Resources

Purpose

This note is to advise that the Z19 Environmental and Social Responsibility Standard has been updated. The standard has been renamed to Z19 Taumata Taiao Environmental and Sustainability Standard (Taumata Taiao). The updated standard is available on the Waka Kotahi website and shall be used for all new works from now on.

This update includes modifications to reflect new strategic and legal frameworks, policies and business practices.

General information

Taumata Taiao sets out the process and requirements to give effect to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency environmental and sustainability policies, other relevant strategic objectives, outcomes and legal requirements during the development and management of the land transport system.

The Environmental Screen is a key requirement of Taumata Taiao. It requires professional services consultants to correctly identify environmental risks and opportunities at the indicative business case (IBC), detailed business case (DBC) and single-stage business case (SSBC) and highlights technical assessment work required to support infrastructure delivery.

Taumata Taiao provides guidance for Waka Kotahi project and maintenance teams on how and when to implement our environmental and sustainability requirements for land transport system work. Taumata Taiao is a professional services contract requirement in the Professional Services Contract Proforma Manual (SM030).

Approved organisations are encouraged to implement Taumata Taiao, its requirements, associated guidelines and specifications for activities that are funded by the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF).

Taumata Taiao covers the following focus areas: biodiversity, social values, cultural heritage, public health, sustainability, climate change (mitigation and adaptation), resource efficiency and waste management, urban design, and sustainable modes of transport.

It is expected that planners, project managers, and maintenance managers will ensure tasks and deliverables required by Taumata Taiao are completed, including the Environmental Screen. This will ensure that all relevant environmental sustainability matters are considered at the appropriate time and throughout the project lifecycle.

Specific changes

The update to Taumata Taiao includes the following:

• New name: NZTA Z19:2022 Taumata Taiao Environmental and Sustainability Standard (Taumata Taiao)
• Reflects new strategic and operational policies (ie Te Ara Kotahi, Toitū Te Taiao, Broader Outcomes framework, etc).
• Works alongside legislation such as Land Transport Management Act 2003 (LTMA), Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), Climate Change Response Act 2002, Wildlife Act 1953, Heritage NZ Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, Local Government Act 2002, national environmental standards (NES), national policy statements (NPS), etc.
• Incorporates new disciplines, ie climate change, resource efficiency.
• Updates environmental and sustainability objectives, tasks and deliverables for each phase of project development and delivery.
• Aligns Taumata Taiao with other processes, e.g. Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO), Business Case Approach (BCA), Investment Decision Making Framework (IDMF), etc.
• Incorporates quality assurance requirements.
• Clarifies its application to be consistent with Business Case Approach principles and behaviours, including (but not limited to) the principle of fit-for-purpose effort and the behaviour of developing the case for investment progressively.

Additionally, the Environmental and Social Responsibility Screen, a key component of Taumata Taiao, has also been updated and is now renamed the Environmental Screen.

The update to the screen includes the following:

• New name: Environmental Screen.
• Now includes climate change (mitigation and adaptation) and resource efficiency.
• Reflects new requirements NPS/NES on freshwater, Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), Sustainability rating scheme policy, Resource efficiency policy, etc.
• Includes links to supporting resources to assist its completion.
• Improves overall identification of environmental risks and opportunities at the various business case (IBC, DBC and SSBC) stages.

Communication plan

The target audience for this notice are Waka Kotahi staff and external consultants and contractors who assist project development and delivery, and maintenance and operations as well as staff in approved organisations (AOs). Advice of these changes will be disseminated by:

• this note advising the update.
• direct access via the website and intranet.
• communicated by Waka Kotahi Safe and Sustainable Standards team through internal and external channels.

Implementation

• All Waka Kotahi projects are required to meet the requirements of the standard, effective immediately.
• AOs are encouraged to apply the standard and screen in any land transport system projects funded through the NLTF.
• Taumata Taiao and Environmental Screen are currently published for use on the Waka Kotahi website and internally on InfoHub.
• An implementation plan has been developed to embed requirements into Waka Kotahi systems and processes.

Document review

Taumata Taiao and its components are subject to continual development and changes. To ensure Taumata Taiao is always up to date, we will review its effectiveness following the first year of implementation and every three years thereafter.

Publication details

Publications:
Z/19 Taumata Taiao – Environmental and Sustainability Standard
Environmental Screen
Author: Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
Published: June 2022
Reference: ISBN 978-1-99-004462-5
Version: 4

Further information

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact the Team Lead Environment and Sustainability at environment@nzta.govt.nz.

Signed:

Greg Haldane
Chair, Ratification Group

Vanessa Browne
Delegated Approver