Aotearoa's 'Our Land 2024' Report: A Stark Warning on Ecosystem Degradation
Aotearoa New Zealand's latest environmental report, 'Our land 2024', has been released, painting a stark picture of the impact of human activities on the country's diverse ecosystems. The report, published by the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ, highlights the degradation of soils, waters, and indigenous forests due to land-use intensification.
The report underscores the crucial role nature plays in our livelihoods, economy, and wellbeing. It serves as a reminder that our relationship with the land is a defining characteristic of life in Aotearoa New Zealand. The choices we make about land management are central to improving outcomes for our freshwater and marine environments and mitigating climate change.
The report details how human activities, including changes in land use, pollution, climate change, and invasive species, place great pressure on terrestrial ecosystems. This has led to the degradation of soils and waters, and the clearance and fragmentation of indigenous forests. Despite these challenges, natural infrastructure continues to provide benefits for both the environment and human wellbeing, supporting primary production sectors and tourism.
The 'Our land 2024' report serves as a wake-up call, emphasizing the need for sustainable land management practices. It underscores the importance of nature as an asset, resource, and source of meaning and value. As a nation, we must prioritize the protection and restoration of our globally unique and nationally significant land and ecosystems.
