Environmental Reporting (Topics for Environmental Reports) Regulations 2016

2016/127

Coat of Arms of New Zealand

Environmental Reporting (Topics for Environmental Reports) Regulations 2016

Jerry Mateparae, Governor-General

Order in Council

At Wellington this 7th day of June 2016

Present:
The Right Hon John Key presiding in Council

These regulations are made under section 19(1)(a) and (b) of the Environmental Reporting Act 2015—

(a)

on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council; and

(b)

on the joint recommendation of the Minister for the Environment and the Minister of Statistics made after complying with the requirements of section 19(2) and (3) of that Act.

Regulations

1 Title

These regulations are the Environmental Reporting (Topics for Environmental Reports) Regulations 2016.

2 Commencement

These regulations come into force on 27 June 2016.

3 Interpretation

In these regulations, Act means the Environmental Reporting Act 2015.

4 Transitional, savings, and related provisions

The transitional, savings, and related provisions (if any) set out in Schedule 1 have effect according to their terms.

Air domain

5 Topics relating to air domain

In the environmental reports required by sections 7(1) and 10(1)(a) of the Act, the topics relating to the air domain are,—

(a)

in relation to the state of the air domain, air quality and concentrations of air pollutants; and

(b)

in relation to the pressures causing, or having the potential to cause, changes to the state of the air domain,—

(i)

human activities; and

(ii)

climate and natural processes; and

(iii)

the physical form of the land environment.

Atmosphere and climate domain

6 Topics relating to atmosphere and climate domain

In the environmental reports required by sections 7(1) and 10(1)(b) of the Act, the topics relating to the atmosphere and climate domain are,—

(a)

in relation to the state of the atmosphere and climate domain,—

(i)

atmospheric properties; and

(ii)

climate; and

(iii)

ultraviolet intensity; and

(b)

in relation to the pressures causing, or having the potential to cause, changes to the state of the atmosphere and climate domain,—

(i)

human activities generating greenhouse gases; and

(ii)

human activities generating particulate matter; and

(iii)

human activities generating ozone-depleting substances; and

(iv)

land cover and use; and

(v)

natural pressures.

Freshwater domain

7 Topics relating to freshwater domain

In the environmental reports required by sections 7(1) and 10(1)(c) of the Act, the topics relating to the freshwater domain are,—

(a)

in relation to the state of the freshwater domain,—

(i)

freshwater ecosystems and habitats; and

(ii)

freshwater species, taonga species, and genetic diversity; and

(iii)

freshwater quality, quantity, and flows; and

(b)

in relation to the pressures causing, or having the potential to cause, changes to the state of the freshwater domain,—

(i)

pests, diseases, and exotic species; and

(ii)

resource use and management, and other human activities; and

(iii)

discharges and waste; and

(iv)

the physical form of the land and freshwater environments; and

(v)

climate and natural processes.

Land domain

8 Topics relating to land domain

In the environmental reports required by sections 7(1) and 10(1)(d) of the Act, the topics relating to the land domain are,—

(a)

in relation to the state of the land domain,—

(i)

land cover, ecosystems, and habitats; and

(ii)

land species, taonga species, and genetic diversity; and

(iii)

land and soil condition; and

(b)

in relation to the pressures causing, or having the potential to cause, changes to the state of the land domain,—

(i)

pests, diseases, and exotic species; and

(ii)

resource use and management, and other human activities; and

(iii)

waste, effluent, and contaminants; and

(iv)

the physical form of the land environment; and

(v)

climate and natural processes.

Marine domain

9 Topics relating to marine domain

In the environmental reports required by sections 7(1) and 10(1)(e) of the Act, the topics relating to the marine domain are,—

(a)

in relation to the state of the marine domain,—

(i)

marine ecosystems and habitats; and

(ii)

marine species, taonga species, and genetic diversity; and

(iii)

marine water and sediment quality and ocean acidity; and

(iv)

sea level, temperature, and circulation; and

(b)

in relation to the pressures causing, or having the potential to cause, changes to the state of the marine domain,—

(i)

pests, diseases, and exotic species; and

(ii)

resource use and management, and other human activities; and

(iii)

discharges, soil loss, and waste; and

(iv)

the physical form of the marine environment; and

(v)

climate and natural processes.

Impact topics applying to all domains

10 Impact topics for all domains

The topics relating to the impact that the state of the environment and changes to it may be having on each of the impact categories in relation to each of the domains are as follows:

(a)

biodiversity and ecosystem processes; and

(b)

public health; and

(c)

the economy; and

(d)

mātauranga Māori, tikanga Māori, and kaitiakitanga; and

(e)

customary use and mahinga kai; and

(f)

sites of significance, including wāhi taonga and wāhi tapū; and

(g)

culture and recreation.

Schedule 1 Transitional, savings, and related provisions

r 4

Part 1 Provisions relating to these regulations as made

There are no transitional, savings, or related provisions relating to these regulations as made.

Michael Webster,
Clerk of the Executive Council.

Explanatory note

This note is not part of the regulations, but is intended to indicate their general effect.

These regulations, which come into force on 27 June 2016, prescribe the topics for the synthesis and domain reports in relation to each of the matters that are relevant under the Environmental Reporting Act 2015 (the Act), namely,—

  • the state of each of the 5 domains; and

  • the pressures that may be causing, or have the potential to cause, changes to the state of each of those domains; and

  • the impact that the state of the environment and changes to its state may be having on the impact categories (see sections 8(1)(c) and 11(1)(c) of the Act).

Issued under the authority of the Legislation Act 2012.

Date of notification in Gazette: 9 June 2016.

These regulations are administered by the Ministry for the Environment.