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Environmental Defence Society Seeking Support To Bolster RM Reform Team
EDS is reaching out to individual, foundation and commercial partners to help strengthen its resource management team in the face of further extremely concerning policy changes to our resource management system.
“Over the next 12 months the Government is embarking on the most comprehensive and detailed reform of environmental policy in our history,” said EDS CEO Gary Taylor.
“Amendments are proposed to 14 existing national direction documents and 7 new ones are being promulgated. Collectively, these are the engine-room of our resource management system.
“Instruments under review include those that set environmental limits for freshwater, indigenous biodiversity, the coastal marine area and landscapes. Changes will be subject to proper process involving formal submissions, but the pace will be fast and the volume of change considerable.
“If necessary, judicial review will be required if Ministers approve unreasonable, inadequate or unlawful outcomes.
“It is vitally important that there is a well-resourced voice for our natural world and the wider public interest in this exercise, without which things could go horribly wrong for our environment. There will be powerful and well-resourced vested interests seeking to lower environmental standards, causing more biodiversity loss and pollution. We must prevent that from happening.
“Part of the context here is that Government has cancelled the Environmental Legal Assistance Fund in an attempt to starve public interest litigants of resources.
“There is a lot at stake in the national direction review process which means EDS must increase its capacity to meet this unprecedented environmental challenge. In the first instance, we are fundraising for an experienced lawyer who will lead our engagement in these processes. Our existing RM Reform team will continue to focus on Phase 3 of the Government’s resource management reform agenda, which includes repeal and replacement of the Resource Management Act.
We are reaching out to the wider community for help with this new initiative and would welcome any opportunity to identify partners,” Mr Taylor concluded.
Environmental Defence Society
EDS speaks for the environment. It has influence.
Since 1971, EDS has been driving environmental protection in Aotearoa New Zealand
through law and policy change. That's why it's one of this country's most influential non-
profit organisations when it comes to achieving better environmental outcomes.
EDS has expertise in key disciplines including law, planning, landscape and science. It
operates as a policy think-tank, a litigation advocate, and a collaborator – bringing together
the private and public sectors for constructive engagement.
EDS runs conferences and seminars on topical issues, including an annual Environmental
Summit and the Climate Change and Business Conference.
EDS is a registered charity and donations to it are tax-deductible.
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