Water through a Sustainable Development Lens

1
Water through a Sustainable Development Lens

• An introduction to the water strand of
  Governments Sustainable Development Programme of
  Action.

Sue Powell, Ministry for the Environment
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Water demand

• Irrigation
• Renewable energy
• Instream uses

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Irrigation

• Current demand
• Irrigation uses 77 of the water allocated
• Irrigated land has doubled since 1985
• Projections that demand is increasing
  significantly

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Increasing demand for water
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Renewable Energy demands

• 150 MW/yr to meet demand at current grown rates
• Maui depleted by 2007
• Increasing pressure on renewables
• Project Aqua

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Instream values

• Societal (e.g. recreation)
• Cultural
• Environmental
• Economic (tourism)

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RMA framework

• Water allocation devolved
• Expectation water plans will be prepared
• Regional plans reflect regional priorities and
  regional jurisdictions

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Regional and District Plans

• Section 30 and 31 of RMA
• Political ramifications
• All interests catered for?

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Mismatches

• Difficulty making strategic allocation at
  regional level
• Lack of strategic direction at national level
• Exacerbated by ad hoc instruments such as water
  conservation orders.

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Protection at a regional level

• Equivalent protection a huge ask for regional
  jurisdictions
• Nationally important waterbodies may be
  underprotected from a national perspective

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What does it all mean?

• RMA provides effects based system of management
• ensures that resources are protected, used, and
  developed in a manner that is sustainable

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However

• Some issues difficult to manage using RMA tools
• Assumes level playing field
• Acceptable in resource-rich environments may not
  be in local and national interests where
  resources are under pressure

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What is required?

• Ability to make strategic decisions
• More purposive resource allocation?
• How do we factor in social and economic concerns?
• How do we take account of wider interests?
• Sustainable development approach

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Lens of sustainable development

• Take account of economic, environmental, social,
  and cultural consequences of decisions
• Growth element if to meet economic and social
  needs
• Growth is not hard-wired to resource use

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Sustainable Development

• Ongoing and increasing commitment by Govt
• WSSD 2002
• Local Government Act 2002
• Sustainable Development Programme of Action,
  January 2003

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Local Govt Act 2002

• Sustainable Development as core purpose
• Reflected through Community Plans
• Necessarily reflects jurisdictional interests
• Needs to be balanced at national level?

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Sustainable Development Programme of Action

• Water
• Energy
• Sustainable Cities
• Youth Development

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Sustainable Development Programme of Action Water

• Desired outcomes
• Freshwater is allocated and used in a
  sustainable, efficient and equitable way
• Freshwater quality is maintained to meet all
  appropriate needs
• Waterbodies with nationally significant natural,
  social or cultural heritage values are protected.

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Whos involved

• Whole-of-Government process
• MfE / MAF joint lead
• Steering group comprising DOC, MED, Treasury,
  DPMC, DIA, TPK
• Local Government representation
• Maori reference group

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Waters of National Importance
Allocation and Use
Consultation as required
Time
Quality
Allocation and Use

• Managing Landuse
• Current arrangement
• Future options

Potential Waterbodies of National Importance
3 months
How to determine the national interest
How to optimise outcomes
Identify Waterbodies of National Importance
12 months
2 years
Tools
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Case Studies

• Taupo
• Project Waitaki

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Lake Taupo

• Important values
• Conservation
• Recreational
• Tourism
• Cultural
• Yet water quality threatened
• WCOs not effective
• RMA only part of the solution?
• Needs coordinated sustainable development response

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Project Waitaki

• Project Aqua
• Divert substantial portion of lower Waitaki River
• Hydro power scheme
• Large number of small and medium sized
  applications in Waitaki Catchment
• irrigation

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Why intervene?

• Competing interests for water
• Cannot currently consider other than in order of
  notification
• No opportunity to consider merits of various uses
• Likelihood of continual litigation

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Proposal Outline Framework

• Water allocation framework
• Takes into account a wider range of matters
• National, regional and local impacts
• Economic, social and environmental considerations
• Makes hard allocation decisions

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Framework cont..

• Framework determined by independent body
• Appeals limited
• Framework left behind as plan

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Decisions on applications

• Applications for water take heard by panel of
  commissioners

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Key points

• Waitaki specific
• Timeframes
• Working with Local agencies
• Community involvement opportunities
• Separation of policy decisions from specific
  decisions on applications