Writing in the New Zealand Herald, Jamie Morton highlights new research from the University of Waikato detailing a lack of follow-through on “ecological compensation” agreed on as part of a resource consent application under the Resource Management Act.
Green promises are often not met
Research finds property owners failing to implement more than 35 per cent of environmental undertakings
A “troubling” new study has suggested that a third of resource consent holders are breaking environmental promises, with agriculture operations proving the worst offenders.
The study by a University of Waikato researcher and former compliance officer has prompted calls for authorities to crack down on environmental monitoring efforts.
In the first of three papers, Marie Brown assessed how pre-agreed “ecological compensation” was being met across 245 conditions in 81 different resource consents granted across the country.
Her study found just over 35 per cent of these requirements were not being met, with agriculture turning in the worst results by far out of all activity types surveyed.
Ms Brown said ecological compensation was separate to simply minimising environmental effects caused by a consented activity.