Archived publication
This publication is no longer current or has been superseded.
Chief Executive’s Overview
Environmental sustainability became an increasingly important focus for the Ministry for the Environment during the year.
After consideration of current trends and emerging issues likely to affect the Ministry, we developed a high-level statement of our strategic direction. This set out our vision of a prosperous New Zealand where a healthy environment enhances social and economic well-being and the Ministry’s role in leading environmental sustainability.
In her statement at the opening of Parliament in 2007, the Prime Minister said that “More than any other developed nation, New Zealand needs to go the extra mile to lower greenhouse gas emissions and increase sustainability”.
International concern to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and growing criticism of the emissions produced by long-distance travel and ‘food miles’, make environmental sustainability a priority, not just for this Ministry’s work but also for other government agencies.
The Ministry led the development of six new sustainability initiatives, which are part of a broader cross-government work programme to encourage New Zealand towards greater sustainability in our resource use and way of life. The new initiatives focus on sustainability in households, business and leading by example in government operations.
Another key area of work for the Ministry this year has been environmental reporting. Cabinet approved a reporting framework that sets out how we plan to monitor and report on New Zealand’s environment. A set of core national indicators will allow the Ministry to systematically report on the health of New Zealand’s air, water, land and biodiversity, as well as the pressures on our environment such as waste and energy.
Work is well advanced on the second national report on the state of our environment, Environment New Zealand 2007, which is due to be published late 2007. This report will present a national picture of the state of and recent trends in New Zealand’s environment, using a core set of national environmental indicators and other supporting information.
Our efforts to engage the public in the Ministry’s work continued in the 2006/07 year, through our annual series of public meetings around the country, extensive public consultation as part of policy development in areas such as climate change, and working groups involved in programmes such as the Sustainable Water Programme of Action.
This effort will expand in the 2007/08 financial year as we engage with communities to encourage and support household action on sustainability.
Hugh Logan
Chief Executive
