OECD report shows now is time for action over water quality

An OECD report released today shows there is no room for complacency over our water quality in New Zealand, the Green Party said today.

The OECD report, entitled Water Quality and Agriculture: Meeting the Policy Challenge, said that the quality of New Zealand’s lowland rivers and streams is of concern. The report also had several key messages for countries about how to improve water quality, for example, removing perverse support for agriculture such as policies that raise producer prices or subsidise input use.

“The OECD report highlights the folly of the Government’s decision to subsidise irrigation schemes,” said Green Party water spokesperson Eugenie Sage.

“Irrigation schemes will only lead to further land use intensification and more pollution, and pollution is costly.”

The OECD report concluded that, “The overall economic, environmental and social costs of water pollution caused by agriculture across OECD counties are likely to exceed billions of dollars annually.”

“The National Government is spending millions of dollars of public money in trying to clean up waterways but failing to control further agricultural intensification – the source of the problem,” said Ms Sage.

“The recent water clean-up grants of $8 million from the Fresh Start for Freshwater Fund and earlier grants to Te Waihora/ Lake Ellesmere risk being wasted if cow numbers in sensitive catchments are not controlled.
“The Government must stop simultaneously subsidising pollution and pollution clean-up and focus on preventing environmental damage from happening in the first place.

“The Green Party looks forward to the Land and Water Forum recommending strong water quality standards. We need to restore our lowland streams to a state where they are fishable, swimmable and suitable for harvesting kai,” Ms Sage said.

The Land and Water Forum is a collaborative governance process involving farming, environmental and other interests. The Forum is due to give recommendations to the Minister by the end of the month.

References:
OECD report: http://www.oecd.org/document/55/0,3746,en_2649_37401_44753399_1_1_1_37401,00.html