The science of New Zealand’s freshwater estate

A major new report explaining the science of New Zealand’s freshwater estate

Sir Peter Gluckman, the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, has released a report designed to assist in understanding the complexity of issues surrounding the condition and stewardship of our freshwater.

With growing interest in the state of New Zealand’s freshwaters and the policy decisions needed to ensure stewardship of the estate, the report seeks to provide common understandings of the scientific and technical knowledge on which freshwater ecosystem management should be based. In doing so, the paper acknowledges the multiple values we place on freshwater and the different diversity of stakeholders. The report provides an overview of the issues and a technical analysis for those who wish to explore the science further.

“My office started working on this report nearly a year ago, recognising the complexity of decisions and trade-offs that New Zealand faces between conserving our ecosystems and mitigating our agricultural, industrial and urban impacts,” said Sir Peter. “Because of the Government’s recent ‘Clean Water’ consultation package, which includes proposed new approaches to defining ‘swimmability’, I thought it would be useful to accelerate the release of our report before the end of that consultation phase.”

Sir Peter’s report was developed with the assistance of the Freshwater Group at NIWA. It was reviewed by New Zealand and international academics and by the Departmental Science Advisors from the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for Environment. The intent was to ensure diverse scientific perspectives on the challenges presented by New Zealand’s varied river catchments, lakes, estuaries and wetlands could be fully explored.

The issues extend from understanding the influence of distinct landscapes and watersheds, climate, and the diversity of uses and values of freshwater systems, to the ecology of our native freshwater plants, fish, insects, and birds. The report explores the impacts of our pastoral agricultural system, urbanisation, industrialisation and climate change, and how these might be managed to maintain and restore New Zealand’s freshwater estate.

“Water is not a trivial issue for New Zealand and New Zealanders,” said Sir Peter. “Our cultural and economic relationship to our land and water defines us, and I felt the importance of the issues merited a full explanation of all the freshwater science that informs them.”

The report is available on the PMCSA website here

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