The RPS has been effective in providing for the integrated management of the natural and physical resources of Northland. The Region has three regional planning documents and each district council has prepared a district plan. Management of the coast and particularly the arbitrary boundary of the coastal marine area has had significant attention as well as more fluid resources such as air quality and water quality. Northland has good air quality, significant areas of indigenous vegetation, areas of outstanding landscape and natural character, pristine water ways and a highly valued coastline. Overall, we have retained an environment that Northlanders value and are proud of.
We have made significant progress and we have learnt a huge amount about how our natural environment works. This has naturally led us to want to raise the bar even higher in the 2nd Generation RPS.
Whilst it is too early to define the scope and structure of the 2nd Generation RPS, experience with the RPS has highlighted its focus on environmental protection, whereas the 2nd Generation RPS is expected to provide a balanced view of economic, environmental and infrastructure priorities – sustainable management of an all encompassing "environment".
Areas that are working well
Generally, air quality in Northland is very good. Provisions in the air quality section have worked well and this section is considered to be effective as a large number of the previously identified issues have been incorporated into the Regional Air Quality Plan. The implementation of the Regional Air Quality Plan is considered to be effectively managing air quality in Northland.
The Waste Management section is working well and the existing policy framework remains largely relevant.
The policy framework in the Hazardous Substances chapter is also considered to be working well. Although the chapter needs to be updated to reflect HSNO legislation, most of the methods of implementation have been actively implemented. The NRC also plays an important role with regards to providing a public drop-off and collection service for hazardous substances and carrying out safe and correct storage and disposal.
The majority of the transport section has been implemented and the existing provisions are considered to have been reasonably effective but they are limited to the environmental effects of transport activity – particularly noise. There is a need to promote integrated transport solutions and ensure alignment of the RPS with the Regional Land Transport Strategy.
Areas for improvement
Other sections of the RPS were well written but have not been as effective as originally intended. A number of these sections relied on the approach being developed through district and regional plans and this has been done to varying degrees of success. The RPS also became somewhat overshadowed by the preparation and implementation of regional and district plans, and lost some of its primacy.
The review has identified that some sections, particularly the Water Quality and Quantity, Natural Hazards, Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes, and Soil Conservation and Land Management sections have not been as effective as originally desired. Despite this, there have been elements of each resource policy area that has worked well.
Monitoring and Review of the RPS has only been moderately effective, due to limited resourcing and a lack of implementation of the objectives and policies. A co-ordinated monitoring approach has not been achieved and has resulted in a limited ability to link the State of the Environment information with the anticipated environmental results of the RPS. Overall, this section has not been effective as it has generally repeated the requirements of the RMA and has not provided for integrated or co-ordinated monitoring specific to the Northland region. In addition, the vast majority of Environmental Results Anticipated in the RPS are aspirational and difficult to measure, which makes it difficult to complete the plan-monitor-review cycle. There will be a need to ensure that Environmental Results Anticipated in the next RPS are quantifiable/measurable, which will enable the NRC to complete the plan-monitor-review cycle.
As development in the region has intensified since the RPS was adopted, the Water Quality section does not adequately address the increasing rate and scale of subdivision and development throughout the region, particularly in regard to effluent disposal, stormwater management, and cumulative effects on the environment.
Going forward, a more holistic approach should be adopted for the efficient and effective management of water quality. This should involve a more proactive focus on managing the appropriateness of the land use activity in the first place rather than reactively trying to manage the effects of land use decisions on water quality.
In relation to water quantity, a comprehensive sustainable water allocation regime has not been realised and the inter-relationships between surface and groundwater were not adequately recognised. Further, the cumulative impacts of changes in land-uses on water resources have not been well managed. The NRC has recognised these challenges and is currently developing a sustainable water allocation regime; committed to through the LTCCP.
The Natural Hazards section needed to provide clearer guidance on when subdivision use and development is not appropriate in relation to natural hazards – particularly flooding and coastal erosion hazards. The integrated management approach is supported and should be enhanced if possible. The RPS identified the lack of scientific information and directed the NRC to focus on this area. There is now considerably more ‘science' around natural hazard management in Northland, which the provisions in the next RPS will undoubtedly reflect.
The provisions in the Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes section are considered good but the section has not been overly effective because it has not been implemented through district plans. Consequently, due to the inconsistency in implementation across the region, it is likely that the 2nd Generation RPS will need to take a more directive role in providing for the protection of Northland's outstanding landscapes and outstanding natural features from inappropriate subdivision, use and development.
There is a need to prioritise areas for soil conservation and also investigate alternative methods for encouraging landowners to manage erosion.
Looking forward
A lot has changed in the 10 years since the RPS was made operative. Section 6 of the RMA now includes new matters of national importance relating to the protection of historic heritage from inappropriate subdivision, use and development, and the protection of recognised customary activities.
Amendments to section 7 (Other Matters) pick up on energy use, renewable energy and climate change. There is also one national policy statement (New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement) and three national environmental standards that have been developed since the RPS was adopted. The 2nd Generation RPS will need to ‘give effect' to national policy statements and observe any national environmental standards.
There are also changes to the functions of regional councils (s.30), which the RPS will need to take into account. These include: maintenance and enhancement of ecosystems in water bodies and coastal water, the investigation of land for the purposes of identifying and monitoring contaminated land, an allocation regime for the taking of water, the establishment of policies and methods for maintaining indigenous biodiversity and the strategic integration of infrastructure with land use through objectives, policies and methods.
Law changes and policy developments over the past decade mean a new RPS will be broader in scope. In particular, the requirement for district and regional plans to give effect to the new RPS elevates its status, and suggests it should be written in a completely different way. There is also considerably more appreciation now of the role a new RPS could play to drive the social, cultural, economic and environmental strategic objectives for the region.
New challenges have emerged or increased in importance, such as climate change genetically modified organisms and integrated infrastructure.
There are lessons to be learnt from the RPS, which include setting realistic goals and measurable outcomes (linked to the need for robust monitoring).
There are many aspects of the RPS that will still be relevant. However, as indicated in this 10 year review, there is a need for the 2nd Generation RPS to go above and beyond what the RPS has achieved. Acknowledging the need to include emerging issues and because of the legal and policy changes that have come into effect since the RPS was adopted, it is suggested that the 2nd Generation RPS could be significantly different to the operative RPS.
The current RPS has taken a narrow perspective of this broad and all encompassing definition of environment and this is an area that will be expanded in the 2nd Generation RPS particularly around the social and economic conditions.