- Hon Penny Simmonds
The Government is improving the way the state of New Zealand's environment is measured and reported on, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says.
"Having data and information about our changing environment means we can make informed decisions that protect our homes, build a strong and enduring economy, and ensure New Zealand is best prepared for the future," Ms Simmonds says.
The Environmental Reporting Act 2015 plays an important role in making sure New Zealanders have access to robust and credible environmental data and research.
"The recently published Our Environment 2025 report - jointly produced by the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ under the Act - is a clear example of how this kind of reporting helps us better understand the state of New Zealand's environment," Ms Simmonds says.
"However, the Act's inflexible structure means the reporting programme is inefficient, and the impact of the reports in supporting New Zealand's decisions about the environment is limited."
Ms Simmonds says changes to the Act will increase efficiency; improve data quality and make it more accessible and useful; ensure that reports provide timely and relevant information; and strengthen data and environmental research.
An expert panel will provide independent advice on matters related to environmental science, economics, health and monitoring and reporting.
The changes will include reducing the frequency of environmental reports from six-monthly to annually and introducing 'drivers' and 'outlooks' into environmental reporting. Drivers are factors that cause pressures on the environment - such as human influences and natural conditions that drive environmental change. Outlooks describe how the environment may change in the future.
"Reducing the frequency of reports to better align with the pace of environmental change will enable the Ministry for the Environment to focus on improving the quality of the data it collects, rather than maintaining the cycle of continual reporting required under the current legislation," Ms Simmonds says.
"Reporting on drivers will help decision-makers understand the causes of pressures on the environment. Meanwhile, reporting on outlooks will support understanding of the future impact of decisions.
"These additions will ensure greater consistency in reporting over time, enable more comprehensive reporting on the environment, and bring New Zealand in line with reporting practices in other OECD countries."
