Address to the Geoscience Society of New Zealand Annual Conference 2025
Sunrise on Tongariro National Park from Taranaki Maunga. Photo by Geoffroy Lamarche
The Commissioner emphasised the importance and fundamental contribution that earth sciences make to both national safety and the economy in his address to the Geoscience Society of New Zealand Annual Conference.
The Commissioner considers environmental research to be the most important building block of our environmental management system. Referencing that policy decisions should draw on scientific knowledge and data he examined current, significant changes to public research funding.
“The adequacy of the investment made in environmental science broadly defined is of critical national importance. As a remote economy heavily dependent on natural resources, we ignore the importance of environmental research at our peril. Indeed, the Government faces huge fiscal risks if we get this wrong,” he said.
New Zealand’s environmental management capability rests on a small human research capability.
“A transparent funding system must track and value the researchers themselves and track how reforms affect staffing, career stability, and inter-generational capability in environmental domains.”
The Commissioner will monitor the new public research funding allocation system and its impact on our ability to manage environmental challenges.