Adequate to good – that’s what New Zealanders perceive the current state of New Zealand’s environment to be.

This is one of the notable findings from the 2022 New Zealand Environmental Perceptions Survey that was released today. The findings show that how we perceive our environment overall is significantly better now than in 2016.

The survey also answers questions about what people think are the main pressures on the health of our air, land and water. It provides a rich data source to supplement biophysical data about how our environment is actually faring.

The EPS was conducted by researchers from Lincoln University biennially from 2000 to 2010 and then triennially from 2010 to 2019. The 2022 survey was undertaken by Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research in partnership with the original researchers.

The findings highlight the concern New Zealanders have for the pressure sewage and storm water have on coastal water and beaches, and how weeds and pests are the biggest threat to protected natural areas, wetlands, native bush and terrestrial animals.

Researchers were able to identify key trends that have emerged since the 2010 survey. While the perceived state of air, natural environments in towns and cities, rivers and lakes, wetlands, and native bush and forests improved significantly since 2010, how people think the environment is being managed has stayed the same.

Manaaki Whenua co-lead researcher Pamela Booth says while there was some disconnect between perceptions and the actual state of the environment, people were happy to take an active role in improving their environment. “Respondents were increasingly aware of how intensive development and urbanisation activities put pressure on the environment and they were willing to actively engage in mitigating some of these pressures by, for example, recycling and growing their own vegetables,” she says.

Other findings included:

• Re-cycling household waste was the most popular pro-environmental activity in 2022, but on the whole participation rates for environmental activities have dropped.
• Climate change was identified as the most important issue facing New Zealand by respondents in 2022. This is a change from all previous surveys, when freshwater was considered the most important issue facing New Zealand.
• At least half of respondents across all regions believe farmers are doing at least an adequate job looking after the environment.

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