Section 1: What is a biodiversity credit system?
1. Do you support the need for a biodiversity credit system (BCS) for New Zealand?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Yes
Radio button:
Unticked
No
Please explain your answer here.
We see this is another mechanism to increase investment into environmental protection and enhancement. We note the biggest challenge facing our environment is the dominance of economic growth. We need policies that shift greter investment into doing good for the planet.
2. Below are two options for using biodiversity credits. Which do you agree with?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Credits should only be used to recognise positive actions to support biodiversity
Radio button:
Unticked
Credits should be used to recognise positive action to support biodiversity, and actions that avoid future decreases in biodiversity
Please explain your answer here.
A bit unsure about which option. Have chosen option 1 on the basis, that addressing existing degradation should be the focus. Avoiding future decreases assumes some action is taking place (i.e. a new development, land use change) that needs to mitigated. We are of the view that the regulatory system should ensure new development does not contribute to biodiversity decline. If we believe the regulatory system is inadequate, then we'd be supportive of option 2.
3. Which scope do you prefer for a biodiversity credit system?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Unticked
Focus on terrestrial (land) environments
Radio button:
Unticked
Extend from land to freshwater and estuaries (eg, wetland, estuarine restoration)
Radio button:
Ticked
Extend from land and freshwater to coastal marine environments (eg, seagrass restoration)
Please explain your answer here.
We might as well cover the full gambit. If not we will have to address excluded environments at some point in the future, so why not start with the end in mind.
4. Which scope do you prefer for land-based biodiversity credits?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Cover all land types, including both public and private land including whenua Māori
Radio button:
Unticked
Be limited to certain categories of land, for example, private land (including whenua Māori)
Please explain your answer here.
Similar rationale to question 3.
5. Which approach do you prefer for a biodiversity credit system?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Based primarily on outcome
Radio button:
Unticked
Based primarily on activities
Radio button:
Unticked
Based primarily on projects
Please explain your answer here.
Based primarily on outcome, however there should be some adcknowledgement of positive action/ projects.
6. Should there also be a requirement for the project or activity to apply for a specified period to generate credits?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Yes
Radio button:
Unticked
No
Please explain your answer here.
THis will give greater emphasis on understanding benefits created overtime, so we are supportive of longer time frames e.g. 25+years. The other rational is that environmental enhancement often takes years before we see major benefits.
7. Should biodiversity credits be awarded for increasing legal protection of areas of indigenous biodiversity?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Yes
Radio button:
Unticked
No
Please explain your answer here.
Absolutely. This will acknolwedge historical positive environmental activity. This would aslo be useful to whenua maori entities with Whenua Rahui in place.
8. Should biodiversity credits be able to be used to offset development impacts as part of resource management processes, provided they meet the requirements of both the BCS system and regulatory requirements?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Yes
Radio button:
Unticked
No
Section 2: Why do we need a biodiversity credit system?
9. Do you think a biodiversity credit system will attract investment to support indigenous biodiversity in New Zealand?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Yes
Radio button:
Unticked
No
Please explain your answer here.
Yes, but unsure of scale. THe value proposition to those funding credits needs to be clear, this may require some regulatory component to greater incentivise investment in credits.
10. What do you consider the most important outcomes a New Zealand biodiversity credit system should aim for?
Please explain your answer here.
This is a big question. Perhaps a sliding scale based on degree of degradation, extinction status of species etc. The downside of this however is that not all land owners have an a clear understanding of the degree of degradation on their land or species present. TO make it fair, funding should be provided for assessments of landblocks or wider areas to understand this.
11. What are the main activities or outcomes that a biodiversity credit system for New Zealand should support?
Please explain your answer here.
Activities that we know improve biodiversity and contribute to related environemtnal outcomes. E.g. improved forest diversity is likely to improve water quality in surrounding waterways.
Section 3: How should we design and implement a biodiversity credit system?
12. Of the following principles, which do you consider should be the top four to underpin a New Zealand biodiversity credit system?
| Principle 1 – Permanent or long-term (eg, 25-year) impact 1 Radio button: Checked 1 | Principle 1 – Permanent or long-term (eg, 25-year) impact 2 Radio button: Not checked 2 | Principle 1 – Permanent or long-term (eg, 25-year) impact 3 Radio button: Not checked 3 | Principle 1 – Permanent or long-term (eg, 25-year) impact 4 Radio button: Not checked 4 |
| Principle 2 – Transparent and verifiable claims 1 Radio button: Not checked 1 | Principle 2 – Transparent and verifiable claims 2 Radio button: Not checked 2 | Principle 2 – Transparent and verifiable claims 3 Radio button: Checked 3 | Principle 2 – Transparent and verifiable claims 4 Radio button: Not checked 4 |
| Principle 3 – Robust, with measures to prevent abuse of the system 1 Radio button: Not checked 1 | Principle 3 – Robust, with measures to prevent abuse of the system 2 Radio button: Not checked 2 | Principle 3 – Robust, with measures to prevent abuse of the system 3 Radio button: Not checked 3 | Principle 3 – Robust, with measures to prevent abuse of the system 4 Radio button: Checked 4 |
| Principle 4 – Reward nature-positive additional activities 1 Radio button: Not checked 1 | Principle 4 – Reward nature-positive additional activities 2 Radio button: Not checked 2 | Principle 4 – Reward nature-positive additional activities 3 Radio button: Not checked 3 | Principle 4 – Reward nature-positive additional activities 4 Radio button: Not checked 4 |
| Principle 5 – Complement domestic and international action 1 Radio button: Not checked 1 | Principle 5 – Complement domestic and international action 2 Radio button: Not checked 2 | Principle 5 – Complement domestic and international action 3 Radio button: Not checked 3 | Principle 5 – Complement domestic and international action 4 Radio button: Not checked 4 |
| Principle 6 – No double-counting, and clear rules about the claims that investors can make 1 Radio button: Not checked 1 | Principle 6 – No double-counting, and clear rules about the claims that investors can make 2 Radio button: Not checked 2 | Principle 6 – No double-counting, and clear rules about the claims that investors can make 3 Radio button: Not checked 3 | Principle 6 – No double-counting, and clear rules about the claims that investors can make 4 Radio button: Not checked 4 |
| Principle 7 – Maximise positive impact on biodiversity 1 Radio button: Not checked 1 | Principle 7 – Maximise positive impact on biodiversity 2 Radio button: Checked 2 | Principle 7 – Maximise positive impact on biodiversity 3 Radio button: Not checked 3 | Principle 7 – Maximise positive impact on biodiversity 4 Radio button: Not checked 4 |
13. Have we missed any other important principles?
Please explain your answer here.
Potentiallly a principle that acknowledges past positive action. This is very relevant for iwi, who have already taken action or chosen not to develop land because of potential negative impacts on the environment.
14. What assurance would you need to participate in a market, either as a landholder looking after biodiversity or as a potential purchaser of a biodiversity credit?
Please explain your answer here.
Integrity of the system.
15. What do you see as the benefits and risks for a biodiversity credit market not being regulated at all?
Please explain your answer here.
Potential for abuse if not regulated. If we believe in this approach, it should be reflected in Aotearoa's legislation and regulatory settings.
16. To have the most impact in attracting people to the market, which component(s) should the Government be involved in?
Please select all that apply
Checkbox:
Unticked
Project provision
Checkbox:
Ticked
Quantification of activities or outcomes
Checkbox:
Ticked
Monitoring measurement and reporting
Checkbox:
Ticked
Verification of claims
Checkbox:
Ticked
Operation of the market and registry
Checkbox:
Unticked
Investing in credits.
Please explain your answer here.
Government should manage the integrity of the system and only provide support to attract projects and investors.
17. In which areas of a biodiversity credit system would government involvement be most likely to stifle a market?
Please explain your answer here.
Price setting being politically driven. Price setting should be a result of market factors (that should be influenced by other government functions/ legislation).
18. Should the Government play a role in focusing market investment towards particular activities and outcomes?
If yes, why? Please explain your answer here.
Possibly - can see value in government focusing investment on priority issues. The downside is those with priority issues don't buy in/ support the system. There are also issues around defining priority, as this can differ in an iwi/hapu context.
19. On a scale of 1, not relevant, to 5, being critical, should a New Zealand biodiversity credit system seek to align with international systems and frameworks?
| Should a New Zealand biodiversity credit system seek to align with international systems and frameworks? 1 - not relevant Radio button: Not checked 1 - not relevant | Should a New Zealand biodiversity credit system seek to align with international systems and frameworks? 2 Radio button: Not checked 2 | Should a New Zealand biodiversity credit system seek to align with international systems and frameworks? 3 Radio button: Not checked 3 | Should a New Zealand biodiversity credit system seek to align with international systems and frameworks? 4 Radio button: Checked 4 | Should a New Zealand biodiversity credit system seek to align with international systems and frameworks? 5 - is critical Radio button: Not checked 5 - is critical |
Please explain your answer here.
I see value in alignment in the sense that we may be able to attract international investors to our credit system
20. Should the Government work with private sector providers to pilot biodiversity credit system(s) in different regions, to test the concept?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Yes
Radio button:
Unticked
No
If you support this work, which regions and providers do you suggest? Please explain your answer here.
Bay of Plenty. I believe this is probably the most advanced area in Aotearoa in terms of iwi/ hapu involvement in environmental regulatory systems.
Section 4: How a biodiversity credit system could complement the wider system
21. What is your preference for how a biodiversity credit system should work alongside the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme or voluntary carbon markets?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Unticked
Little/no interaction: biodiversity credit system focuses purely on biodiversity, and carbon storage benefits are a bonus
Radio button:
Ticked
Some interaction: biodiversity credits should be recognised alongside carbon benefits on the same land, via both systems, where appropriate
Radio button:
Unticked
High interaction: rigid biodiversity ‘standards’ are set for nature-generated carbon credits and built into carbon markets, so that investors can have confidence in ‘biodiversity positive’ carbon credits
Please explain your answer here.
Think it makes sense for the systems to interact. But we should learn from some of the issues we've experienced with NZUs, e.g. govt policy signal significantly influence NZU price.
22. Should a biodiversity credit system complement the resource management system?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Yes
Radio button:
Unticked
No
23. Should a biodiversity credit system support land-use reform?
Please select one item
Radio button:
Ticked
Yes
Radio button:
Unticked
No
Please explain your answer here.
Absolutely.
Provide general feedback
Any general feedback on the consultation
Add your comments, ideas, and feedback here
We are very supportive of the concept and would like to be involved in future consultation on this kaupapa.