Sustainability at a crossroads

Media Release
October 12, 2009

Sustainability at a crossroads

New Zealand’s 100% Pure image – crucial for our tourism, food and beverage exports -- could be under threat if we can’t demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability. Yet with the economic downturn, sustainability is at a crossroads as different interest groups debate whether economic growth should take priority over environmental and social well-being.

A University of Waikato research project looking at this topic has been awarded a prestigious Marsden grant, worth $773,000 over three years, in the Royal Academy of New Zealand’s latest funding round.

Sustainability researchers Professor Juliet Roper and Dr Eva Collins of Waikato Management School will lead the project, working with Professor George Cheney from the University of Utah and Professor Michael Stohl from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

“New Zealand presents a unique case study of the politicisation of sustainable development,” says Prof Roper. “Our research aims to understand how policy makers, media and business leaders think about, frame and prioritise environmental, social and economic sustainability issues, and with what consequences.”

The researchers say the project moves beyond looking at the business case of ‘doing well by doing good’ to how governments and business can negotiate within a new paradigm. “This is hugely important to New Zealand,” says Prof Roper. “Understanding the debates over sustainability with and between New Zealand’s public and private sectors will inform understand and shaping of policy discussions on the global stage.”

The project is one of four University of Waikato research projects to win Marsden funding worth a total of $2.5 million. The others will focus on Maori tangihanga, the differing agendas in the healthy food debate, and technology and sustainable citizenship.

ENDS