Around the World in 80+ min with HIA in the Energy Sector - Session I, Presentation 3

Health and energy resource development in New Zealand

 

No seperate HIA for projects.

Integrated within EIS process

• Well established
• Social determinant perspective less well developed
• Health often implicit diffuse with IA reports

Use of standalone HIAs for plans and planning strategies.

 

Ministry of Health guidance released this year: "Planning for Wellbeing and Health"

• Aim is to build a case for bringing health into planning.
  

 

But:

• Economic pressures: Government keen to promote growth
• Energy pressures: Government keen for companies to develop new energy sources especially fossil fuel sources such as coal and offshore oil and gas; easing regulations around licensing.

New EEZ environmental management bill:

• Health focus will be explicit but only those due to environment effects.

Local Government Act:

• Broad framework to guide local government role currently.
• Proposal to change their role to simply that of local service delivery agents.

Resource Management Act:

• Looking to boost the economic focus of the Act.

Net Effect?

• Few opportunities to conduct HIAs
• Where it is carried out then the focus will be on environmental health aspects
• Prioritise short term aspects and economic gains
• Likely to weaken the progress of HIA embedding.

One Step Forward, One Step Back?

• Changes threaten to overshadow MoH work to encourage HIA.
• Need to maintain pressure on developers via health profession, NGOs, public.
• Industry guidance could be a useful lever with local companies (ICMM).