'climate proofing' nz through IEM.

Climate Change

Climate change is the mother of all environmental problems.  It is the most complex issue that humans will face living on planet earth because it is extremely complex.  Humans have built their existence on growth and our energy demands are increasing, this constant need for growth and energy has led to a wasteful existence and an unsustainable use of the planets resources.  Some of the effects of climate change that may impact on New Zealand include increased temperatures, changed weather patterns, and a mean sea level rise.

‘Climate Proofing’ NZ

The National Institute of Water and Atmosphere and Landcare Research is planning a four year $7.2 million project with aims to ‘climate proof’ New Zealand.  The research team will also include members from AgResearch, Victoria University, Bodeker Scientific, Motu Economic Research, Plant & Food, Scion and the University of Waikato. This study plans to examine potential climate change impacts on New Zealand's economy, environment and society in an integrated and coordinated fashion.  This is an ambitious task that will require an IEM approach to define such a complex issue and to coordinate so many different agencies.  The work will be divided into five projects:

•         Update and improve regional-scale projections of climate trends and variability across New Zealand out to 2100 based on the latest global projections.
•         Identify likely impacts, environmental pressure points, implications and potential policy and management implications for five important environments: alpine and high-elevation native forest ecosystems; high-country and hill-country environments and land use; lowland environments and land use; coastal and estuarine ecosystems; and the ocean food chain.
•         Identify interactions between climate change and other key drivers, and their cumulative impacts across New Zealand, by linking results from climate, biophysical, economic, demographic, land-use change and stakeholder models. That will include work on freshwater supply, quality and use.
•         Enhance the capacity to generate, translate, share and apply climate change knowledge with stakeholders.
•         Provide information to support coordinated, evidence-based decision-making and policy development.

Projected Temperature changes for NZ for 2090

IEM approach to climate change

This study also includes participation with the end users including government, business, iwi and communities. According to the framework provided, this investigation incorporates many of the principles necessary for an IEM approach to climate change in New Zealand. In fact, this study appears to be very integrative. I'd almost say that if all goes to plan with this study, it has real potential to be the ‘poster boy´ for all IEM studies...!! Exciting, I know. However, in the policy process not everything is as straight forward as it seems, but with a comprehensive framework this study is off to a really good start.

Reference

http://www.stuff.co.nz/science/7762538/Project-to-climate-proof-NZ

http://www.niwa.co.nz/news/climate-change-trends-to-be-studied

http://www.niwa.co.nz/our-science/climate/information-and-resources/clivar/scenarios

prosperity vs. environment

100% Pure NZ

New Zealand, what were we thinking? 100% pure NZ! What an image to try and uphold.  Our clean green image which we were proud of, we used it to spread our name around the world and built our tourism industry on it. Well, now it’s coming back to bite us on the ‘you know where’.  The New Zealand economy is struggling in the current financial climate and the current government is taking measures to secure our economy for the future, however, this security comes at a price.  The government is proving time and time again that its priorities lie with the growth of the economy and not with the current state of New Zealand’s environment.  The government has been open about its interests in coal, oil, and gas exploration and extraction, as well as sales of state owned assets abroad, and supporting business such as dairy and fisheries which have a negative impact on the environment. 

What’s the issue?

What do you mean what’s the issue? Where to begin more like.

As mentioned in my Maui’s dolphin blog on the 12^th of August, the New Zealand government was trying to find solutions to protect the highly endangered Maui’s dolphin. At the IUCN’s Conservation Congress in September, the New Zealand government was the only country to vote against further protection for the dolphin. I believe that competing interests between fishers and oil and gas exploration may have been factors contributing to this decision by the New Zealand government.  Is the influence of industry effecting the government’s decision? It is hard to prove but this is definitely not an IEM approach to the issue.

In another recent issue that has cause international outcry, the New Zealand government recently vetoed an attempt to protect the Ross Sea from exploitation so that Antarctic tooth fish can continue to be fished.  Yet another questionable decision and a tarnish to our clean green image. Perhaps the government is taking a NIMBY apprpach to this, its so far from NZ, maybe no one will care? While we take care of fisheries close to home, the New Zealand government is preventing protection to a sensitive part of the world. Again, environmental integration with international policies is low on this matter and it does not help our waning 'clean green' image.

The ongoing drilling and exploration for coal, oil, and gas are continually causing issues with concerned communities and individuals. Some individuals are making a stand with Lucy Lawless making a high profile protest on an oil drilling vessel in Taranaki in February of this year. It’s good to see people voicing their opinions, but what effect will this have on a decision the government has already made?

In a longer term issue, New Zealand is facing a fresh water time bomb from our expanding dairy industry. Dairying is polluting and depeting our freshwater, yet the industry keeps expanding! The government has plans to review the current water quality issues, although many farmers are still converting to dairy and I can only see this issue becoming exponentially worse as more farmers convert.

 

Combat the top down from the bottom up

What we're seeing at the moment is a breakdown in an IEM approach to policy. The governtment is implementing top down policies without adequate bottom up consultation, participation or coordinated control. There is lack of vertical and horizontal integration.  The word ‘environment’ seems to be disappearing from the governments vocabulary and is being replaced with 'prosperity' and an economic bottom line. Concerned citizens of New Zealand can (and are) voicing their opinion and making a stand for the government to change.  Helen Clarke who spoke at Lincoln University in August urged people to push the government if they want environmental reform. She too blamed the global economy for the governments’ lack of environmental action.  This all points to the government taking a top down approach to managing New Zealand like a business, however, we are all shareholders in this national industry and a reply from the bottom up migh make the government listen, that it should take a more integrative environmental approach to managing New Zealands economy AND its environment.

Today I presented some of the failings of New Zealand policy in relation to enviornmental issues facing New Zealanders in 2012. To balance the negative with the positive, New Zealand can apply an IEM approach to policy, check out my next blog to see a fantastic example of an IEM approach to Climate Change in New Zealand.

 

Reference

http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/7513890/Helen-Clark-urges-action-on-environment

http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/7711927/Dolphin-vote-tarnishes-NZs-reputation

http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/5768227/NZ-to-veto-total-protection-of-Ross-Sea

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10787694

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/farming/7428206/Dairy-sector-strategy-placed-under-review