Environmental Strategy
Protecting and enhancing our natural environment
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Context
3. Long-term direction
4. Three-year priorities
5. Strategy tree
Wellington City Council
July 2006
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1. Introduction
This Environmental Strategy is about protecting and enhancing our natural environment. It provides
a high-level statement of the Council’s long-term environmental intentions for Wellington, as well as
shorter-term priority areas for action.
Wellington’s natural environment is composed of many elements, such as air, climate, water, land,
soil and minerals, and plant and animal life. These elements support the social, economic, and
cultural well-being of the city by providing visitors, residents and businesses with a range of
resources, opportunities and benefits. Wellington also depends on the natural environment of other
places in New Zealand and the rest of the world to provide some resources that are not generated
locally.
All of these elements of the natural environment are under pressure in one way or another through
the effects of human activity. Without careful planning and strategic action, the long-term health of
Wellington’s natural environment is likely to suffer.
The Council already plays important roles in environmental protection and enhancement, along with
other agencies such as Greater Wellington, the Ministry for the Environment, the Department of
Conservation, and various non-governmental organisations. It has certain statutory responsibilities
and a range of other activities that it performs to achieve its desired outcomes. The Environmental
Strategy is designed to clarify and confirm Council’s roles regarding the natural environment in the
long-term and in the short-term.
The Environmental Strategy is based on the premise of sustainable development—that is, meeting
the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their needs. This requires a long-term, fut