Kia ora mai tatou – our New Zealand greeting July Contact:

Environmental Decision-Making & Environment Court of New Zealand Ms Marlene Oliver Environment Commissioner Environment Court of New Zealand ADB, Manila, July 2010 July Contact:

Decision-making steps Put simply, there are 3 steps in legal decision-making: fact/law/judgment Environmental decision-making, relates to the future and to uncertainty, and includes an extra step involving more value judgments than Courts are usually entrusted with: 1. fact-finding 2. the applicable law 3. risk predictions: assessing the probabilities of (adverse) effects/events and their consequences 4. overall assessment/judgment July Contact:

Is Environmental decision-making different? Ans: Yes & No Unlike other areas of judicial work, environmental decision-making is frequently required to look ahead by seeking to make an informed assessment of what will happen in the future The Court’s role remains constant – to hear and determine the issues at stake fairly and impartially. Principled assessment according to the law is the lodestar of judicial responsibility July Contact:

New Zealand – World context July Contact:

New Zealand - economy July Contact:

New Zealand Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) Single, integrated resource management statute relating to the use of land, water, air, energy and the coastal environment. Purpose is “ to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources.” July Contact:

New Zealand Courts High Court District Court Supreme Court Maori Land Maori Appellate Court EnvironmentEmployment Tribunals & Authorities Courts Martial Appeal Court Court of Appeal July Contact:

Environment Court of New Zealand History – planning appellate body for more than 50 years 1996 Specialist Court of Record - circuit court Principal Environment Judge, 7 Environment Judges, 13 Environment Commissioners (& pt-time members) Judges are also District Court Judges Commissioners - specialists in planning, sciences, engineering, surveying, landscape architecture, economics, Maori, etc Court’s “business” is multidisciplinary July Contact:

Active Case Management System 3 Case management tracks – standard, complex, parties’ hold Judicial Conferences Expert witness conferences – Joint Witness Statement (JWS): agreed facts, issues disputed and reasons. Environment Commissioners conduct. ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution)/mediation Hearings – inquiry, comparatively informal July Contact:

Environment Court-Annexed ADR and Mediation RMA empowers Court to arrange ADR and mediation – by agreement Environment Commissioners conduct ADR/mediations Practice Note – flexible procedures Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Draft consent order lodged with the Court July Contact:

Thank you. Kia ora. July Contact: