Center for Australian & New Zealand Studies

New Zealand is almost universally regarded as one of the more environmentally pristine locations with an abundance of natural beauty and unspoilt wilderness.

As a nation we trade off this image in the marketing of our agricultural and primary exports, in promoting the tourism industry, and in our international relations where we actively participate in many environmental treaties and conventions.

As a people we see ourselves as the “fortunate ones” - secure in our south sea paradise somewhat insulated from the realities of issues such as  overpopulation, industrialization and resource depletion that confront many of our major trading partners and regional neighbours.

Many of the major environmental problems that now confront the global community, however, transcend national borders. Climate change caused by human activities is accepted as a reality by the mainstream scientific community and, in a recent authoritative report, considered “largely irreversible for 1,000 years”.  Ozone depletion, global warming and sea-level rise all directly impact on New Zealand and its South
Pacific neighbours.

In terms of relative environmental performance, a recent study found that New Zealand has the sixth largest per capita ecological footprint in the OECD at 5.9 global hectares per person. Furthermore, while New Zealand contributes less than 1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, we rank 12th in the world for emissions contributing almost 19 tonnes of CO2 per person per year. We can no longer be complacent about our environmental advantages.

This paper will explore the “clean green” aspect of New Zealand’s national identity against the backdrop of historic and current environmental problems, developments in environmental law and policy, and the implementation of measures to address climate change.