39215 (2025). Camilla Belich to the Minister for the Environment

39215 (2025). Camilla Belich to the Minister for the Environment: What pilot programmes, if any, have been initiated by any departments or agencies for which the Minister is responsible since 27 November 2023, and what were their commencement dates, durations, funding sources and amounts, objectives, and current status?

Hon Penny Simmonds: Since 27 November 2023, the Ministry for the Environment has initiated two pilots with the same objective as noted below. Commencement date: March 2025. Duration: Ongoing. Pilots are due to finish by June 2026. Funding sources: Vote Environment Amounts: $5,000 provided to Waiotahe Catchment Collective and $10,000 to Thriving Southland. Objective: Research into ongoing collection of local environmental monitoring data on the quality of freshwater and how this is changing. Current status: In progress. The Ministry for the Environment has also provided funding to external organisations that in some cases has funded pilot projects. These projects include work within the Environment and Climate portfolio led by my colleague Hon Simon Watts. Examples of the type of pilots funded under these arrangements are projects that have received funding as part of the Māori Climate Platform, see https://environment.govt.nz/news/marae-funded-for-climate-resilience-pilot-project/, and those funded as part of the Voluntary nature credits programme, see: https://environment.govt.nz/what-government-is-doing/areas-of-work/biodiversity/voluntary-nature-credits-market-in-new-zealand/ The Environmental Protection Authority has not initiated any pilot programmes since 27 November 2023.