Submitted by
Catherine.Wallace
on Sat, 11/30/2019 - 00:03
General Information
Resolution
46528
IUCN Constituent
Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand
IUCN Constituent type
IUCN Member organisation
Period covered
Geographic scope
Oceania
Country/Territory
New Zealand
Actors involved in implementing this Resolution:
IUCN Members
Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand ( New Zealand )
WWF - New Zealand ( 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.
II. Implementation
Activities carried out to implement this Resolution
Activity
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Description and results/achievements of activities:
ECO 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.
Status
On-going
Activity
Policy influencing/advocacy
Description and results/achievements of activities:
ECO 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.
Status
On-going
Describe any challenges encountered in implementing this Resolution and the measures taken
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.
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.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions/activities are planned for the implementation of this Resolution
Future action / activity
Education/Communication/Raising awareness
Description
ECO 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.
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.
Future action / activity
Policy influencing/advocacy
Description
We 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.
ECO continues also to participate in a range of fisheries and marine funding processes.
Report status
Published
Constituent type
IUCN Member