NZ conservation efforts succeed on land, fail in oceans - report

BirdLife data shows it's about 65 per cent likely that the extinction of New Zealand's orange-fronted parakeet has been prevented by conservation actions in the last 10 years. Photo / Supplied

New Zealand has been singled out for its conservation leadership in a new global report that's painted a sorry picture of efforts elsewhere.

But the country has still fallen short on 2020 targets to protect its large and unique marine environment.

The Aichi targets were set in 2010 at a meeting of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Japan.

The BirdLife International report uses data about birds to report on 18 of the 20 targets, concluding that birds around the world continue to decline and face extinction.

"The report shows the world has failed to meet biodiversity targets, but this is not a reason to give up," said Kevin Hackwell of Forest & Bird, Bird Life's official partner organisation in New Zealand.

"There are many reasons for hope in this report, including the incredible leadership from New Zealand on efforts to tackle invasive species."

Invasive alien species like rats and cats pose a threat to one-third of the world's threatened species, including 49 per cent of threatened island species.

"This report acknowledges New Zealand's work on the international target of tackling invasive alien species. New Zealand has successfully eradicated introduced mammals from over 100 offshore islands," Hackwell said.

New Zealand's orange-fronted parakeet - kākāriki karaka or Malherbe's Parakeet - is also highlighted in the report.

BirdLife data shows it's about 65 per cent likely that their extinction has been prevented by conservation actions in the last ten years.

"New Zealand is particularly good at using conservation efforts to save species on the brink of extinction," Hackwell said.

"However, we're not so good at reducing the direct pressures that put birds and other species at risk in the first place.

"We need to reverse the trends like continued wetland clearance, unsustainable fisheries, and freshwater pollution in New Zealand."

"New Zealand's National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity and improved freshwater rules will go some way to achieving this if they are successfully implemented."

On other targets, New Zealand has underperformed. For example, target 11 calls for 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas to be protected, but less than 1 per cent of New Zealand's oceans are protected areas.

"This is one of many reports that show nature is in big trouble world-wide. We really need the next government to put nature at the heart of everything we do in New Zealand so we can meet our international targets and save our amazing wildlife."