INTRODUCTION
A critical challenge
F
reshwater is fundamental to life. More than ever we need integrated solutions to the economic and environmental challenges New Zealand is facing, including in the context of freshwater. The lack of integration is evident when you consider we have spent hundreds of millions on policy and plans for freshwater management, but very little on supporting the behaviour change required to deliver meaningful outcomes on the ground. If we are going to improve the state of freshwater in New Zealand and overcome the economic challenges of COVID-19, then it is imperative we have economic pathways for iwi, farmers, and others to make a living in ways that are compatible with the restoration of our environment. Fortunately there are examples and proposed initiatives we can turn to for ideas and insights to inform a coherent vision and strategy. This includes intergenerational thinking from iwi who innately integrate environmental and economic considerations. In recent years there has been a lot of talk about moving from “volume to value” for New Zealand’s agricultural sector. This
| A CRITICAL CHALLENGE
1
provides an opportunity to achieve economic and environmental integration, provided we can obtain a premium from global consumers for our products. The key will be to ensure the “value” is passed on to those who are improving our freshwater — our farmers. If the value is not shared with farmers then we’ll have failed to provide a means to pay for necessary environmental actions, and failed to incentivise behaviour change. We need collaborative value chains and systems in place to create and share new value to overcome this. Our legal framework will also need to be aligned with the vision and strategy. It will need to support new economic models, not undermine or hamper their realisation. Currently there is often a disconnect between the environmental credentials farmers are adopting at the request of processors and retailers, and the outcomes local communities want for their water bodies as reflected in local policy instruments. If farmers’ efforts do not result in meaningful improvements to water quality this is likely to lead to distrust, disillusionment, and ultimately conflict.
