NZ stars in environment study, Greens unimpressed

An international report that rates New Zealand as leading the world in environmental performance is narrow and flawed, Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says.

The 2006 Environmental Environment Index, a nation-by-nation study jointly produced by Yale and Columbia Universities, showed that just six nations -- led by New Zealand -- had achieved 85 per cent or better success in meeting critical environment goals.

Those goals included low ozone levels, clean drinking water, low greenhouse gas emissions and sustainable fisheries.

But Ms Fitzsimons said the result was based on a narrow evaluation and did not reflect the true picture.

"You would expect New Zealand to do well on child mortality, safe drinking water and sanitation -- we have been a developed country in these respects for all of my lifetime," Ms Fitzsimons said.

But she said the authors had not measured levels of exposure to toxic chemicals, handling of waste, or loss of ecosystems and species. "Like the fact that we have drained 90 per cent of our wetlands, or that we have more native birds threatened with extinction than any other country."

New Zealand had received poor scores in regard to overfishing (33/100) and renewable energy (35/100), but appeared green because other countries had scored even worse, she said.

In regard to greenhouse gas emissions, the study only measured carbon dioxide, when a substantial portion of New Zealand's emissions were from methane.

The Government has said the study shows its environmental policies are on the the right track. Environment Minister David Benson-Pope said he was pleased by the report but New Zealand had to watch it did not become complacent.

He said: "While New Zealand scored highly on many factors, there is still clearly room for improvement."

Ms Fitzsimons said the report singled out New Zealand's management of productive resources, such as soils, fish and freshwater, as having room for improvement.

The New York Times released details of the 2006 report, due to be formally issued during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, later this week.

Five northern European countries trailed New Zealand, while Australia ranked 20th and the United States 28th.

In the 2005 report, Finland, Norway, Uruguay, Sweden, Iceland and Canada occupied the top six spots, with Australia 13th and New Zealand rated 14th.

The bottom half of the rankings in the 2006 report is largely filled with the countries of Africa and Central and South Asia.

- NZPA