VISION AND PRINCIPLES

Vote for the Environment is calling for political parties to adopt key principles that will help New Zealand move onto an ecologically sustainable path. New Zealand's image as a "clean and green" country must become more than a veneer. Changes are needed to mitigate damage done in the past and to improve present practices. Public policies and private behaviour that fail to protect the environment, that fail to repair historic injustices, or that are unfair or inequitable to the community at large, including future generations, should be discouraged in favour of those that promote New Zealand’s long term well being.

Vision

A healthy environment which sustains nature and the integrity of natural ecosystems, indigenous biodiversity, biophysical processes and intrinsic values and hence which sustains human well being.

Key Principles which Political Parties should commit to are:

Principle 1 Economic policy should be integrated with and constrained by environmental policy. Economic activities should not be at the expense of the environment. Principle 2 The public has a right to be informed and participate in public policy making. Barriers to participation should be removed. Principle 3 Anyuse of land, air, water and biota should be ecologically sustainable. Principle 4 The intrinsic values and Mauri of the natural world should be respected and protected. Principle 5 The potential of resources to meet the needs of future generations should be safeguarded. Principle 6 The precautionary principle should underpin environmental decision making. Principle 7 The polluter-pays and degrader-pays principles are desirable mechanisms to reduce environmental degradation and pollution. Principle 8 Indigenous biodiversity should be protected and restored. Principle 9 Environmental protection and conservation management are core government responsibilities that should be adequately funded. Principle 10 Public access to the public estate should be maintained and enhanced where ecologically appropriate.

For further information contact: All groups