Russel Norman is absolutely right to say that scientists must be free to perform their academic duty to report environmental degradation. But in talking about concerns raised by Massey University scientist Mike Joy, the Green Party co-leader should also have noted that any comments from academia should be fair and accurate. If not, they can expect to be the subject of well-warranted criticism. Such is the case with Dr Joy's comments about New Zealand's environmental record.
His remarks are included in a recent New York Times article that suggested this country's clean green image, represented by snow-capped mountains, clean rivers and pristine countryside, was false and misleading. Dr Joy told the newspaper that although this country promoted itself as "100 per cent Pure New Zealand", the reality came nowhere close to matching this. "We don't deserve 100 per cent Pure, we are nowhere near the best in the world, we are not even in the top half of countries in the world when it comes to clean and green," he said.
Dr Joy has half a point. Some overseas tourists are doubtless nonplussed to be greeted by signs stating a river is unsafe for swimming. This is a much different experience to that suggested by the latest Tourism New Zealand campaign, which portrays this country as the real Middle-earth by using scenic imagery of green fields and people catching fish accompanied with a voice-over talking about "a place that will forever keep you under its spell". But the reality of New Zealand is also a long way from the bottom half of the countries of the world in terms of pristine environments. Whatever its deficiencies, it is nonsensical to place this country in the company of the world's more polluted nations.
Dr Joy may suggest he is exaggerating for effect, so as to galvanise action to safeguard what he believes will soon be this country's only marketing edge. But such overstatement is the stuff of advertising, not academic observation. Unfortunately, Dr Joy is also making something of a habit of this practice. In an Opinion article in the Herald in April last year, he exclaimed that "far from being 100 per cent pure, natural, clean, or even green, the real truth is we are an environmental/biodiversity catastrophe". This implies a situation where there is great damage or suffering. On no account could that be considered close to reality.
This practice might not matter much if it was not for the fact that it can be picked up by the international media. The "catastrophe" article was used a couple of months after its publication by BBC journalist Stephen Sackur when he interviewed John Key on the television programme Hardtalk.
