12 July 2002 Urban environment goes under spotlight in annual Lincoln address

Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Morgan Williams will present this year's State of the Nation's Environment Address at Lincoln University on Thursday, 18 July.

Dr Williams presented the inaugural such address when the University introduced the idea in 1999.

On that occasion he said there was a "disjunction" between environmental desires and behaviour. While on the whole New Zealand was very effective on the international stage and a good global citizen, he questioned whether the country was taking environmental sustainability to heart at home.

This year Dr Williams turns his attention to the Urban Environment.

Lincoln's introduction of an annual State of the Nation's Environment Address was believed to be a world first and the aim was to provide an environmental equivalent of the widely presented "state of the nation" addresses on political, economic and budgetary matters.

Lincoln University's Professor of Nature Conservation, Ian Spellerberg, was the leading light behind the introduction of the addresses.

"With all of New Zealand's health, wealth and welfare stemming from the environment it's only logical that we should put it first and have an annual assessment of how we are faring environmentally," he said.

Past speakers have been the Hon. Sandra Lee, Minister of Conservation (2001); the Hon. Marian Hobbs, Minister for the Environment (2000); and Dr Williams (1999).

This year's address will be chaired by Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore and a reply will be given by the Chairperson of Environment Canterbury, Diana Shand. It is in Lincoln University's Stewart 1 Lecture Theatre at 4.30pm on Thursday 18 July. It's a public meeting and all are welcome.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.