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December 2020This report surveyed international frameworks, identified important lessons for outcome-based environmental management, and helps clarify what setting environmental limits and targets will require. Read more -
December 2020This report translates the planetary boundaries framework to show New Zealand’s global environmental connections and quantifies where our country sits in terms of operating within environmentally safe boundaries. Read more -
October 2020This report assesses the suitability of using New Zealand Rural Fire Authority’s Fire Danger Rating System as an indicator on wildfire risk for the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ’s environmental reporting. Read more -
October 2020This report describes the climate datasets that were supplied by NIWA for use in Our atmosphere and climate 2020, and outlines the methodologies used to generate them. Read more -
May 2020This report scopes the potential development of a land-use intensity indicator for environmental reporting. Read more -
September 2019This report prepared by MRCagney informs work on understanding and measuring the wider costs and benefits of urban development under the Urban Growth Agenda. Read more -
August 2019This Beca report presents a review and analysis of the main urban zoning provisions within district plans for selected ‘high-growth’ councils. Read more -
December 2017This research identifies international and domestic trends and best practice for urban growth management strategies and recommends what guidance could be developed for councils to assist them to meet policies PC12, PC13 and PC14 of the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity. Read more -
October 2017This report describes the rainfall indices and datasets used in the measure of rainfall intensity in the Environmental indicators Te taiao Aotearoa series. Read more -
October 2017This report describes the methodology used to calculate wind gust indices used in the measure of Extreme wind in the Environmental indicators Te taiao Aotearoa series. Read more -
October 2017This report describes and outlines the methodologies used to generate, the updated datasets acquired from NIWA for Our atmosphere and climate 2017. Read more -
October 2017This report details the methodologies underlying updated estimates of glacier ice volume change in New Zealand. The estimates were used in the measure of Annual glacier ice volumes in the Environmental indicators Te taiao Aotearoa series. Read more -
October 2016A comprehensive draft version of this report informed evidence and monitoring policies in the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity 2016 (NPS-UDC) and the implementation programme. It has assisted in determining which indicators would best provide useful information, and what monitoring would be practical in terms of data availability, frequency, capabilities and costs. Read more -
September 2016Findings of the interim review of the National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health and Hazardous Activities and Industries List. Read more -
September 2016The scoping project for reporting on 'te ao Maori' identified national high priority areas, suggested how these priority areas could be measured and whether or not the data is currently available. Read more -
August 2016This report presents the findings of research into the potential adoption of a bioavailability assessment methodology for soil contaminants in New Zealand. Read more -
August 2016This report presents the findings of a review into the use of site management for residential land to manage potential health risks from low-level diffuse contamination in soil. Read more -
July 2016This report provides information about the way nine ‘high growth’ councils in New Zealand estimate demand for housing and business land, and how they measure the development capacity available to meet that demand. Read more -
June 2016This report presents the findings of research into the sufficient supply of business land in urban areas experiencing the highest population growth in New Zealand. Where issues where identified the research looked at whether the proposed National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity would address those issues. Read more -
June 2016This paper looks at planning practices for providing development capacity for housing and business needs in the United Kingdom (UK) and two Australian states, Victoria and New South Wales. Read more -
March 2016This report priorities suggested improvements to enhance and expand air domain reporting. Read more -
September 2015Citizen science is emerging as a new source of data that could potentially be used in environmental monitoring and reporting. This project looked at the Garden Bird Survey as an example of a citizen science dataset. Read more -
October 2014This report provides recommendations for new sites to improve representativeness in the New Zealand river environmental monitoring network. Read more -
May 2014The technical report commissioned to provide us with some of the data used in the 2014 Air domain report. Read more -
December 2013An investigation into the feasibility of using freshwater fish predictive models in national state of the environment indicators. Read more -
December 2013An assessment of the representativeness and statistical power of state of environment river monitoring sites across New Zealand. Read more -
December 2013The aim of a Composite River Condition Index for New Zealand is to combine a number of sub-indices to communicate a representative holistic picture of river condition. This report investigates three indices and discusses limitations and areas for improvement. Read more -
November 2013This scientific study aggregates the estimated farm level and point source nutrient discharges to downstream water quality concentrations of nitrate (N), phosphorus (P) and E. coli for 73 monitored sites in the Southland region. Read more -
July 2013A comparison study of different predictive macroinvertebrate models. An approach is recommended and this is used to predict macroinvertebrate community condition in unmonitored reaches. Read more -
July 2013This report details the approach used to compile regional council and NIWA water quality data sets, calculate state and trends, and develop predictive models of water quality parameters. The modelling is used to predict water quality in unmonitored reaches. Read more -
July 2012This is an independent review of sections 6 and 7 of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and other sections related to natural hazards. Read more -
January 2012Assessment methodology developed to provide a robust urban design rating system for medium-density housing developments that can be used for different building typologies. Read more -
October 2011A history of the Fruitgrowers’ Chemical Company (FCC) at Mapua and the clean up of the site. Read more -
May 2011This report provides a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed National Environmental Standard for Assessing and Managing Contaminants in Soil to Protect Human Health. Read more -
November 2010This report provides a national picture of current status (2005–2009) and trends in water quality of New Zealand lakes. It updates the 2006 report ‘A snapshot of lake water quality in New Zealand’. Read more -
August 2010This report contains the findings of a survey of local authority urban design panels. The Ministry undertook the survey to gain a nationwide picture of these panels including how many panels there are and the processes they use, and to canvass views on their effectiveness. Read more -
July 2010Report of the Minister for the Environment's Urban Technical Advisory Group. Read more -
March 2010This report provides a stock take of the Urban Design Protocol and is part of a wider evaluation of the Protocol and its signatory action plans. It will help the Ministry evaluate and determine the future direction of the programme. Read more -
March 2010This report provides an outline of the methodology and analysis used for the stock take of the Urban Design Protocol and action plan monitoring. It accompanies the main report (Taking Stock of the Urban Design Protocol and Action Plan monitoring). Read more -
November 2009In 2008, the Ministry engaged MWH New Zealand Ltd to investigate the nature and extent of urban design related provisions in local authority plans and policy statements prepared under the Resource Management Act. This report presents the detailed findings of that research. Read more -
November 2009In 2008, the Ministry engaged MWH New Zealand Ltd to investigate the nature and extent of urban design related provisions in local authority plans and policy statements prepared under the Resource Management Act. This report presents a summary of that research. Read more -
September 2009This report provides an update of results for indicators of groundwater quality in New Zealand. It summarises average water quality at almost 1000 monitoring sites over the period 1995-2008, as well as trends at the same sites within that period of time. Read more -
July 2009This report is the first time a national picture of water quality in dairying catchments has been published for New Zealand. The report draws together water quality and land-use information from 14 river catchments. Read more -
June 2009This report presents the results of an audit of the remediation of the former Fruitgrowers Chemical Company site at Mapua. Read more -
March 2009This report summarises changes in fish communities in New Zealand rivers, including changes in relation to different land uses. Read more -
August 2008In 2004, the Government decided to review flood risk management to ensure the framework was robust. The Ministry for the Environment led the review, and a Steering Group provided direction and guidance. This report presents the review's findings. Read more -
July 2008The Ministry commissioned an independent review to obtain stakeholder feedback on the readability, content and overall usefulness of the Environment New Zealand 2007 report. Read more -
March 2008This report estimates the extent of dioxin contamination at sawmill sites in New Zealand where pentachlorophenol (known as PCP) was used as a timber treatment in sprays or dips until its withdrawal in 1988. Read more -
March 2008This technical report estimates the extent of dioxin contamination at sawmill sites in New Zealand where pentachlorophenol (known as PCP) was used as a timber treatment in sprays or dips until its withdrawal in 1988. Read more -
September 2007This paper sets out a prioritised Ministry work programme to help manage contaminated land. Read more