Release of the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy

Madeleine Wright - Biodiversity Knowledge Hub Leader

The Government has released Te Mana o Te Taiao - the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020.

The Strategy recognises that the world is in a global nature crisis and that nature in Aotearoa New Zealand is also in trouble.  It applies to land, freshwater, the marine environment, and ecosystems that exist in-between.

The Strategy's underlying vision is  Te Mauri Hikahika o te Taiao – the life force of nature is vibrant and vigorous.  The Strategy identifies key gaps and issues with the current system and management approaches and provides a framework for action based around 5 objectives. It includes time-bound goals for 2025, 2030, and 2050, which gives hope that it will not be left to languish as occurred with the previous Strategy written in 2000.

The Strategy was developed with the input of three expert working groups and from the wider public through consultation meetings, hui, and submissions, and is underpinned by the state of the environment information presented in the companion Biodiversity Aotearoa report.

The Strategy is to be followed by an implementation plan that will set out actions and assign responsibilities. The draft NPSIB, now due to be released in April 2021, will be instrumental in achieving the Strategy’s goals.