Publication Search
Search below then narrow your results using the options on the left.
-
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 -
November 2019This report prepared by 4Sight Consulting and Market Economics is intended to test the proposed National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPSIB) before public consultation and help inform stakeholders on the likely impacts, benefits and costs of the NPSIB. Read more -
October 2019This report updates indices for coastal and ocean extreme waves previously developed to quantify the occurrence of extreme wave events in New Zealand on an annual basis. Read more -
October 2019This report provides new coastal chlorophyll-a and sea-surface temperature analyses within New Zealand’s territorial waters. Read more -
October 2019This report updates previously published data (2015) on coastal sea-surface temperature from 11 sites around New Zealand. Read more -
October 2019This report updates indicators for non-indigenous species with new data compiled since 2016. Read more -
October 2019This report updates previously published statistics on mean sea-level series and trends at Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin, New Plymouth and Moturiki (Mount Maunganui) to the end of 2018. 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 -
April 2019This report updates the state and trends of water quality of coastal and estuarine waters for physico-chemical (eg, pH), optical (eg clarity), nutrients (eg, nitrates), and microbiological parameters (eg, enterococci). 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 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 -
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 -
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 -
April 2016This business case provides analysis of the regulatory regime for 1080 operational use. Read more -
March 2016This report priorities suggested improvements to enhance and expand air domain reporting. Read more -
January 2016New Zealand's submission to the International Seabed Authority to support the development of a regulatory framework for the exploitation of seabed minerals. Read more -
October 2015This report has information on how spatial patterns of biodiversity can be measured and reported. 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 -
February 2014This NIWA report is a risk-based assessment of the spectrum of environmental effects of discharging tailings and sediments from the prospecting and exploration stages of mineral mining operations into the marine environment, considering all aspects of risk to the marine environment. 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 -
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 -
April 2013This report develops definitions for biogenic (biologically formed) and geological environments identified as sensitive by National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) and the Ministry. 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 -
May 2012This independent report prepared for the Ministry by NIWA lists the known possible activities in the EEZ and describes their likely risk to the environment. It also recommends how activities could be classified under the proposed regulatory framework. 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 -
July 2010Report of the Minister for the Environment's Urban Technical Advisory Group. 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 -
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 -
December 2007A report was commissioned in 2007 to investigate risk management options available to the aquaculture industry and regional and unitary authorities. Read more -
September 2007This paper sets out a prioritised Ministry work programme to help manage contaminated land. Read more -
April 2007This report contains information about the scientific basis for the four national priorities for protecting rare and threatened indigenous biodiversity on private land and identifies key tools and references about each priority. Read more -
July 2006This report examines options for using market-based instruments to maximise the value and sustainability of New Zealand’s marine resource. Read more