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Environmental Sustainability

As we move into the twenty-first century, New Zealand faces significant environmental challenges at both the national and international level. The large majority of our community remains unaware of the ecological impact of humans on our environment. Our ecosystems are under substantial stress from a high rate of change caused by deforestation followed by the extensive spread of biological industries, and introduction of plants and animals. Maintaining our status as a clean and green nation requires us to ensure we have the research and skills to:

contribute to international understanding of climate change and reduce local impacts of these changes - our position in the southern ocean gives us a key role;
sustain our biodiversity, which is under threat from habitat destruction and introduced pests - the uniqueness of our native plants and animals places on us a considerable stewardship responsibility;
manage biosecurity risks - to both our biological industries and indigenous ecosystems;
manage changing patterns of use of the land and sea - both changes to more intensive use (e.g. aquaculture, dairying) and less intensive use (e.g. farming on marginal hill country) require new knowledge and skills; and
help all New Zealanders develop an awareness of the environment and the impacts economic and social activities have on it - here we can also draw from Maori community traditions of environmental management.

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