New Zealand, like other countries, is considering what kind of economic stimulus package, and other measures, can best respond to the global economic recession and soften its impact, especially on jobs. Such issues are the focus of Professor Robert Costanza's current work.

The October 2009 ANZSEE conference will also tackle this issue of how ecological economics can help provide both economic and sustainability solutions in the wake of the global financial crisis.

Distinguished Visiting Fellow with NZCEE, Professor Robert Costanza has conducted a number of very popular presentations during his time with NZCEE, recently.
See our NEWSFLASH section for the presentations. Here are links to 'earth-at-night' movie, and 'global NPP' shown during Prof Costanza's presentations
(please note: they are large files).

Please also see the presentations given alongside Prof Costanza in Wellington on 13 March by Dr Marjan van den Belt of NZCEE and Ida Kubiszewski. An article in the Evening Standard based on an interview with Prof Costanza can be found here. Prof Costanza's Radio NZ feature interview with Kathryn Ryan on 15 April 09 is also available (MP3).

Prof Costanza is one of the world's leading ecological economists, with a PhD in both systems ecology and economics. He is co-founder and past-president of the International Society for Ecological Economics and founding editor of the society's journal; and Gund Professor of Ecological Economics and Director of the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont. He is the author or co-author of over 350 scientific papers.

Joint Massey and University of Vermont USA course on Ecosystem Services,
proposed for January 2011.
Co-taught with Prof Robert Costanza.
More information here.

NZCEE is pleased to congratulate the
successful scholarship applicants in the
'Enhancing and Sustaining Ecosystems within the Ngāti Raukawa rohe' FRST research programme.

NZCEE was very impressed with the quality of the applicants and is priviledged to be able to support Māori research capability development in this way.

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NZCEE is currently awaiting the outcome of FRST funding applications, including proposed hapu-led research about coastal ecosystem restoration for iwi. Scholarships may be available for research-based tertiary study in this area, as well as in areas related to "Mediated Modelling", "Ecological Economics", and "Energy Demand Modelling".

Watch this space for more details.

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Other PostGrad Scholarships available through Massey University can be found here

Other scholarships available through the Foundation for Research Science and Technology can be found here

This section of our new website will feature topical issues of relevance to the research we do here at NZCEE, including links to news stories in the media, latest research findings, and topics open for discussion.
WATCH THIS SPACE! It will be updated regularly.

CURRENT TOPICAL ISSUES:

"Shared responsibility"
for environmental impacts of production
by producers and consumers.

NZCEE researchers, Robbie Andrew and Vicky Forgie, use input–output analysis to apply shared, producer and consumer responsibility perspectives to New Zealand’s domestic greenhouse gas emissions. Main findings from the shared responsibility approach are that New Zealand producers are responsible for 44% of domestic emissions, New Zealand consumers take 28%, and 27% are exported.

The full article can be accessed at 'Read more...' below.

RICH COUNTRIES' INVISIBLE EMISSIONS

Almost half of the emission increase in China is due to production of exports, most of it to western countries, according to a new report (24/02/09). Chinese CO2 emissions increased by 45 percent from 2002 to 2005. Half of the increase was due to export production, 60 percent of which was exported to western countries. Electronic commodities and metals are important products. Only 7 percent of the emissions increase was triggered through househould consumption in China, the researchers from the University of Cambridge, CICERO, Carnegie Mellon University, and University of Leeds found.

NZCEE's Robbie Andrew and James Lennox will be visiting Dr Glen Peters of CICERO in July to further develop existing multiregional input-output models. Proposed developments include the use of newer international databases, improved estimation of emissions from international transportation, robust balancing, and work on conceptual issues.