Environz

Celebrating success

New CE for the Ministry

Waste Minimisation Bill progresses

Safeguarding sustainable oceans

Environmental cooperation agreed with China

Businesses network for sustainable ideas

Climate change adaptation demands attention

World Environment Day celebrated New Zealand-wide

Quality planning – the RMA planning resource

RMA info made easy for public and business

Pre-birth testing is a tough quandary

Kitchen hand leads Langham Hotel’s award-winning initiatives

In brief

For your diary…

World Environment Day celebrated New Zealand-wide

New Zealand hosted international World Environment Day 2008 with enthusiasm and pride. Both the official international events and community organised events showed Kiwis out in force acknowledging the importance of our environment and kicking the carbon habit.

Two contrasting moments, just a few minutes apart in Wellington’s Te Papa, encapsulated the international significance and purpose of the United Nations’ World Environment Day on 5 June.

In the first, President Anote Tong of Kiribati movingly told world media about the plight of his tiny island nation, parts of which are expected to be submerged under the Pacific Ocean by the end of this century due to climate change.

“(Climate change) is not an issue of economic development, it is an issue of human survival,” he told the sober audience.

In the second moment, joy and optimism enveloped a room where the

global winners of a 15,500-entry United Nations children’s painting competition themed on taking action to reduce climate change were presented with their awards and ­– in a uniquely New Zealand moment – a chance to greet

one-legged kiwi Sparky.

President Tong, whose state visit was timed to allow him to attend New Zealand’s first-ever hosting of World Environment Day, captivated his audience as he described the growing desperation of Kiribati’s nearly 100,000 inhabitants.

His people watch helpless as their traditional crop areas are swamped by the sea and ruined, and living areas erode into the advancing tides. Now, the President and the country’s religious leaders are leading calls for the world to recognise the impact of their carbon emissions.

Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) listened to President Tong’s address, before telling the audience, “It’s a humbling prospect when a nation has to begin talking about its own demise, not because of some inevitable natural disaster, but because of what we are doing on this planet.”

Upstairs, the mood was more uplifting, as 14-year-old Hong Kong student Gloria Tung was presented by Achim Steiner and Prime Minister Helen Clark with a prize for winning the children’s painting competition.

The theme for the competition was ‘Climate change: Actions we can take now’, and the winners from five continents reflect the global nature of World Environment Day celebrations. An exhibition of 64 works will be on display in Te Papa until the end of August.

Gloria Tung says news of climate change frightened her into action through her artwork. “My parents also taught my sister and me to be environmentally friendly when we were small. So we both know that we have a really important mission to protect the environment,” she said.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said, “Art is a way for ideas to be expressed and thoughts provoked. In the past, art has inspired great changes in the world. So it is superb to see so many young people around the globe have been inspired to give us their impression of actions we must take to reduce the impact of climate change.”

Levin teenager Janelle Sanson received a placing in the Asia Pacific category and

was on hand at the ceremony, along with about a hundred other school children. Her artwork portrayed her depiction of an ecosystem fuelled by the world's tears.

Kick the carbon habit

World Environment Day was established in 1972, with hosts including countries such as Brazil, the US, and China, and much smaller nations such as Sweden, Lebanon, and last year’s host Norway.

This year’s theme was ‘Kick the Habit – working towards a low carbon economy’. New Zealand was announced as the host last October.

Achim Steiner said for this year’s host UNEP looked for a country which could symbolize a more environmentally conscientious society. He described New Zealand as a visionary trailblazer in the move towards reducing carbon emissions. And in a letter to the Prime Minister he said, “It is my firm conviction that this has been the most successful World Environment Day to date”.

The UNEP released two publications to mark World Environment Day: Kick the Habit: The UN guide to Carbon Neutrality; and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in the Tourism Sector which Achim Steiner said was particularly interesting for New Zealand, given its successful inbound tourism industry.

Todd Krieble, who led the Ministry for the Environment team which oversaw New Zealand’s hosting, says Kiwis got behind the event from one end of the nation to the other.

“This event allowed New Zealand to showcase on a world stage our many actions towards environmental sustainability. It was fantastic to see the obvious exuberance from ordinary New Zealanders in celebrating what the environment means to us.”

About 130 organisations throughout the country received contestable grants from the government to support community-based World Environment Day 2008 events. Many other events took place, run by schools, iwi, councils, businesses, and community groups.

While the main official and partnered events were based in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch, Todd Krieble says it was the regional events which cemented the success of New Zealand’s official hosting.

Green Ribbon Awards open festivities

The week-long celebrations began with the annual Green Ribbon Awards (see the insert in this issue for more detail) run by the Ministry for the Environment. The awards honour outstanding contributions to safeguarding the environment, and at the Town Hall ceremony the Prime Minister said she could think of no better way to kick-off the World Environment Day hosting.

She presented the first lifetime achievement award to Dean Schneider, a Dunedin environmental educationalist. Over a long period of time, Schneider has dedicated himself to helping young people achieve their potential and encourages them to develop their environmental knowledge and skills.

Around Wellington, billboards, posters and flags drew attention to World Environment Day. Members of the public carried out a “freeze” event on Lambton Quay, stopping dead still among lunchtime throngs to raise awareness of climate change.

The city’s environmental award-winning waterfront Waitangi Park hosted an exhibition of 22 photographs and posters with the theme ‘Towards a Low Carbon Economy’ – many were previous entries in UNEP’s Focus on Your World competition.

The idea of provoking thought through the universal language of art continued with the Art for the Environment Exhibition Moving Towards a Balanced Earth hosted at Te Papa. Running until September, the exhibition is a collaboration between the Natural World Museum, UNEP and the Ministry for the Environment. It features works from 27 artists representing 20 countries and will travel to major cities including Chicago and Monaco.

Noted New Zealand artists Ralph Hotere and Bill Culbert, Alison Clouston, and Geoff Dixon have works in the exhibition. The Whitireia Community Polytechnic kapa haka group gave a stunning welcome to the official guests at the gala exhibition opening.

Talking about climate change

High-level discussions, debate, idea-sharing, and the surprise appearance of a Hollywood legend, marked a series of business, research, economic and academic-based events about tackling climate change which Anote Tong, Achim Steiner and Dr Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, attended during the week.

Environment Minister Trevor Mallard spoke at a meeting of New Zealand’s burgeoning business membership of UNEP’s Climate Neutral Network, congratulating the more than 15 companies here which are – along with New Zealand – now members of the global outreach organisation.

The Hillary Institute in Christchurch held an inaugural symposium to launch a four-year theme of climate change action.

Former film star turned California Governor and environmental advocate Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke to a business symposium in Auckland via video link, wearing green cowboy boots and tie. Delighting the audience with tales of the similar prejudices faced by early adopters of body building and the early adopters of environmental sustainability, he encouraged the audience to continue to take action and seize business opportunities.

Planting, gardening and biking

With a touch less razamatazz, but no less enthusiasm, nearly 80 schools and early childhood centres undertook funded World Environment Day projects, including native and fruit tree planting, establishing worm farms and edible gardens, organising bike to school days, wetland restoration, and installing rainwater harvesting equipment all featured in their activities.

Todd Krieble says that while many of the projects focused on one day, they often involved the wider community in the hope of raising ongoing awareness of environmental issues.

“Ultimately, we hope these projects will lead to enduring change in sustainable behaviours.”

Among the many projects, Aoraki Mount Cook School established a book exchange to give residents access to something to read that doesn’t require a 150km round trip to the nearest library; Te Kura Mana o Whangaparaoa rural school near Opotiki built a secondhand windmill; and Wellington East Girls’ College created an organic garden.

But perhaps the event which most demonstrated the community feel and unique New Zealand flavour to World Environment Day 2008, was held by Te Iwi o Rakaipaaka, in rural Hawke’s Bay.

School students, whanau and hapu members grabbed bikes and pedaled their way through Wairoa, Whakaki and Mahia districts, planting trees at 20 locations, and generally had a great laugh while promoting kicking the carbon habit. To ease aching muscles, the event concluded with a healthy picnic at the Morere Hot Springs.

For more information on the World Environment Day events see www.world.environment.govt.nz, email wed@mfe.govt.nz or phone 0800 WED 2008.

 

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