Project 2058 reports

Project 2058 is the Institute’s flagship project and is used to focus our work on Aotearoa New Zealand’s long-term future to the year 2058. The year 2058 was selected back in 2008 as a year distant enough in the future to avoid self-interest but near enough to focus the Institute’s work programme.

The Institute began Project 2058 by exploring what a National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS) would look like for Aotearoa New Zealand, publishing a report in 2005 titled A National Sustainable Development Strategy: How New Zealand measures up against international commitments.

After this initial report, the Institute undertook research into international best practice in sustainable development, and since then we have focused on a variety of issues that present obstacles and opportunities for sustainable development in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Report 18 – Climate Change Strategy for Aotearoa New Zealand

In progress

Report 18 is in progress. Please contact enquiries@mcguinnessinstitute.org if you have any questions.

Report 17 – ReportingNZ: Building a Reporting Framework Fit for Purpose

June 2020
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Please note that the data in this report has now been updated to May 2021.

The Institute has almost completed a major piece of work on New Zealand’s reporting framework – the country’s information infrastructure. We hope this report will add to the conversation about how to improve the function of the framework and refine its purpose. The Institute placed Report 17 on hold in 2019 in order to focus more specifically on climate-related reporting, an issue we considered to need urgent exploration. Discussion Paper 2019/01 – The Climate Reporting Emergency: A New Zealand case study was published in October 2019.

If you have any further comments, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Please note that supporting New Zealand legislation is collated and published in Working Paper 2018/04 – Legislation Shaping the Reporting Framework: A compilation.

Report 16 – An Overview of Genetic Modification in New Zealand 1973–2013 – The first forty years

September 2013
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This report describes New Zealand’s approach to managing the risks of genetic modification 40 years on from its invention. It documents how government, Crown research institutes, industry and society responded to this new policy issue and makes recommendations as to the way forward.

Report 16 – Executive Summary

September 2013
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Report 16 – Appendices

September 2013
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The Review of the Forty-nine Recommendations of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification

April 2008
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The History of Genetic Modification in New Zealand

April 2008
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Report 15 – Strengthening Strategy Stewardship in the Public Service

In progress

This report builds on Report 2 and the Government Department Strategies Index NZ (see GDS Index). It explores ways we could improve strategy stewardship in the public service: making strategy development more measurable, integrated, cost effective, long-term focused, transparent and accountable.

Report 14 – EmpowerNZ – Drafting a constitution for the 21st century

February 2013
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This report documents the inputs, processes and outputs of the EmpowerNZ workshop held in August 2012. The workshop created a space for 50 young New Zealanders to explore the nation’s future constitution. They produced a draft constitution, and you can see the resulting workshop booklet.

Report 13 – StrategyNZ – Mapping Our Future – Strategy Maps – From Te Papa to the Legislative Council Chamber

June 2011
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This report explains the inputs, processes and outputs of the StrategyNZ workshop held in March 2011. The aim was to encourage a conversation about our long-term future. Consensus emerged that New Zealand should work to ‘create a place where talent wants to live’. Also see the resulting workshop booklet, and Report 12.

Report 12 – StrategyNZ – Mapping our Future – Workbook – Exploring visions, foresight, strategies and their execution

March 2011
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2011 was a significant year for the Institute, as it marked our first major public-engagement initiative: the StrategyNZ workshop.

Report 11 – A History of Future-thinking Initiatives in New Zealand, 1936–2010 – Learning from the past to build a better future

March 2011
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New Zealanders have always understood the need for long-term thinking. This report describes 18 future-thinking initiatives since 1936, many of which were undertaken by groups in civil society. Given such a background, this report puts forward a number of lessons.

Report 10 – One Ocean – Principles for the stewardship of a healthy and productive ocean

March 2015
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New Zealand has one of the largest exclusive economic zones in the world. This report discusses the role of oceans in New Zealand’s culture, economy and natural environment as well as the need for change in oceans governance. It contains 30 unique perspectives and proposes a principle-based approach.

Addendum – amendments made to the report at 17 July 2015

July 2015
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Report 10A - Designing a Framework to Monitor New Zealand's Resources

May 2010
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Report 9 – Science Embraced – Government-funded Science under the Microscope

February 2012
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The ways in which countries invest in public-good science matters. This report assesses the effectiveness of the existing government-funded science system and identifies 30 policy knots. It then suggests how the system might be improved to achieve better long-term outcomes for the public good.

Report 9 - Executive Summary

February 2012
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Report 9a - A History of Government-funded Science from 1865-2009

December 2009
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Report 9b - A History of Government-funded Science 2009-2011

October 2011
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Report 8 – Effective Māori Representation in Parliament – Working towards a National Sustainable Development Strategy

July 2010
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Building on Report 7, this report explores whether the existing system of separate parliamentary representation for Māori is optimal (e.g. the Māori roll), and if not, what mechanisms could be implemented to improve the quality of representation in the future. It then proposes an alternative system.

Report 7 – Exploring the Shared Goals of Maori – Working towards a National Sustainable Development Strategy

October 2010
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New Zealand has a unique responsibility to preserve and protect Māori culture and to make space for Māori to progress their culture in their own way. This report seeks to improve our understanding of the shared goals of Māori and the opportunities and challenges for sustainable development.

Background Report 7a – Environmental Goals of Iwi and Hapū: Six case studies

December 2009
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Report 6 – Four Possible Futures for New Zealand in 2058

December 2008
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This report uses the issues of climate change and genetic modification to explore four scenarios based on whether or not the world manages itself well and whether or not New Zealand manages itself well. These four scenarios illustrate why small countries have such a vested interest in international affairs.

Report 5 – The Common Elements of a National Sustainable Development Strategy – Learning from international experience

October 2008
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Building on Report 4, this report reviews the national sustainable development strategies of three countries: Finland; Sweden and the United Kingdom. It identifies seven common elements and a number of differences in approach and content.

Report 4 – Institutions for Sustainable Development – Developing an optimal framework for New Zealand

October 2008
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A number of countries have established or required existing institutions to create national sustainable development strategies. Building on the insights of Report 1, this report explores existing frameworks and takes an in-depth look at eight institutional options available to New Zealand.

Report 4a – Institutions for Sustainable Development – Learning from international experience

October 2008
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Report 3 – Supporting Local Government – Existing initiatives for sustainable development

March 2008
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This report focuses on the bridge between central and local government in New Zealand. It identifies and analyses mechanisms employed by central government to directly or indirectly support local government and communities in achieving sustainable development.

Report 2 – New Zealand Central Government Strategies – Reviewing the Landscape 1990–2007

August 2007
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This report seeks to understand how the New Zealand government departments integrate long-term thinking and action. The report analyses 130 strategy documents published from 1990–2007 and outlines how these could be improved. This exercise was repeated in 2015 and will be published as Report 15: Strategy Stewardship: Strengthening the role of government department strategies in the public service.

Report 2a – Central Government Policy Integration

August 2007
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Report 1 – A National Sustainable Development Strategy – How New Zealand measures up against international commitments

August 2007
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In 1997, New Zealand, along with many others, made a commitment at the UN General Assembly to produce a national sustainable development strategy (NSDS). In 2002, New Zealand again committed to implement an NSDS by 2005; however, no NSDS was produced. This report describes the actions taken.