ABSTRACT

Around the introduction of Agenda 21 at Rio in 1991, some countries like the Netherlands and New Zealand were already leading the way with quite innovative approaches to environmental planning. Focusing on the New Zealand government's innovations in sustainable and environmental planning, particularly the Resource Management Act of 1991, this book highlights planning and governance under devolved and co-operative mandates. It uses multiple methods to evaluate the quality of policy statements and district plans prepared by regional and local councils respectively, as well as the various inter- and intra-organizational and institutional factors affecting them. It also analyses the quality of the plans' implementation through the consensus or permits process, and the quality of the environmental outcomes.

chapter 1|14 pages

From Rio to RMA: Great Expectations

part 1|28 pages

Approaches to Planning and Governance

chapter 1|12 pages

Planning Mandates: From Theory to Practice

chapter 2|14 pages

Making Plans: From Theory to Practice

part 2|73 pages

Intergovernmental Planning in New Zealand

chapter 3|31 pages

Central Government: Walking the Talk

chapter 4|19 pages

Regional Government: A Non-Partner

chapter 5|19 pages

Māori Interests: Elusive Partnership

part 3|51 pages

Plan Quality and Capability Under the RMA

part 4|130 pages

Local Case Studies