November.
New Zealand and Chile are developing a long-term cooperation programme on geothermal development under the P4 Environment Cooperation Agreement.
“New Zealand and Chile will benefit from an ongoing partnership in the area of geothermal development building on existing relationships and creating new opportunities for cooperation,” Lindsay Gow explains.
“MfE is supporting the on-ground costs of the Enviroschools workshop and two Chilean officials to attend the NZ Geothermal Workshop in Taupo,” he said.
For more information about Environmental Cooperation Agreements, visit: http://www.mfe.govt.nz/laws/trade/trade.html. For more information on the geothermal workshop see: http://www.nzgeothermal08.com/nzgeothermal/
Media contact:
Julia Crosfield,
Phone (04) 439 7593, or
Sophie Lee,
Phone: 027 291 7158
