Vote: Environment

Revenue

Crown

34,359

34,726

33,976

41,811

Other

372

372

372

372

Total revenue

34,731

35,098

34,348

42,183

Annual appropriation

34,731

35,098

34,348

42,183

Surplus

-

-

-

-

Sustainable Business

Lead and coordinate the Government’s recently released sustainability initiatives across core government departments.

• Develop and implement governance structures for the sustainability initiatives and run coordination meetings as required.

Work with different businesses to develop innovative opportunities to deliver sustainable business practice through market and information development.

• Work with a Crown Financial Infrastructure to develop a fiscal instrument to incentivise sustainable business practice by June 2008.
• Establish a new partnership to embed sustainability into an existing market development programme by April 2008.
• Develop a model for building capability on sustainability in business by December 2007.

Develop innovative opportunities to deliver sustainable business practice through a sector-based approach.

• Establish one new partnership with a business trade or sector organisation or group to promote practical business sustainability initiatives for its members.
• Work with the Ministry of Tourism, Tourism New Zealand and the Tourism Industry Association to deliver a tourism strategy with a strong focus on sustainability by August 2007.

Work with business sectors to develop innovative opportunities to build capacity in sustainable business practice.

• Deliver a quarterly e-newsletter to business stakeholders.
• Establish two new partnerships to embed sustainable design into existing design programmes.
• Provide support to local government and crown research institutes to recruit businesses and deliver EnviroSmart, a sustainable business practice programme.
• Support the Sustainable Business Network to recruit businesses and deliver the Get Sustainability Challenge, by November 2007.

Input into the development of a long-term sustainable development framework (LTSF) for the Auckland Region.

• Continue full participation in the LTSF processes and develop a detailed analysis paper on LTSF and ‘One Plan’ integration.

Input into the monitoring of the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy (RGS).

• Full participation in, and formalised review of, the development of processes, measures and targets to monitor the implementation of the RGS during the 2007/08 financial year and beyond.
• Formalise coordination of central government input into these processes.

Raise awareness of what households can do to cut greenhouse gas emissions to improve energy efficiency and reduce waste and water use.

• Develop and implement the first stage of the household sustainable living programme.

Implement actions to achieve Govt³ sustainability objectives.

• Hold quarterly network meetings of the Govt³ agencies.
• Complete all agency baseline waste audits by June 2008, including assistance to install recycling systems.
• Work with 34 core government agencies on their action plans throughout the year.
• Work with nine core government agencies to assist them to complete Workplace Travel Plans in partnership with Ministry of Transport by June 2008.
• Provide advice to the Ministry of Economic Development on procurement and eco-verification.
• Produce a report on the Ministry’s Action Plan.

Monitor the uptake of the household sustainable living programme

• Collect information for a future report on the uptake of the household sustainable living programme in the 2007/08 financial year.

Waste

Monitor the New Zealand Waste Strategy.

• Develop and test a new approach to monitoring waste flows for landfills and clean fills.
• Develop a long-term monitoring and reporting framework for waste.

Work with the waste sector to implement waste minimisation and management.

• By November 2007, work with the Department of Building and Housing to ensure demolition waste is a key outcome of the Building Code review.
• Complete a review of the Resource Efficiency in Building and Related Industries Guidelines on construction and demolition waste and update the Ministry website by June 2008.
• Draft the Code of Practice that lays out the governance structure and accountabilities for the NZ Compost Standard.
• Formalise three partnerships between researchers and businesses that address market development and end-user specific research and quantify the end-value of compost by June 2008.
• Complete a 75% roll-out of WasteTRACK to Territorial Authorities by April 2008.
• Develop three group standards for hazardous waste under HSNO by June 2008.
• Work with the supply chain of packaging to implement the eight measures/outcomes in the New Zealand Packaging Accord central government sector Action Plan.
• Collect up to 57 tonnes of unwanted agrichemicals from five regions.  Ensure five further permanent regional collection schemes are in place by June 2008.

Monitor waste minimisation

• Produce a report that presents a national schedule of priorities for waste minimisation funding for the next five years by June 2008.
• Revise targets in the New Zealand Waste Strategy following the outcome of the Waste Minimisation (Solids) Bill by June 2008 as recommended in the 2006 Review.

Work with the Waste sector to implement outcomes from the Waste Minimisation (Solids) Bill particularly:

• Waste minimisation funding through levies
• Product Stewardship legislation development.

• Draft regulations that enable the collection, handling and allocation of levy monies by June 2008.
• Draft regulations that can mandate extended producer responsibility for end of life products by June 2008.
• Officially register two new voluntary product stewardship schemes by June 2008.

Land

Develop policy framework for managing contaminated land.

• Confirm the policy framework by July 2007.
• Prepare a discussion document on proposed national environmental standard and report back to Cabinet by 28 February 2008.

Begin the clean up of Tui Mine.

• Initiate project work around the remediation of the Tui Mine.

Control wilding pines at Mid Dome, Northern Southland.

• Undertake one aerial spraying of pine trees per year.

Develop a robust approach to river control and flood risk management in New Zealand that clearly identifies central and local government interests, assigns roles and responsibilities and is appropriate for and adaptable to local and regional circumstances.

• Develop a national policy statement under the RMA by August 2007.

Implement the Stockholm Convention National Implementation Plan.

• Update the release inventory (Year 1 of a three-year programme) and the action plan for dioxins.

Air

Assist local government with the implementation of the national environmental standards for air quality.

• Update the good practice guide for air quality monitoring and data management by 30 June 2008.

Monitor national environmental standards for air quality.

• Update the summary airshed statistics for 2006 on the Ministry website by 31 July 2007.

Water

Develop and implement a mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (WELS).

• Assist the Ministry for Consumer Affairs to develop and pass regulations and implement the scheme by 1 February 2008 that aligns with Australian requirements.

Coordinate the implementation of the new management regime in the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area by project managing the implementation programme.

• Continue to administer the Fiordland Marine Management Act.

Implement a national environmental standard for human drinking-water sources.

• Promulgate standard by 31 August 2007.
• Develop a users’ guide to the regulations to help local government and industry effectively implement the new standard by 31 July 2007.
• Facilitate workshops for local government and industry to assist them in implementing the standard by 31 July 2007.

Contribute to a programme for water quality improvements in the Rotorua lakes.

• Participate in meetings of the Rotorua Lakes Strategy Group.

Participate as a partner for water quality improvements in Lake Taupo.

• Audit and review expenditure by the Lake Taupo Trust by 30 June 2008.

Implement the Sustainable Water Programme of Action (SWPoA).

• Develop a national policy statement for fresh water by 31 August 2007 and two national environmental standards by 31 December 2007.

Monitor and evaluate the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord.

• Publish an annual progress report of the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord to measure progress towards 2007 and 2012 targets.
• Produce a baseline report on the environmental outcomes of the Dairying and Clean Streams Accord by 31 December 2007.

Oceans

Develop the environmental legislation framework to cover significant gaps in oceans management and policy.

• Complete public consultation on options to address regulation of environmental effects in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by end of July 2007 (consultation subject to Cabinet approval).
• Report to Cabinet by end of October 2007 and seek approval of detailed policy to address regulation of environmental effects in the EEZ and preparation of drafting instructions to be issued to Parliamentary Counsel Office (subject to Cabinet approval).
• Prepare drafting instructions for EEZ Bill by end of December 2007, subject to decisions made above.
• Prepare paper for Cabinet Legislation Committee seeking approval for Bill to be introduced by the end of March 2008 (subject to decisions made above).

Aquaculture

Implement the Aquaculture Implementation Plan.

• Implement a cross-government approach to aquaculture implementation.
• Support local government processes and promote regional partnerships that implement the aquaculture reforms.
• Administer contestable aquaculture planning fund ($2m over five years).

Biodiversity

Jointly administer (with the Department of Conservation) the Biodiversity Condition and Advice Funds.

• Conduct two funding rounds of the Biodiversity Condition and Advice Funds by 30 June 2008.

Urban and infrastructure

Implement the Urban Design Protocol.

• Raise awareness of Urban Design through administering the Urban Design Protocol throughout the financial year ended 30 June 2008.

Develop the potential for creating national policy statements or national environment standards around network infrastructure.

• Finalise national environmental standards on telecommunication facilities by December 2007.
• Finalise national environmental standards on transmission by 28 February 2008.
• Publicly notify and consult on a proposed national policy statement on electricity transmission.

Resource Management Act

Assist Ministers with their statutory functions under environmental laws and ministerial responsibilities.

• Process all formal requests for statutory acts under the RMA.

Contribute to the implementation of the Resource Management Act (RMA) amendments relating to the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

• Participate in Foreshore and Seabed negotiations providing advice on RMA instruments for recognising claims.
• Implement the Ministry’s obligations arising from recognition of claims including support for councils implementing the RMA requirements from recognition of claims under the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

Work with local government and iwi to engage effectively in the management, use and development of natural resources, through support for relationship building at the governance level, and training and support for practitioners working on RMA implementation and sustainable development.

• Enable, promote and support effective participation of Māori in the management of natural resources and input into government policy development through the provision of:
• Iwi and hapu RMA training workshops
• Networks for iwi and hapu practitioners, local government iwi liaison and Māori planning staff, central government Māori resource policy advisers and iwi authority chief executives
• Information resources
• Iwi planning documents development and implementation
• Iwi and hapu participation in community-based natural resource management groups, eg, Kaikoura – Te Korowai o te Tai o Marokura.

Run the Chief Executives’ Environment Forum (CEEF).

• Co-chair and provide secretariat services to three CEEF forums in 2007/2008.
• Survey attendees to monitor the effectiveness of CEEF.

Monitor the quality of local government’s performance of its RMA functions.

• Undertake and report on the RMA survey of local authorities. Publish the findings in the 2007/08 financial year.

Monitor and improve the quality of RMA processes and decisions.

• Provide guidance and training to resource management practitioners, decision-makers, businesses and the public. Deliver and enhance the Making Good Decisions programme for RMA decision-makers.
• Identify training programmes for RMA practitioners by July 2007.
• Reconsider the development of structured framework training in particular the Resource Consent training by July 2007.
• Provide ongoing advice to business and the public on the RMA.
• Maintain, update and develop the Quality Planning website.  Four new guidance notes will be completed in 2007/08 and two new research projects will be under development.
• Provide information and advice on the development of second generation plans and policy statements.  Input, by way of written comment and/or meetings, into six second generation Regional Policy Statements and District Plans. Participate in the Regional Council Policy Manager’s Regional Policy Statement Development Interest Group.

Hazardous substances and new organisms

Monitor Hazardous Substance Compliance and Enforcement Strategy and raise awareness of issues.

• Report to the Minister on progress implementing the Hazardous Substances Compliance and Enforcement Strategy by 31 October 2007.
• Report to the Minister on the level of HSNO compliance with critical controls in priority industries by December 2007.
• Develop and report to the Minister on a reproducible analysis of compliance costs in priority industries by March 2008.

International

Promote New Zealand’s environmental and sustainable development interests internationally.

• Lead the negotiation of environment provisions in trade agreements as directed by Cabinet.
• Lead the implementation of environment cooperation arrangements signed in association with international trade agreements.
• Ensure New Zealand interests are represented at meetings of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Environmental Policy Committee, OECD Joint Working Party on Trade and Environment, World Trade Organisations Committee on Trade and Environment, United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development, United Nations Environment Programme, and other international organisations as appropriate.

Monitor developments with Cartagena Protocol and lead the development of New Zealand’s domestic policy and implementation to ensure compliance with the Protocol.

• Participate in meetings of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in October 2007, March 2008 and May 2008.
• Participate in developing New Zealand position papers in line with the intercessional schedule leading to the meetings of the Parties.

Environmental awareness

Monitor and evaluate the state of New Zealand's environment.

• Publish a state of the environment report by the end of 2007 that introduces the core national environmental indicators and presents a picture of the current state of the environment.
• Produce annual updates of the core national environmental indicators.
• Issue occasional state of the environment reports on aspects of our environment as required.

Run environmental awareness raising events.

• Implement environmental awareness raising events within the 2007/08 financial year,  including:
• The Youth Environment Forum by 31 July 2007 with at least two participants from each region. Gain participation from youth in all New Zealand regions.
• Events to celebrate World Environment Week (5–8 June) including the Green Ribbon Awards (GRA). (The number of nominations received will reflect the quality of the communications for the event).
• Talk Environment meetings by December 2007 with at least 20 meetings being held.

Evaluate environmental awareness raising events.

• Survey participants’ experience at the Youth Environment Forum and report on the findings in the 2007/08 financial year.
• Survey Talk Environment participants and publish key feedback on the Ministry’s website by 31 December 2007.

Monitor the performance of the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA New Zealand) against outputs the Minister has agreed to purchase (as defined in the Output Agreement) and advise the Minister on appointments to the Authority.

• Assist with drafting and signing off on ERMA New Zealand’s reporting requirements and coordinate appointments as required.

Bioethics Council

Advise the Minister for the Environment on appointments to the Bioethics Council.

• Coordinate appointments as required.

Ministerial support

Provide support to the Minister.

• Ensure at least 90% of the Ministerial drafts provided for the Minister’s signature are accurate.
• Ensure that 95% of draft Ministerial replies are completed within 20 working days of receipt by the Ministry.
• The Minister’s opinion of the Ministry’s support is evidence of the quality of support.

Revenue

Crown

662

662

662

662

Other

-

-

-

-

Total revenue

662

662

662

662

Annual appropriation

662

662

662

662

Surplus

-

-

-

-

Administer the Sustainable Management Fund (SMF).

• Prepare documentation and advertise for projects to be funded under the SMF.
• Evaluate applications in line with fund criteria.
• Monitor and project manage at least 30 projects that are split on both a regional and community basis.
• Allocate at least 95% of the non-departmental funding in each financial year.

Revenue

Crown

-

-

-

-

Other

-

292

292

191

Total revenue

-

292

292

191

Annual appropriation

-

292

292

191

Surplus

-

-

-

-

Work with the waste sector on an Overseas Development Assisted Programme to assist in the removal of unwanted scrap metal from the Cook Islands.

• Remove 2,500 tonnes of scrap metal from the Cook Islands through an Overseas Development Assisted Programme by June 2008.

Revenue

Crown

1,333

1,333

1,333

1,333

Other

6

6

6

6

Total revenue

1,339

1,339

1,339

1,339

Annual appropriation

1,339

1,339

1,339

1,339

Surplus

-

-

-

-

Provide administrative support to the Bioethics Council’s work plan, research capabilities and analysis.

• Develop and implement a pilot programme for the secondary school biotechnology curriculum on the cultural, ethical and spiritual dimensions of biotechnology, by December 2007.

Raise awareness of the Bioethics Council’s work.

• Develop and implement deliberative processes for public engagement on pre-birth genetic testing and design web-based deliberative tools for the same project. Project completion date 30 April 2008.