oecd new zealands green image under threat
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

OECD: New Zealand's 'green' image under threat

Egypt Today, egypt today

oecd new zealands green image under threat

Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu, with the Remarkables mountain range in the background
Wellington - AFP

New Zealand's strong economic growth is placing strains on the environment that threaten to undermine its "clean, green" reputation, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned Tuesday.

The South Pacific nation has long marketed itself internationally as "100 percent pure" and is undergoing a tourism boom as visitors flock to see the spectacular scenery featured in films such as "The Hobbit" trilogy.

But an OECD report said the environment was paying the price for growth in the farm-reliant economy, which is currently among the strongest in the developed world at more than 3.0 percent.

It said intensive dairy farming had left many rivers with elevated nitrogen levels, making them vulnerable to algal blooms.

The report, the result of a once-in-a-decade review, also noted that New Zealand had one of the worst rates of species extinction in the world.

In addition, per capita greenhouse gas emissions were the fifth highest in the OECD and rising, while emissions in most other countries were on the decline.

The report said government plans to double agricultural exports by 2025 were set to worsen the problems.

"New Zealand's growth model has begun to show its environmental limits, with increased greenhouse gas emissions and waste generation, freshwater contamination and threats to biodiversity," the report said.

"This may indicate that New Zealand's strong growth has come partly at the expense of environmental quality, a dynamic that puts the country's 'green' reputation at risk."

It recommended Wellington strengthen its emission trading scheme and expand it to agriculture, which is currently exempted even though it accounts for half of the country's emissions.

Environment Minister Nick Smith welcomed the report and said the government was already working on many of the issues it raised.

"This environmental report card will help us sharpen our future direction and environmental aspirations, as well as learn from the experiences of other countries," he said.

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

oecd new zealands green image under threat oecd new zealands green image under threat



GMT 00:19 2012 Sunday ,19 February

Sky extends rugby league contract

GMT 12:34 2012 Tuesday ,07 February

New Kurdish satellite TV station goes on air

GMT 06:29 2014 Sunday ,31 August

Finally, Apple’s iWatch coming in September

GMT 04:51 2017 Thursday ,13 April

Huda Kattan among top 10 beauty influencers

GMT 08:47 2011 Monday ,25 July

Uncle Sam wants psychiatrists

GMT 09:51 2019 Monday ,19 August

Live a frustrating atmosphere in your career

GMT 19:15 2012 Monday ,20 February

Sound of music for Sky News Arabia

GMT 23:28 2012 Saturday ,25 February

Al Jazeera crowned RTS news channel of the year

GMT 09:09 2012 Friday ,13 July

Supreme Court warns Pak prime minister

GMT 19:14 2017 Monday ,06 February

Earthquake Hits Areas in Iran's Khuzestan

GMT 04:45 2017 Monday ,06 February

Chazelle wins top DGA prize for ‘La La Land’

GMT 08:18 2016 Wednesday ,03 February

Syria's war-pummelled textile industry

GMT 21:09 2016 Wednesday ,01 June

Suspected US troops attack Al Shabaab in Somalia

GMT 18:03 2015 Monday ,09 February

GCC assistant secretary-general meets Swiss official

GMT 09:27 2017 Saturday ,30 December

Cyprus president among nine candidates

GMT 02:02 2012 Friday ,10 August

Potato juice treat stomach ulcers

GMT 12:43 2013 Monday ,03 June

Mays Hamdan works on new song

GMT 06:11 2015 Thursday ,22 October

Comedian Chris Rock to host Oscars again
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday