Water clarity is a measure of underwater visibility in rivers and stream. Water clarity can be reduced by the presence of fine particles like silt, mud or organic material in the water. This affects the habitat and feeding of aquatic life like fish and aquatic birds. Water clarity is an important indicator of the health of a waterway, and is also a...

The most recent assessment of ecological condition of 295 lakes in New Zealand assessed on at least one occasion between 1991 and 2019 was measured using the lake submerged plant index (LakeSPI). More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.

Ozone is a gas that forms a naturally occurring layer in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere), protecting Earth from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light. The ozone hole is an area of reduced stratospheric ozone. It forms in spring over Antarctica because of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) produced from human activities. The ozone hole has started to shrink...

Measured oceanic chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations as an indicator of marine primary productivity. Phytoplankton are primary producers of biomass (mass of living organisms) and form the main basis of marine food chains. They use the chl-a pigment to capture the sun’s energy through the process of photosynthesis. Phytoplankton growth is affected by the...

"Freshwater plant and animal pests can have significant negative impacts on ecosystem health by reducing indigenous biodiversity through predation and competition, and destabilising aquatic habitats. Freshwater plant pests can cause economic losses through blocking water intakes for hydroelectricity generation, impeded drainage or irrigation. In addition,...

Adapted by Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand to provide for environmental reporting transparency. Dataset used to develop the “River water quality: Nitrogen” indicator, (available at https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/river-water-quality-nitrogen). Nitrogen in river waters is one of five parameters that provide an overview of New...

Hydroelectricity is a renewable source of electricity. It makes an important contribution to New Zealand’s energy supply and economy. This dataset relates to the "Contribution of hydroelectricity to total electricity generation" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.

We measure the annual concentrations and proportions of natural and anthropogenic particulate matter 10 micrometres or less in diameter (PM10). PM10 in the air comprises solid particles and liquid droplets from both natural and human-made sources. PM10 occurs naturally, for example, as sea salt, dust (airborne soil), or pollen. Airborne soil particles,...

Note: Metadata relates to the mosaicked imagery. This layer has been provided to enable users to explore coverage and capture dates of the imagery. To enquire about ordering the imagery, please e-mail lucas[at]mfe.govt.nz. This imagery is 10m, ten-band multispectral, cloud-minimised mosaics of Sentinel 2A satellite tiles over mainland New Zealand made...

This indicator measures the concentrations of four heavy metals (lead, copper, zinc and cadmium) against the Australian & New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) guideline values for toxic substances in estuarine sediment. Heavy metals occur naturally in estuaries, but high concentrations suggest contamination from another source....

UPDATED 21/04/2017 (See "Land domain updates" page for details; http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/environment/environmental-reporting-series/environmental-indicators/Home/Land/land-domain-updates.aspx) Different land uses put pressure on the land environment and can result in changes to soil health. Healthy soil supports the productivity of...

"Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant and animal life. Total phosphorus (TP) includes all concentrations in a sample, whether dissolved, in solid form or bound to sediment in the river. Dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) is the portion which is dissolved and can immediately support plant and algae growth. Excess phosphorus in our rivers can...

Extreme wave indexes estimate the occurrence of extreme wave events in coastal and oceanic waters. Extreme wave indexes estimate the number of times a significant wave height exceeds one of three threshold values for at least 12 hours in 24 marine regions. The three wave-height thresholds are four metres, six metres, and eight metres. This indicator...

Industrial activities emit a range of pollutants that affect our air quality. The health effects associated with exposure to these pollutants range from respiratory irritation to some forms of cancer. Nationally, industrial activities are the main human-made source of sulphur dioxide emissions. This dataset relates to the "Industrial emissions" measure on...

"Freshwater plant and animal pests can have significant negative impacts on ecosystem health by reducing indigenous biodiversity through predation and competition, and destabilising aquatic habitats. Freshwater plant pests can cause economic losses through blocking water intakes for hydroelectricity generation, impeded drainage or irrigation. In addition,...

Livestock numbers reflect changes in the number of farmed beef and dairy cattle, deer, and sheep across New Zealand. Livestock farming is a widespread land use in this country. It is important to monitor this use because it can affect the indigenous biodiversity, soil health, and water quality. Column headings: numbers = numbers of animals This dataset...

A glacier is a body of slow-moving ice, at least 1 hectare in area that has persisted for two decades or longer. New Zealand has 3,144 glaciers. Most are located along the Southern Alps on the South Island, although Mount Ruapehu on the North Island supports 18 glaciers. New Zealand’s large glaciers are noteworthy for their large debris cover. The...

Sea-level rise is a consequence of climate change. Increased global temperatures lead to rising sea-levels because warmer waters take up more space and glaciers and polar ice sheets melt into the ocean. Sea-level varies naturally from place to place due to local ocean circulation and temperatures and the movement of the land relative to the sea. For...

OECD countries, 2011 PM10 concentrations are given in micrograms per cubic metre of air, or µg/m3. Source: World Health Organization Note that data for Israel and Australia are for 2008 Note that data for Japan and Denmark are for 2010 Note that data for New Zealand and Canada are for 2012

Ozone (O3) is a gas that is of interest in two regions of Earth’s atmosphere – at ground level and in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere). Stratospheric ozone absorbs ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and protects Earth from harmful levels of UV. Exposure to these UV rays has been linked to skin cancer. Monitoring variations in stratospheric ozone...