ECO - Environment and Conservation Organisation of Aotearoa New Zealand

ECO Conference 2012

Environmental Responsibility:

Leadership, Inclusion and Good Governance

___________________________________________________________________

Amongst the questions considered at this year's ECO Conference were:

How responsible is New Zealand on the environment? Is it showing leadership, good governance and inclusiveness? How are the environment and the community being considered and treated in recent law and policy?

What are the new developments in international environmental law? What is the emerging thinking on ecocide and the Aarhus Convention. What positions does New Zealand take these days and how does it measure up to international standards?

What's happened at the Rio+20 international meeting and the what will happen at the IUCN Congress late this year and how is ECO involved?

What was the recommendations on the Waitangi Tribunal on Wai262? What are the changes to the Resource Management Act and the management of the Exclusive Economic Zone and the Continental Shelf? Can the measures and systems cope with further oil exploration?

What about the protection of Antarctica and the Ross Sea?

Two workshops that were held on the Sunday:

GIS Community driven mapping and data use - this will involve practical application
Thanks to Victoria University School of Geography, Environment, and Earth Sciences and the Wellington City Council.
Joining the Antarctic legacy: practival steps towards the World's largest network of marine reserves. Thanks to the Antarctic Oceans Alliance.

______________________________________________________________________________

Friday 6 to Sunday 8 July - Wellington

Programme Outline (download brochure here)

Day 1 Friday 6 July - Salvation Army Citadel, 8 Jessie Street, Wellington

8.30am   Registration
9.00am    Mihi Whakatau - Morrie Love, Te Atiawa
10.00am    Welcome and Introduction - Cath Wallace ECO, Co-Chairperson

10.15am    Session 1: International Developments in Environmental Responsibility
   Environmental Responsibility and Law - Cathy Iorns, Law School, Victoria University
   The Aarhus Convention - Duncan Currie, Globelaw
    Charter of Universal Responsibility - Betsan Martin, RESPONSE, ECO
   Rio+20, IUCN, Planetary Boundaries - Diana Shand, IUCN NZ,
       ECO

12.30pm Lunch

1.30pm    Session 2: Due Process in Policy and Law
   Democratic Process and Constitutional Law - Prof. Margaret Wilson, University of Waikato
   Use by Governments of Urgency in Parliament - Claudia Geiringer, Victoria University
    Local and Regional Governance, Maintaining Community Voice - Jenny Rowan, Mayor of Kapiti
    Civil Society in Policy and Process - Cath Wallace, ECO

4.00pm    Session 3: Antarctica - Protection of the Southern Ocean and the Ross Sea
   Antarctic Ocean Alliance - Geoff Keey, Antarctic Ocean Alliance
   Southern Ocean and Ross Sea - Barry Weeber, ECO

5.00pm Groups Expo and Presentations
6.15pm Dinner for registered conference attendees

7.15pm    Antarctic Ocean Alliance - the world’s largest network of marine reserves, protecting the Southern Ocean and Ross Sea - public presentation and clip of the Last Ocean film by Fisheye Films, with dessert, drinks and supper
   With thanks to our sponsors Antarctic Ocean Alliance for this evening session and to Peter Young, Last Ocean, Fisheye Films for providing the film
9:00pm   Close

Day 2 Saturday 7 July - Salvation Army Citadel, 8 Jessie Street, Wellington

9.00am   Session 4: Responsibility, Democracy and the Treaty
    Environmental Responsibility and WAI 262 - Morrie Love, Te Atiawa
   Bridges between Environmental Responsibility, Democracy and the Treaty - Catherine Delahunty, Green MP
   Environmental Responsibility and Governance - Betsan Martin, RESPONSE

10.30am Morning Tea/coffee

11.00am    Session 5: Responsible and Inclusive Resource Management
   RMA Reforms: Will they Improve Environmental Outcomes? - John Hassan, Chapman Tripp
   Responsible and Inclusive Environmental Management and Due Process - Maree Baker-Galloway, Anderson Lloyd
    Land and Water Forum - Barry Weeber, ECO

1.20pm ECO Member Groups Presentations

2.10pm ECO AGM

4.40pm   Session 6: Current Issues in Resource Management
    EEZ and Continental Shelf Act - Cath Wallace / Barry Weeber, ECO
   Minerals, Mining and the Crown Minerals Act Review and Programmes - Cath Wallace, ECO
   Discussion: Taking Forward Responsibility

7.30pm ECO 40th Anniversary celebration
9.00pm Close

Day 3 Sunday 8 July - Turnbull House, 11 Bowen Street, Wellington

8.00am Tree Planting ceremony at the Environmental Memorial Garden (part of Botanic Gardens) - Bolton Street.

10.00am Morning Tea and welcome for all workshop attendees - Turnbull House

10.30am   Workshops: repeated in the afternoon
   GIS: community driven mapping and data use
    Elise Smith, ECO
OR
   Joining the Antarctic Legacy: practical steps towards the world’s largest network of marine reserves
   Geoff Keey, Antarctic Ocean Alliance