Environmental Defence Society (EDS) is a not-for-profit environmental organisation based in New Zealand. It focuses on issues surrounding the Resource Management Act 1991 and is made up of resource management professionals who are committed to improving environmental outcomes within New Zealand.
EDS was established in 1971 by a group of law students and scientists. The idea behind EDS was to bring together the disciplines of science, law and planning to advocate for the environment. Since its inception, EDS has had a long and largely successful history of litigating environmentally significant cases. Early cases EDS was involved in include the Huntly water rights case, litigation concerning LPG terminals, the Aramoana Smelter, the Clyde High Dam, several Think Big projects and a proposed resort development at Karikari in the Far North.
During the 1980s EDS began a substantive involvement in mining cases and was instrumental in persuading the New Zealand government to change the law to enable better public involvement and more emphasis on the environmental effects of mining. There was a special focus on the Coromandel Peninsula, where EDS was instrumental in preventing a proposed large-scale open-cast mine from proceeding at Otama Beach.
EDS has a long history of involvement in cases concerning water. The Society was involved with other groups in an effort to get water conservation orders established in law after a successful opposition to a series of dams on the Motu River. Indeed, EDS assisted the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust to obtain the first ever national water conservation order for that wild and scenic river and went on to support similar orders over the Ahuriri and Rakaia Rivers in the South Island.
In 2002, EDS litigated on the climate change impacts and the carbon dioxide from Otahuhu Power Station gas thermal power station. EDS appealed the Otahuhu C resource consents granted by Auckland Regional Council. EDS argued that the predicted annual emissions of 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide would contribute to climate change via the greenhouse effect and that the consent conditions should require complete carbon offsetting by planting of new forests. The Environment Court agreed with the scientific consensus on anthropogenic climate change and concluded that the proposed CO2 emissions would be an "adverse effect of some consequence". The court declined to impose the forest offsetting condition due to concerns over its "efficacy, appropriateness and reasonableness". [1]
More recently EDS has become increasingly involved in providing support and capacity building for individuals, community organisations and councils; in undertaking research and policy analysis on key environmental issues; and in profiling key issues through seminars and conferences.[ citation needed ]
EDS is now implementing a major new initiative on oceans to chart the way forward for reform. EDS is looking at policy framework for marine mammals protection, marine protected areas and marine spatial planning.[ citation needed ]
In its research and policy work EDS seeks to build constructive partnerships and relationships with business, government and other groups across civil society.[ citation needed ]
EDS Supporters provide financial support to assist with the programme of activities undertaken by the Society.
Environmental law is a collective term encompassing aspects of the law that provide protection to the environment. A related but distinct set of regulatory regimes, now strongly influenced by environmental legal principles, focus on the management of specific natural resources, such as forests, minerals, or fisheries. Other areas, such as environmental impact assessment, may not fit neatly into either category, but are nonetheless important components of environmental law.
Environmental protection is the practice of protecting the natural environment by individuals, organizations and governments. Its objectives are to conserve natural resources and the existing natural environment and, where possible, to repair damage and reverse trends.
Forest & Bird, also known by its formal name as the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, is an environmental organisation specialising in the protection and conservation of New Zealand's indigenous flora and fauna and unique wild places and natural ecosystems. Forest & Bird consists of 47 branches located in urban and rural centres throughout New Zealand. Branches are actively engaged in conservation projects and advocacy on a community, regional and national basis. Forest & Bird has offices and staff located in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Nelson and Dunedin. Forest & Bird publishes a quarterly magazine Forest & Bird, one of New Zealand's definitive natural history and conservation publications.
The Environment and Conservation Organisations of Aotearoa New Zealand (ECO) was formed in 1971 under the name of CoEnCo and changed its name to ECO in 1976.
The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana is a coastal feature of the North Island of New Zealand. It has an area of 4000 km2, and lies between, in anticlockwise order, the Auckland Region, the Hauraki Plains, the Coromandel Peninsula, and Great Barrier Island. Most of the gulf is part of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.
The Resource Management Act (RMA) passed in 1991 in New Zealand is a significant, and at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water. New Zealand's Ministry for the Environment describes the RMA as New Zealand's principal legislation for environmental management.
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The United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) is one of seven litigating components of the U.S. Department of Justice. ENRD's mandate is to enforce civil and criminal environmental laws and programs protecting the health and environment of the United States, and to defend suits challenging those laws and programs.
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The Otahuhu power station was a power station site located in Otara, Auckland, New Zealand. Two plants operated on the site: Otahuhu A and Otahuhu B. A proposed third station, Otahuhu C, was never built. The stations were owned by Contact Energy.
The natural environment, commonly referred to simply as the environment, includes all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth.
Water is relatively abundant in New Zealand due to the temperate climate and maritime weather patterns. In recent years, water pollution and draw-down of aquifers have become important environmental issues in New Zealand.
Catherine C. "Cath" Wallace is a New Zealand environmentalist and academic. She is a lecturer in economics and public policy at Victoria University of Wellington, and has been active in environment organizations in New Zealand. She was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1991, for her contributions to the protection of the environment of Antarctica.
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Katherine Wilson is a molecular biologist and a marine scientist. She is also the executive director of the science division at the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), New South Wales. Wilson is responsible for the delivery of OEH's science program, which provides technical analysis, expert advice and research to support the NSW government's policy and program objectives in environmental management. As a member of the OEH Executive, Wilson guides delivery of services ranging from energy efficiency programs to management of national parks. Wilson is also a Board Member of the Low Carbon Living Cooperative Research Centre and Chair of the External Advisory Committee, Australian Rivers and Wetlands Centre, University of New South Wales.
Environmental Defence Society v New Zealand King Salmon was a case in the Supreme Court of New Zealand concerning the proper interpretation of the Resource Management Act 1991 by planning bodies.
Chiau Wen-yan is a Taiwanese politician. He was the member of Legislative Yuan, a professor and the former director of the Institute of Marine Affairs and Resource Management at National Taiwan Ocean University.
Sustainable Development Goal 14 is about "Life below water" and is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The official wording is to "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development". The Goal has ten targets to be achieved by 2030. Progress towards each target is being measured with one indicator each.