Crown research must do more to save primary industries ecosystems

Over the past quarter-century, the Crown research institutes (CRIs) have unquestionably embarked on many valuable research enterprises and mined some valuable innovations for the primary sectors. They have looked after the national collections and maintained some important longitudinal research for a significant taxpayer investment over the period.

But we have taken our eye off the country’s biggest research opportunity and its biggest risk.

No measure of the success or otherwise of New Zealand’s research investment can be complete without references to the state of the natural productive ecosystems that support our primary industries.

All are in decline, some irreversibly. Our freshwater, soils, biodiversity, marine environment and climate system are all in deficit compared to 25 years ago. Worse, based on current trajectories, it is difficult to see them sustaining extractive pressures of future generations 100 or 200 years hence.

We cannot replace the billions of tonnes of productive topsoil we lose into the ocean; we can't reduce the rising temperature of the southern ocean, we can't replace species that will undoubtedly become extinct over the next three generations.

While this may not be the fault of the CRIs, shouldn’t it be central to the government’s research investment to understand the interconnectedness of these declining ecosystems and how we can preserve them?

Long-term focus
In our search for short-term rewards within the siloed structures of the CRIs, we’ve overlooked the imperative for collaborative, long-term and solution-focused research.

The evidence of this is pretty clear. New Zealand has no climate strategy, no ocean strategy and no national strategy to protect productive soils. We are struggling to land a strategy for fresh water and biodiversity loss.

It’s unlikely we’ll see progress with these while our research continues to be aligned to narrow industry interests pursuing short-term outcomes.

The National Science Challenges are experiments in more collaborative research exploring answers to some complex intergenerational problems. I was initially a sceptic and ended up a strong advocate and director of two governance boards.

The triumph of the challenges has been that by stripping away contestability in favour of a joining up scientists and institutions over a common problem has released the collective energy and value that comes from research collaborations.

In Antarctica, where we established a new research institute within Antarctica NZ, we’ve seen first-hand the value of multinational, multidisciplinary science collectives.

CEO workshop
Last month, a group of chief executives from the public sector and some 20 leading corporates got together for a day-long workshop, the first of many I hope, to address the unsustainability of our productive ecosystems; the erosion of natural assets and the opportunity to create greater sustainable wealth from them; and the need for economic tools to measure their value.

The point I made to them was that when they were promoted to leadership roles, they accepted accountability for the performance of their respective businesses or departments. They also assumed another greater responsibility to future generations to leave the country’s productive assets as healthy as they found them. It wouldn’t normally figure among their KPIs.

Science was a glaring omission from that gathering, and as one of the organisers I plan to correct that.

This generation of leaders, including science leaders, must look beyond the horizons of their organisational interests and work collectively on plans that protect natural assets for future generations.

It will only occur by joining up the sectors of productivity and policy, regulation and innovation. The CRIs, the government's research in the primary sector, must step up to the plate. Future generations will wonder why it took us so long.

Based on a speech at the 25^th anniversary of the formation of Crown research institutes given at Te Papa in Wellington. Sir Robert is founding chairman of the NZ Antarctic Research Institute, chairman of the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge and former chairman of Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research.

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