Sustainability and Society
Introduction
Recycling bins in the Mackenzie Basin.
The Sustainability and Society Team is a specialist group with expertise in improving the environmental performance and social and economic success of New Zealand’s cities, communities and businesses. Much of our research is multi-disciplinary and the team includes bio-physical scientists, architects, economists, Maori researchers, geographers, modellers and social scientists.
Our team primarily contributes to the following research however our expertise is utilised across Landcare Research.
Research themes
- Cities, settlements and communities
Primary contact: Robyn Simcock
Our research covers the design and evaluation of urban form and its elements - (energy and water infrastructure, buildings, roads, open space), the contribution of cultural values to urban design, governance and social processes for urban development and community resilience to future change. - Ecosystem services
Primary contact: Suzie Greenhalgh
The aim of our research is to maintain or improve ecosystem services through supporting the adoption of holistic ecosystem-service based strategies within government and business. - Governance and society
Primary contact: Bob Frame
We evaluate tools and approaches to enable the public sector, stakeholders and communities to solve complex problems collectively, undertake integrated assessments, plan for the long term, and be responsive to a rapidly changing world. - Indigenous knowledge and values
Primary contact: Garth Harmsworth
Research on iwi values and guides to collaboration with iwi. This research recognises the interlinked roles of iwi in Landcare Research's science outcome areas, as a Treaty partner, as tangata whenua, and as members of key stakeholder groups. - Lifestyles & Consumption
Primary contact: Jonathan King
We model the impacts of NZ lifestyles, identify what influences people's lifestyle and consumption choices and evaluate different approaches for increasing sustainable consumption patterns. - Sustainable Business
Primary contact: Jonathan King
We develop and apply knowledge, tools and programmes to improve the sustainable practices of individual firms and industry sectors and to provide credible verification of their sustainability performance.
Research collaborations
We have a range of collaborations including the Centre for Urban Ecosystem Sustainability, New Zealand Centre for Ecological Economics and the New Zealand Centre for Sustainable Cities.
Tools & Services
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Assessment of contaminated land
This work is largely undertaken for central and local government and involves the development of soil guideline values for the protection of human health and the environment. -
carboNZero certification programme
The carboNZero programme encourages and supports organisations and businesses, products and services, conferences and events, travel and tourism, and households and individuals to minimise their climate change impacts by providing the tools for them to measure, manage and mitigate their greenhouse gas emissions. -
Collaborating with iwi
Outlines key ingredients of successful collaborative research with iwi. It also describes some of the barriers to, and difficulties in, setting up collaborative research projects with Māori. -
EBEX21®
Emissions/Biodiversity Exchange in the 21st century. Generate carbon credits from forest regeneration projects. -
Enviro–Mark NZ
Internet–based five–step certification programme that makes appropriate health, safety and environmental management achievable by organisations of all sizes. -
Future Scenarios for New Zealand (participative game)
100% pure conjecture: a participative game on sustainable futures for New Zealand -
Green Toolbox Species Selector
Free Windows–based software package to help users choose and evaluate plants for a variety of land management applications. -
Greening the Screen environmental toolkit
Our Greening the Screen programme encourages and supports screen companies and productions to identify their impacts and develop opportunities for improving environmental and social performance. -
Hatched eBook
Hatched is an eBook of research findings, stories and tools exploring five key areas of capacity required for New Zealand’s long–term success. -
Stakeholder analysis
A brief outline and guide for conducting an effective stakeholder analysis -
Sustainability reporting
An advisory service concept that widens the scope of traditional management and reporting to include the social, environmental, and economic performance of an organisation. -
Team–building evaluation guide
A checklist for evaluating team performance -
Urban mapping
Using remotely sensed data to derive information about size and arrangement of greenspace areas and connectivities, industrial and retail developments, and urban infill and sprawl.
Science leader
 | Michael Krausse Email  |
Landcare Research | |
Phone: 09 574 4100 |