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WCC 2016 Rec 111 - Activity Report

Submitted by Catherine.Wallace on Sat, 11/30/2019 - 00:03
General Information
Increase resources for biodiversity conservation research
IUCN Constituent: 
Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand
IUCN Constituent type: 
IUCN Member
Period covered: 
2018
Geographic scope: 
Oceania
Country/Territory: 
New Zealand
In implementing this Resolution your organization has worked/consulted with...
IUCN Members: 
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand / New Zealand
WWF - New Zealand ( WWF ) / New Zealand
Department of Conservation / New Zealand
IUCN Secretariat: 
No
Other non-IUCN related organisations: 
New Zealand Ministers and the policy, science and political community, the NZ public, ECO's member bodies.
Implementation
Indicate and briefly describe any actions that have been carried out to implement this Resolution: 
ActionDescriptionStatus
Convene stakeholders/NetworkingECO has convened discussions amongst the interested policy community at our annual conference and at other's conferences to press for more funding for the Department of Conservation for biodiversity conservation research. We have supported increased funding for researchers in what is now called the Science Challenges, especially the Natural Heritage and the Sustainable Seas programmes.On-going
Policy influencing/advocacyECO has lobbied intensively with many NZ colleague organisations and individuals for increased funding for marine and terrestrial biodiversity - and biosecurity - research. This combined pressure has had some success.On-going
Please report on the result /achievement of the actions taken: 
In 2018 and 2019 the New Zealand government Budgets increased funding substantially for conservation of biodiversity research, including a major increase of funding for terrestrial conservation, funding for research on the control of invasive mammalian predators for the Department of Conservation, in the Science Challenges programmes for Sustainable Seas and for Natural Heritage. On the other hand the government has allowed industrial fishers to reduce their contributions over the years into fish stock status and we still have a shrinking budget overall for fisheries related "conservation services programme" research.
What challenges have you encountered in implementing this Resolution and what measures have you taken to overcome them?: 
The increased conservation funding to the programmes above has been a huge boost, but this is very much dependent on the political party and ministerial portfolio allocation. It may be difficult to maintain this funding if the government changes.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions are planned for the implementation of this Resolution: 
Future ActionDescription
Education/Communication/Raising awarenessECO has promoted the need for more research and also for the recognition of Matauranga Maori - Maori knowledge and science. This is gaining traction. ECO continues to press for increased funding for conservation research, both in relation to New Zealand and in relation to the high seas, the Southern Ocean and Antarctica.
Policy influencing/advocacyWe and our colleague NGOs continue to press for more research funding in all environmental realms, given the biodiversity and climate crises. ECO continues also to participate in a range of fisheries and marine funding processes.