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February 2021The New Zealand wastewater sector report documents the challenges facing the wastewater sector in New Zealand. It describes the wastewater’s regulatory and service delivery elements, and examines issues affecting the sector. Read more -
January 2021This report describes a pilot study to validate methods and assess cost savings for the design of a large-scale replacement study of the 1998-2000 Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment. Read more -
December 2020This document provides a summary of the submissions in response to the Government's proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality. Read more -
November 2020This document provides a summary of the Government’s proposals to reduce the impact of plastic on our environment. Read more -
September 2020An evaluation report and compilation spreadsheet of available tools, databases and resources relating to the distribution of threatened freshwater species and their habitats in New Zealand. Read more -
August 2020This guidance document sets out recommended practice for the design of instream infrastructure to provide for fish passage and to set the foundation for the improvement of fish passage management in New Zealand. Read more -
August 2020The New Zealand Threat Classification System provides a tool for assigning a threat status to candidate taxa. Read more -
August 2020This report describes methods used to assess deposited sediment including the SAM2 method that is prescribed in Table 14 of Appendix 2B of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020. Read more -
August 2020This report describes the method used to calculate the average score per metric (ASPM) indicator score. Read more -
August 2020This report provides a summary of submissions and recommendations to the Minister for the Environment on the consultation on the proposed National Environmental Standard for the outdoor storage of tyres. Read more -
August 2020This consultation document seeks feedback on two proposals related to plastic design, use and disposal. Read more -
July 2020This summary outlines the principal reasons which led to the review of the resource management system and the Resource Management Review Panel’s main recommendations in their report. Read more -
July 2020This document summaries the submissions received during consultation on proposed priority products and priority product stewardship scheme guidelines. Read more -
July 2020This document provides a summary of submissions in response to the Government’s 2019/2020 consultation on a more effective landfill levy.https://www.mfe.govt.nz/consultations/landfill-levy Read more -
July 2020New Directions for Resource Management in New Zealand is a comprehensive review of our resource management system. The review process was an opportunity to design a new system for resource management that delivers better outcomes for our environment, society, economy, and culture. Read more -
May 2020This document provides a summary of the submissions received on the discussion document and at consultation events. Read more -
May 2020This report provides a summary of the submissions made on the proposals outlined in the Action for healthy waterways discussion document. Consultation on these proposals ran from 5 September to 31 October 2019. Read more -
April 2020In 2018, the Ministry asked Deloitte to consider the extent of water bottling in Aotearoa New Zealand NZ and the economic value of water bottling for water bottlers and communities. This report presents their findings. Read more -
February 2020This consultation document sets out threshold options for a proposed National Environmental Standard for the outdoor storage of tyres. Read more -
December 2019The Ministry commissioned this report to improve our understanding of how geospatial information can inform meaningful engagement with iwi/hapū. Read more -
December 2019This report summarises research on outdoor storage of tyres, including a survey of regional councils and unitary authorities and a review of selected district plans. Read more -
November 2019This report by Honorary Professor Peter Skelton concerns the management and allocation of freshwater in the Otago region. It contains recommendations for the Minister for the Environment on improving freshwater management under the Resource Management Act 1991. Read more -
November 2019The Government is proposing to increase the landfill levy and apply it to more types of waste. Read more -
November 2019The Government is proposing to increase the landfill levy and apply it to more types of waste. Read more -
November 2019The Resource Management Review Panel has been established to undertake a comprehensive review of the Resource Management Act and other significant legislation comprising the resource management system. Read more -
September 2019This is the report of the Science and Technical Advisory Group (STAG), an advisory group to the Essential Freshwater programme. This report highlights a strong focus by the Science and Technical Advisory Group on the health of the environment and the waterbody. Its content and recommendations provide additional metrics for the national freshwater management framework to strengthen the relationship between this national direction and ecosystem health and functioning. Read more -
September 2019The report by the Freshwater Leaders Group notes that to improve water quality, major changes are needed to the way that we as a country protect and manage our land and water. Read more -
September 2019This report by the Regional Sector Water Subgroup contributes the views and expeiences of regional councils to the Essential Freshwater programme. The group's advice focusses on likely impacts and practical implementation issues relating to proposed policies. Read more -
September 2019This document is an at a glance summary of the discussion document on national direction for freshwater. It provides an overview of proposals to stop the degradation of waterways and restore them to a healthy state. Read more -
September 2019This report by Kāhui Wai Māori sets out recommendations for our nation to journey together in implementing a managed transitoin to a new system of care and respect for water. Read more -
September 2019This document sets out proposals for consultation on measures to stop the degradation of waterways and restore them to a healthy state. Read more -
August 2019The Government is consulting on a proposal for a new National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD). The NPS-UD will provide clear direction to local government about how to enable opportunities for development in New Zealand’s urban areas. Read more -
August 2019This brochure provides a summary of our consultation document on proposed priority products and priority product stewardship guidelines. The consultation will determine which products are included in co-design of regulated production stewardship schemes and the guidelines co-design. Read more -
August 2019This document provides an ‘at a glance’ summary of the Government’s consultation on a proposal for a new National Policy Statement on Urban Development (NPS-UD). Read more -
Proposed priority products and priority product stewardship scheme guidelines: Consultation documentAugust 2019This consultation document presents the Government's proposals for co-design of regulated product stewardship schemes, including the proposed priority products and design guidelines for accredited schemes. Read more -
April 2019This report presents the findings of a review of the effectiveness of the National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission and the National Environmental Standard for Electricity Transmission Activities. Read more -
February 2019This review was carried out to improve understanding of marine habitats in New Zealand. Read more -
December 2018This report summarises the findings of the Ministry’s review of the National Environmental Standard for Source of Human Drinking Water. Read more -
December 2018Ministry for the Environment, in partnership with Bay of Plenty Regional Council, commissioned a literature review to get an accessible summary of relevant research carried out in New Zealand on methods to manage sediment and their economic assessment. Read more -
November 2018This document provides a summary of the submissions received on the Proposed mandatory phase out of single-use plastic shopping bags consultation document. Read more -
November 2018This report assesses how well we are developing and maintaining the regulatory regimes we are responsible for, including the state of each piece of legislation, any plans for amendments, and our view of important emerging issues. Read more -
August 2018The Government is proposing to phase out single-use plastic shopping bags in New Zealand and would like to hear your views. Submissions closed at 5.00 pm on Friday 14 September 2018. Read more -
July 2018In 2017, the Government strengthened the regulatory framework for the decommissioning of offshore oil and gas structures and pipelines in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This includes a new requirement for operators to provide a decommissioning plan before applying for a decommissioning-related marine consent. Read more -
June 2018The consultation document gives an overview of the draft first set of National Planning Standards (planning standards), what they aim to achieve, and implementation considerations. This consultation document is a companion to the draft first set of planning standards. Read more -
May 2018This report outlines the establishment of reference conditions and trigger values. Reference conditions are defined as the chemical, physical or biological conditions that can be expected in streams and rivers with minimal or no anthropogenic influence. Read more -
May 2018This document provides a summary of the submissions received during public consultation on a proposed National Environmental Standard for the Outdoor Storage of Tyres. Read more -
April 2018This report provides an analysis of New Zealand’s wetland loss for the period summer 2001/2 through to summer 2015/2016. Read more -
April 2018The Ministry for the Environment, Department of Conservation, and the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge co-funded research to look at contemporary losses of wetland extent in New Zealand. This report provides recommendations and a suggested path forward to improve our ability to monitor and report on national wetland extent. Read more -
March 2018This report sets out our research on tangata whenua provisions in district and regional planning documents and discusses their variation. Read more -
October 2017This report compares nutrient measurements in Wellington rivers by national recommended protocols versus Greater Wellington Regional Council’s historical protocols. Read more