Implementing your LTCCP

Sample outcomes

• Clean and healthy air
• Invisible air

Clean air work programme and projects

The Ministry for the Environment’s clean air programme has developed air quality environmental standards to improve the air quality in New Zealand. The Ministry has worked closely with regional councils on air quality guidance and monitoring to complete the background technical work.

The 14 National environmental standards for air quality include:

• seven standards banning activities that discharge significant quantities of dioxins and other toxins into the air
• five standards for ambient (outdoor) air quality
• a design standard for new wood burners installed in urban areas
• a requirement for landfills over 1 million tonnes of refuse to collect greenhouse gas (methane) emissions.

The Ministry has also produced a draft users’ guide to implementing the standards. The guide references the relevant regulation and provides a "plain English" description of how best to implement the regulations. The guide also outlines the relationship between the national environmental standards and existing local government controls and details transitional arrangements.

Monitoring air quality

The Good Practice Guide for Air Quality Monitoring provides information on ambient air quality monitoring and how to look after and present monitoring data once it is collected. It recommends a process for developing a regional air quality monitoring programme, discusses and recommends monitoring methods, describes basic quality assurance procedures and recommends ways to present data clearly and effectively.

Similarly the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) have programmes to promote more energy efficient homes. All of these projects can help reduce power generation from fossil fuel sources leading to cleaner air.

Other

The Warm Homes project investigates ways to encourage the installation and use of improved insulation and cleaner home heating. The project includes: work on what heating people use, a comparison of different heating types, the development of a heating choice model, an examination of the social drivers behind heating choice, and energy modelling.

The quality planning website has a best practice guidance note on air quality specifically relevant to air planning under the RMA.

Sample outcomes

• Land use practices are sustainable
• Soil health is maintained for future generations
• Erosion is controlled
• Important natural / landscape features are identified and preserved

Land focused work programmes and project

The Ministry for the Environment’s web site has information on land issues ranging from agricultural impacts to the national land cover database. Of particular interest will be the information on techniques for managing soil erosion and encouraging riparian planting.

The Ministry for the Environment is working in partnership with regional councils and unitary authorities to develop a national approach to the management of contaminated land in New Zealand. The work programme includes assisting or providing funding to remediate or manage high-risk areas, expanding existing guidelines, leading a national collection of unwanted agricultural chemicals and developing national environmental standards. The ministry has produced a series of contaminated land management guidelines to assist with the assessment, management and reporting of contaminated land.

Other

• Quality Planning guidance on landscapes
• Ministry for the Environment guidance on the effects of development on rural landscapes addresses technical issues associated with landscape assessment and examines a variety of approaches to dealing with landscape issues in district plans. A further report on rural amenity identifies the amenity issues that commonly concern rural communities and describes a number of typical examples of rural amenity conflicts.
• The Ministry’s Climate Change section on this website has information on the proposed Permanent Forest Sinks Initiative, a programme designed to increase the storage of carbon in new, permanent bush and forestry. Currently under development, the scheme will also bring co-benefits in terms of the protection of rural amenity, enhanced biodiversity, improved soil and water quality, and reduced erosion risk.

Sample outcomes

• Health of water resources maintained / improved
• Efficient and sustainable use of water resources
• Accessible and protected water resources
• Coast managed in an integrated way

Sustainable Water Programme of Action

The Ministry for the Environment’s main programme for water is called the Sustainable Water Programme of Action. Its aim is to find the best ways of managing the freshwater resources that are important to New Zealanders. Technical working papers on water allocation and use, the effects of rural land use on water quality, and potential water bodies of national importance may assist your council to develop activities to protect and manage water resources.

The Ministry has published several helpful best practice guides for water management.

Monitoring

The Ministry for the Environment has worked closely with local government and health agencies to develop the new Microbiological Water Quality Guidelines. These guidelines provide a framework for monitoring and reporting on the quality of marine and freshwater recreational waters.

A Cultural Health Index for Streams and Waterways: Indicators for Recognising and Expressing Maori Values will assist with monitoring the health of streams and waterways from a Maori perspective.

Other

• There are guidelines written for farmers for culvert and bridge construction.
• Quality Planning guidance on surface water quality
• Quality Planning guidance on Water allocation

Sample outcomes

• Improved recycling facilities and markets for recycled goods
• Efficient and effective waste minimisation and management
• Minimise pollution from effluent disposal

Waste programmes / projects

The Ministry for the Environment is working hard with councils, communities and industry to minimise and manage waste. This includes a waste management planning resource for councils, national waste targets and information on how we measure waste in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Waste Strategy is the overarching document that guides waste management and minimisation in New Zealand. It contains national targets for waste minimisation, waste disposal and hazardous waste. There are five key policies for action and these all have programmes to put into practice.

Waste Management Planning is a requirement under section 286 of the Local Government Act. The Ministry has developed a waste management planning resource that includes guidance and links to examples of best practice that will assist district councils to plan, update and adopt their waste management plan.

For several years the Ministry for the Environment has been working towards a national hazardous wastes policy with the objective of seeing that this policy framework is in place by the end of 2005. To provide guidance to handlers of hazardous waste (i.e. generators, transporters, treatment and disposal operators), the Ministry has produced a set of Guidelines for the Management of Hazardous Waste. These guidelines provide information and practical tools to achieve best practice in hazardous waste management.

The New Zealand Waste Strategy has a target requiring all substandard wastewater treatment plants to be upgraded, closed or replaced by 2020. The Ministry for the Environment's wastewater programme is looking at a range of tools to assist the wastewater sector in meeting the principles and targets contained within the Waste Strategy.

Sustainable Wastewater Management - a handbook for smaller communities is a great overview resource for smaller communities facing choices about wastewater management.

Monitoring

The Ministry for the Environment is working with local government and industry to gain a better understanding of waste minimisation and management in New Zealand. A key aspect is monitoring waste data on the composition and disposal of waste.

To address the difficulties faced by territorial and regulatory authorities in setting consistent and appropriate wastewater monitoring programmes wastewater monitoring guidelines have been prepared.

Other

The Ministry for the Environment is also working with industry, local government and recyclers through the Packaging Accord to improve the sustainability of packaging in New Zealand. Action plans have been prepared outlining a number of initiatives to achieve this.

Reduce your Rubbish has resources regarding a recent environmental social marketing campaign to raise public awareness of waste and how to reduce it.

Sample outcomes

• Liveable urban centres with vitality and good planning
• Thriving, creative and innovative communities
• Sustainable cities
• Communities are proud of and connect with their urban spaces
• Accessible and valued open spaces
• Efficient and cost effective public transport

Urban design

The Urban Affairs group at the Ministry for the Environment has four distinct work programmes to provide information and assistance with urban issues. This includes advice for local government on urban design, how to make our cities liveable communities and the sustainable cities project.

Several communities have identified having liveable and attractive urban spaces as a priority. Quality urban design is seen to positively impact on social, cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing as identified and argued in the Value of Urban Design research. The New Zealand Urban Design Protocol and Action Pack is a great start for councils and communities to progress urban outcomes. Guidance regarding actions and activities and how to implement them is built in to the protocol’s supporting material.

Creating Great Places to Live, Work and Play - Liveable urban environments strategy and action. is a practical how-to guide for councils to manage and enhance urban amenity. People + Places + Spaces: A guide for urban New Zealand sets out a comprehensive approach to the urban design process and principles in urban design.

The Minstry of Justice have published National Guidelines for Crime Prevention through Environmental Design. These guidelines provide a framework for incorporating crime prevention within quality urban design by focusing on reducing the opportunity to commit crime. The National Guidelines provide all local authorities with an opportunity to introduce these concepts in ways that are appropriate to the New Zealand context. This document introduces seven qualities of safer places (qualities that will improve the urban environment while reducing crime and the fear of crime) and it suggests possible organisations to involve and their roles.

Land transport

The land transport system plays a vital role in linking communities within the district and linking the district with other districts and regions. The government has published priorities and transport vision for New Zealand in the New Zealand Transport Strategy.

Walking and cycling initiatives get the community involved and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority has developed a guide to planning travel to and from school.

EECA also works with councils through their travel planning initiative to reduce travel demand and improve energy efficiency in travel.

There is a Quality Planning land transport guidance note designed to cover a district's land-based transportation systems which provide for the movement of goods and services in and out of the district and includes road networks, rail networks, and provisions for pedestrians and cyclists.

Monitoring

The publication Creating Great Places to Live, Work and Play has information for monitoring urban indicators and amenity values. It includes urban and Maori indicators.

Other

• The Year of the Built Environment 2005 was a joint initiative that aimed to enhance and increase understanding about the built environment and its value. There were several interesting events to celebrate achievements in our built environment.
• Quality planning has a best practice guidance note for Historic Heritage.

Sample outcomes

• Improved and effective pest management
• Native habitats protected / restored
• Maintain and enhance biodiversity

Introduction

The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy provides an overarching framework to protect and manage New Zealand 's indigenous biodiversity. Biodiversity means the variety and diversity of all life on land, in fresh water and in the sea. Details about work programmes to support the Strategy and information about the value of our biodiversity can be found on the New Zealand biodiversity website.

The government operates two contestable funds that can help local authorities and their communities to protect indigenous biodiversity on private land. The Biodiversity Condition Fund, worth $2.8 million a year is to provide assistance to landowners wanting to undertake active protection on their properties. Local authorities can apply on behalf of landowners for funding or encourage them to apply themselves. The Biodiversity Advice Fund, worth $1.2 million a year, is for providing advice to landowners on ways of protecting indigenous biodiversity.

Monitoring

Data and reporting on our indigenous biodiversity including the state and pressures can be found in Chapter nine of the State of the Environment report.

The New Zealand Marine Environment Classification provides data on the environmental and biological characters present in our marine environment. It is an essential tool for coastal planning.

Land Environments of New Zealand (LENZ) is a classification of environments mapped across New Zealand's landscape that works at a range of scales and comes complete with information about climate, soils and landforms.

The New Zealand River Environment Classification (REC) organises information about the physical characteristics of New Zealand's rivers (for example, their climate, the source of flow for the river water, the geology of the catchment and catchment land cover, e.g. forest, pasture, urban) and maps this information by river segment for New Zealand's river network.

Other

• Quality Planning guidance on indigenous biodiversity
• The Landcare research website has children’s education resources on animal, plants and pests

Sample outcome

• Effective natural hazard management

Planning for natural hazards

New Zealanders are exposed to a wide variety of natural hazards. Climate change is expected to change current risk levels for weather-related natural hazards. Regional, city and district councils have a range of roles in managing for hazardous events; responding to emergencies and ensuring that essential services are maintained.

The Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management is responsible for ensuring systems are in place to adequately deal with an emergency and the post-emergency recovery phase after such an event.

The Ministry’s Climate Change teams have developed a Quality Planning note on planning for the effects of climate change. It has guidance on integrating climate change into coastal hazard assessments and other risk management approaches and regular council planning and decisions-making.

The Ministry for the Environment provides guidance for and promotes best practice for dealing with hazards in regional and district plans and policy documents.

• Planning for development near active faults
• Land use planning for hazardous facilities

Other

The Ministry for the Environment is working closely with local government and other government agencies to improve how New Zealand manages its flood risk and river control. The review should result in a robust approach to managing flood risk and controlling rivers that works for local communities and will provide a good picture of New Zealand 's current and future flood risk situation.

Sample outcomes

• Ensure economic development complements environmental values
• Eco tourism opportunities related to unique environmental assets to increase economic diversity
• Sustainable energy

Sustainable industry

The Sustainable industry group at the Ministry works closely with industry to make practices more sustainable. Initiatives range from promoting waste reduction and energy savings to the Clean Streams Accord and the collection of unwanted agrichemicals to Tyre Track tyre collection.

The Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Tourism are working with six regions to develop sustainable tourism charters with six regions after a successful pilot in Northland.

Landcare research has research and information on tourists and making tourism sustainable.

Sustainable energy

The Ministry of Economic Development leads work on sustainable energy. Sustainable Energy: Creating a Sustainable Energy System for New Zealand establishes a framework for energy policy to create energy system that is reliable and resilient, environmentally responsible and fairly and efficiently priced.

The Communities for Climate Protection™ New Zealand programme builds capacity within local authorities to:

• develop emission inventories
• set targets for emission reductions
• agree action plans for achieving these; and monitor progress towards targets on an on-going basis.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has targets to increase energy efficiency and the rate of renewable energy created. An EECA commissioned report Energy Efficiency and Long Term Council Community Plans (PDF 68KB) provides advice and guidance to local authorities about how they can promote energy efficiency and conservation at the local and regional level through their LTCCP.

Other

• The Simply Sustainable website helps businesses discover the business benefits of sustainability. Use it to find facts and information about integrating sustainable and commercially sound processes into your business.