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WCC 2016 Rec 107 - Activity Report

Submitted by Catherine.Wallace on Sat, 11/30/2019 - 07:55
General Information
Integration of nature-based solutions into strategies to combat climate change
IUCN Constituent: 
Environment and Conservation Organisations of New Zealand
IUCN Constituent type: 
IUCN Member
Period covered: 
2018
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
IUCN Secretariat: 
No
Other non-IUCN related organisations: 
Ministry for the Environment New Zealand; Ministry of Primary Industries NZ; Ministry for Business, Innovation and Environment; NZ CAN, 350.org, Generation Zero, Wise Response, numerous other organisations; scientists and other
Implementation
Indicate and briefly describe any actions that have been carried out to implement this Resolution: 
ActionDescriptionStatus
Convene stakeholders/NetworkingECO is a member of Climate Action Network NZ and ECO itself is a network and a member of various climate and biodiversity networks. We have worked within these networks to press the case for greater public awareness and action. Within professional and official circles we have also worked with the Ministry for the Environment making connection to biosecurity, biodiversity and climate connectedness. On-going
Policy influencing/advocacyECO has pressed for the protection and restoration of native ecosystems to help maintain soil and biodiversity carbon stores and to enhance biodiversity. We have also met with, submitted to, and in various other ways urged the NZ government to favour the protection and planting - of native species in the Government's "One Billion Trees" programme of planting trees for carbon sequestration. ECO has also pushed for an emissions trading system with the whole of the economy involved with agriculture included since agriculture accounts for half of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions. We have urged that fossil fuels be left in the ground and that we should adopt plantation grown wood for construction purposes, increase solar and wind power.On-going
Please report on the result /achievement of the actions taken: 
About 50% of the One Billion Trees planting are emerging as exotic plantations in a business as usual planting by industry. The rest are to be a mix of native planting and retirement of pasture into regeneration of native forest.
Within water and waterways policy we are on the verge of achieving a requirement to exclude stock from all natural wetlands and there is research on methane emissions reductions from livestock, especially from cattle.
What challenges have you encountered in implementing this Resolution and what measures have you taken to overcome them?: 
Climate change denial is no longer a factor, rather it is claims of exceptionalism by many farmers who cannot see the reasons to alter their behaviour. The dilemma of off-setting fossil fuel emissions with biological emissions of GHGs is not lost on us, but we want to protect existing carbon sinks, create adjustment space, and switch away from fossil fuels with substitutes.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions are planned for the implementation of this Resolution: 
Future ActionDescription
Education/Communication/Raising awarenessMany farmers are reluctant to switch production and we are promoting research done by others that illuminates other low carbon options. On trees, we continue to encourage government to incentivise protection of existing native forests, and to include pre 1990 degrading native forest. Solar energy and wind power are already flourishing. The Climate Strike activists have our support, as does Generation Zero and 350.org.