The NOF within the NPS-FM
This guidance is intended for councils, tangata whenua and interested parties from communities.
Whereas the NPS-FM only directs councils – it clarifies their rights and roles, including their obligations towards others in the NPS-FM – the purpose of this guidance is to inform tangata whenua and other interested parties from the community of the extent of their rights to be involved in this process.
The remainder of this document provides guidance on subpart 2 of the NPS-FM, which sets out councils’ obligations to successfully implement the NOF. Each section that follows corresponds to a clause of subpart 2 of the NPS-FM.
Figure 2 shows a high-level overview of councils’ obligations when implementing the NOF and serves as a roadmap through the remainder of this guidance.
Figure 2: High-level overview of the NOF process
Infographic on the process to achieve the long-term visions for freshwater by working through the requirements of the National Objectives Frameworks.
Along top:
Matters that must apply to every step of the process
- Ki uta ki tai.
- Give effect to Te Mana o te Wai (TMOTW).
- Engage with communities and actively involve tangata whenua.
- Use best information.
- Foreseeable impacts of climate change.
- Manage cumulative effects.
- Take into account freshwater accounting and data.
- Maintain at baseline OR improve.
Diagram shows sequential process with five elements.
- Set long-term visions for freshwater.
- Identify freshwater management units and values. Set environmental outcomes and identify attributes.
- Set target attribute states and environmental flows and levels.
- Achieve target attribute states, nutrient outcomes, environmental outcomes and environmental flows and levels. Set resource use and take limits; develop action plans; impose consent conditions.
- Monitor progress toward achieving long-term visions, environmental outcomes and the target attribute states.
Two processes feed in sequentially.
- Section 32 analysis is finalised: this requires councils to check social and economic values (within Te Mana o te Wai framework).
- Regional plan is set: the first plan implementing the NPS-FM is set by December 2024 and regularly reviewed. An arrow from the earlier monitor progress box indicates that the plan may need to be changed to respond to degradation.
- The long-term vision for freshwater is achieved.
Infographic on the process to achieve the long-term visions for freshwater by working through the requirements of the National Objectives Frameworks.
Along top:
Matters that must apply to every step of the process
- Ki uta ki tai.
- Give effect to Te Mana o te Wai (TMOTW).
- Engage with communities and actively involve tangata whenua.
- Use best information.
- Foreseeable impacts of climate change.
- Manage cumulative effects.
- Take into account freshwater accounting and data.
- Maintain at baseline OR improve.
Diagram shows sequential process with five elements.
- Set long-term visions for freshwater.
- Identify freshwater management units and values. Set environmental outcomes and identify attributes.
- Set target attribute states and environmental flows and levels.
- Achieve target attribute states, nutrient outcomes, environmental outcomes and environmental flows and levels. Set resource use and take limits; develop action plans; impose consent conditions.
- Monitor progress toward achieving long-term visions, environmental outcomes and the target attribute states.
Two processes feed in sequentially.
- Section 32 analysis is finalised: this requires councils to check social and economic values (within Te Mana o te Wai framework).
- Regional plan is set: the first plan implementing the NPS-FM is set by December 2024 and regularly reviewed. An arrow from the earlier monitor progress box indicates that the plan may need to be changed to respond to degradation.
- The long-term vision for freshwater is achieved.
The NOF within the NPS-FM
July 2022
© Ministry for the Environment