Research Projects - An Overiew

NZCEE is involved in a number of research programmes related to 'sustainable development'. Broadly, our research can be categorised into the following areas:

• Sustainable urban systems ( i.e., research into how our cities and settlements can be sustainable)
  • Sustainable Pathways - this FRST-funded research enables cities and regions to better plan for Sustainable Development, by providing them with authoritative (and integrative) information on alternative future development scenarios available to New Zealand. This facilitates improved understanding by key stakeholders of the ‘interlinkages between the economic, social and environmental dimensions’ of Sustainable Development and how this is important in future planning for our cities and regions.
  • Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) - this FRST-funded research has constructed an alternative measure of "progress" for New Zealand. It makes adjustments to the personal consumption component of GDP for the social and environmental costs that occur as a consequence of normal economic activity.
  • Futuring - this FRST-funded research develops tools to make possible 'futuring'— the act of developing visions and long-term strategies. It involves developing and refining scenarios for a number of options based on currently available data. It is not about predicting the future but about determining the preferred option to work towards and allow for contingency plans to be prepared for all possible outcomes.
    
• Sustainable primary production (i.e., research into the environmental impact of primary production, e.g. agriculture, through measures such as the Ecological Footprint)
  • Ecological Footprint Plus - this FRST-funded research is compiling a detailed inventory of resource inputs and environmental pressures associated with food and fibre production in New Zealand. Sustainability indicators spanning environmental, social and economic dimensions and covering both the direct and indirect impacts of production are being developed within an input-output framework. These indicators provide a better understanding of the degree of sustainability of New Zealand's food and fibre sectors.
  • Ecolink - this is an integrated database that links economic activity to its environmental impact for the Auckland, Waikato and Northland regions.
    
• Carbon Embodied in Trade
  • This MAF-funded research will provide comprehensive and detailed estimates of greenhouse gases embodied in New Zealand’s traded goods.
• Iwi Ecosystem Services
  • This FRST-funded research is in the final case study phase, building on the knowledge and outcomes generated thus far in the project towards ecosystem restoration in the Ngāti Raukawa rohe.  The two case studies are: Exploring our role as kaitiaki on the Te Wānanga-o-Raukawa Ōtaki campus; and the Ngāti Tukorehe case study.
• Future Choices
  • Environment-Economy Futures Modelling for New Zealand Regions.
• Bioenergy Options for New Zealand
  • Scion contracted NZCEE and Landcare Research to carrying out life cycle assessments (LCAs) and life cycle costings (LCCs) for three different bioenergy resources as part of the Bioenergy Options for New Zealand project. LCAs and LCCs were completed for: Growing canola to convert to biodiesel; Using waste straw to produce heat or combined heat and power; Converting waste kiwifruit to biogas.
• Climate Change (i.e., research into the interaction between climate change variability and people)
  • CLINZI (climate's long-term impact on New Zealand infrastructure) - case studies were conducted in the Hamilton and Wellington Regions, and for Waitakere City Council
• Research History
  • People at NZCEE have many decades of collective experience in Ecological Economics-related research. Indeed, much of the current Ecological Economics research being undertaken in New Zealand has developed from earlier work pioneered by NZCEE staff or our associates
• PhD Research (i.e., research being conducted by students at NZCEE)
  • A number of students from New Zealand and overseas are currently doing PhD studies through NZCEE into a wide array of ecological economics-related subjects