Danger seen in exploiting natural resources

Press, 5 August 1981, Page 12

Danger seen in exploiting natural resources

PA Timaru The drive to exploit New Zealand's basic resources without restriction will destroy the country's economy and society unless it is blunted, according to the Minister for the Environment (Dr I. J. Shearer). New Zealand's environmental management to date did not make good reading, he said at the national opening of Conservation Week in Timaru. . i The problems arose from a lack of awareness of the social and economic benefits of conservation, and he said' this included policy-makers, developers and ordinary

people who gave .the mandate to exploit resources that should not be exploited. The solution was'to ensure the environmental considerations were integrated early into all major development projects. And in the longterm, environmental education at schools was the best solution ' . ’■ ; . “It’s from the. classroom education and programmes that we will get people with the understanding and. skills to make informed decisions, people with a strong.appreciation of the fact that without the conservation there can be no sustained development th New Zealand,” said Dr Shearer.