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Add modules on overseas eco-verification requirements to NZTE Exporter Education programme (NZTE)
Provide better information on eco-standards and processes on web portals, including biz.org (NZTE)
Promote the fact that the Enterprise Development and Growth Services Funds can provide support for businesses that wish to gain certifications for meeting environmental management standards (NZTE)
Develop ways to promote sustainability as a global opportunity for NZ businesses through NZTE programmes (NZTE)
Package information on overseas eco-verification trends and intentions and make this available to sectors and businesses through a website (MED)
Use the government website on eco-standards and codes of practice and their quality to provide guidance for businesses (MED, MfE)
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Continue developing methods for voluntary assessment of agricultural greenhouse-gas emissions (MAF)
Develop a carbon-accounting methodology for the Permanent Forests Sinks initiative (MAF)
Development of environmental and farm management indicators (MAF)
Increase research focus on developing new environmental sensing and measurement technologies (MoRST)
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Continue work with the Food Miles Group to ensure that industry perspectives are incorporated in the development of eco-verification & sustainability initiatives (MFAT)
Investigate the opportunity to leverage existing NZ capabilities in eco-verification into opportunities for growth overseas (NZTE)
Work with targeted groups of NZ businesses to understand how they might position themselves as sustainable in various markets (NZTE)
Work with the fishing sector to achieve environmental certification of key fisheries against the Marine Stewardship Council scheme (MFish)
Joint work with the aquaculture sector on development of national standards for sustainable management (MFish)
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Set up a system to monitor and assess international development of eco-standards and regulations so that choices can be made about those that NZ might attempt to influence and shape (MED)
Undertake a stocktake of industry actions and programmes so that government is aware of the full range of current eco-verification activities in NZ and of the way these match international developments (MED)
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Develop a database and website on eco-labels and products and their quality to provide guidance for government procurers (MfE, MED
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Develop initiatives to accelerate the uptake by businesses (and government agencies) of ISO 14000 environmental management systems, including product standards, or other internationally recognised systems
Provide guides for firms, farms and forests that lay out the relationships between domestic and international eco-standards, regulations and accords so that they can determine those that are most relevant to them
Expand the Environmental Choice eco-labelling scheme cover a wider range of products
Investigate ways to use the government funds (e.g. Sustainable Development Fund) to encourage commitment to eco-labels and sustainable practices
Investigate ways to help reduce the costs firms face in collecting eco-data
Provide support for firms wanting to get Environmental Choice licenses
Encourage university business schools to include teaching of sustainable business practices in their curricula (e.g. in the Maori business development programme at Auckland University)
Develop a guide on ways for firms to use sustainability principles in conjunction with environmental management standards like ISO 14000
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Position NZ as a global leader in research & development of life-cycle analysis and application of eco-verification support structures.
Work with stakeholders such as Landcare Research to position New Zealand as a leader in carbon-footprint measurement and management in areas that will make the greatest contribution to sustainability and economic transformation
Investigate ways to expedite development of a carbon footprint calculator for use in NZ meat sectors
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Work with primary-sector stakeholders to develop a greenhouse-gas footprint response, including scoping opportunities for co-ordination of research, eco-verification, promotion, market development and international trade
Undertake a stocktake of eco-verification systems for major export sectors to identify gaps and opportunities for development of eco-verification infrastructure
Work with sectors to promote good stories about gains made through adoption of sustainability practices
Put substance behind "clean, green" by developing sector-based checklists of the national and international eco-standards, regulations, laws and accords to guide those aspiring to use the brand
Investigate the advantages and disadvantages of common bases for eco-standards in the primary sectors, taking account of past failures, current pressures to demonstrate performance and the need to use internationally recognised standards
Work with regional and local councils to ensure that, as far as possible, they anchor their operations in internationally recognised standards
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Examine possible levers that could be used to shift attitudes and create an economy-wide drive for greater sustainability (e.g. the use of energy-efficient, light bulbs emulating Australia)
Strengthen building standards by requiring sustainable design and consideration of life-cycle environmental impacts of building materials
Accelerate establishment of national environmental standards under the RMA
Work with stakeholders to match overseas developments by incorporating sustainable development assessment into financial reporting standards for business
Work with regional councils, standards organisations and other stakeholders on eco-standards for NZ farming so that NZ gets ahead of similar moves in Europe
Change the burden of proof about claims about environmental (and other) performance under the Fair Trading Act from the Commerce Commission to the firms that make the claims
Review the degree to which existing NZ standards and regulations are anchored in international standards with a view to reducing unnecessary duplication and making the international grounding more obvious
Investigate the scope for strengthening standards for energy- and water-efficient products
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Identify critical areas where we should be seeking to influence regional or international standards development and conformity assessment approaches
Increase NZ involvement in relevant ISO committees to build awareness, get access to international research, influence directions and expedite NZ uptake of new eco-standards
Review and, where necessary, strengthen alignments between NZ providers of eco-certification services and international standards and accreditation bodies
Investigate ways to support participation of NZ technical experts in international eco-standards development
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Assess the value of the procurement database as a tool for adding stretch to the sustainability of government procurement
Determine how far and fast we should push towards mandatory requirements that suppliers of goods and services to government should meet particular standards (e.g. ISO-14000)
Ensure that the carbon-footprint standards, tools and verification methods to be developed to support a C-neutral public sector align with standards, tools and verification methods under development for the private sector
Establish links between sustainable government procurement and other groups aiming to move towards sustainable procurement (notably the Southern Tertiary Education Pathfinders Group)
Examine the feasibility of requiring use of the Global Reporting Initiative GRI3 framework and indicators by public-sector and local-government organisations
Make a summary of NZ's approach to eco-verification available on the government website for eco-standards and eco-labels
Develop the government database and website on eco-labels and products so that it provides guidance for consumers and households
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