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Environmental reporting programme

The national environmental reporting programme is fundamental to the Ministry’s work, particularly in setting environmental policy.

This is reinforced in the Ministry for the Environment's Statement of Intent 2008 – 2011:

....In all of its policy work, the Ministry requires facts-based research, information and analysis to develop an evidence base for making good decisions. Reporting on the state of New Zealand’s environment is essential for the Ministry to deliver on its shorter-term outcomes. (page 32)

The programme delivers a wide range of information products: environmental statistics, environmental reports, survey data and other quantitative information.

Function of the programme

The function of the programme is to:

• provide accessible, high-quality information on the state of the environment
• support national Sustainable Development reporting in New Zealand
• report on New Zealand’s environmental performance internationally
• improve the quality, consistency and coverage of environmental data in New Zealand.

Accessible, high-quality information

National-scale reporting shows up significant trends in the environment across the whole country, as well as how widespread the changes or pressures are and how fast they are occurring. It therefore provides important context for decision-makers setting national- level policies.

Report on New Zealand's environmental performance internationally

Meeting international reporting obligations is a key objective of the national environmental reporting programme. For New Zealand to be a good international citizen, it must regularly report on its environmental performance to both the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations.

Improve the quality, consistency and coverage of environmental data

The national environmental reporting programme produces a range of good practice guidance and national guidelines on environmental monitoring and data management, works alongside Statistics New Zealand to identify and respond to major data gaps, and brings together key players to network and develop collaborative approaches on issues of mutual interest.

Principles of the programme

Five principles shape the Ministry’s national environmental reporting programme. The programme will:

• adhere to international best practice, specifically OECD best practice, wherever possible in its design, implementation and development
• have a primary focus on reporting national-scale data against a set of national environmental indicators to avoid duplication of regional and local reporting, ensure the sound use of public money and meet international best practice
• use a core set of environmental indicators to provide cost-effective, practical and meaningful information on high-priority issues for the environment
• apply consistent, internationally aligned criteria to select environmental indicators
• use a reporting framework already familiar to decision-makers and reporting partners to achieve a better uptake of indicator information and simplify international comparisons.

Environmental reporting products

As part of its environmental reporting programme, the Ministry is delivering products for a range of audiences.

Reporting products include:

• a series of environmental ‘report cards’ for the 22 national environmental indicators
• independent reviews (eg, A review of the Environment New Zealand 2007 Report)
• periodic technical or data reporting (eg, dairying catchment water quality report, air quality reporting)
• occasional environmental surveys (eg, RMA Survey of Local Authorities, Solid Waste Audits for Ministry for the Environment Waste Data Programme)
• national guidelines and best practice guidance
• provision of data and reports to international bodies (eg, OECD).

The level of detail in each of these reporting products is tailored to the intended readership. Level 1 provides the greatest level of detail, through to level 5 which provides non-technical, high-level information. Most of these products are available from the Ministry for the Environment's website.

For more information on forthcoming report cards and other reporting products from the Ministry's national environmental reporting programme

Links to other work

The Ministry’s environmental reporting programme draws from and builds on related work carried out by the Ministry and by others:

• a review of state of the environment reporting by members of the OECD
• comparisons of New Zealand’s national environmental indicators and:
  • the OECD's core set of environmental indicators
  • environmental indicators within the United Nations’ set of sustainable development indicators
• a review of regional state of the environment reporting in New Zealand
• a comparison of national indicator reporting programmes and indicator sets within New Zealand
• analysis of how the research, science and technology system might better support national-scale state of the environment reporting in New Zealand
• data stocktakes for the set of national environmental indicators and their associated variables
• the draft Domain Plan for the Environment, a joint Ministry for the Environment, Statistics New Zealand and Department of Conservation document, which establishes a shared understanding of priorities for environmental statistics.

Last updated: February 2009