Summary
In 2020, the New Zealand government adopted the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management to provide local authorities with updated guidelines about managing freshwater under the Resource Management Act of 1991. The policy statement also uses an indigenous model and includes the Māori concept of te Mana o te Wai—the fundamental importance of water and recognizes that protecting the health of freshwater protects the health and well-being of the wider environment. The statement includes many policies, including that freshwater is managed in a way that gives effect to Te Mana o te Wai, Tangata Whenua are actively involved in freshwater management, and Māori freshwater values are provided for. Other policies surround protecting the natural environment. The policy statement is still in effect.
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2026. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/te-mana-o-te-wai-under-the-national-policy-statement-for-freshwater-management/.
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