Erica Gregory, Manahautū Kaupapa Kura Taiao – Acting General Manager of the EPA’s Māori policy and operations group

Part of my role is to explain and champion the EPA’s mātauranga framework. Mātauranga is a body of knowledge, experience, values and philosophy of Māori.

We commissioned the EPA’s mātauranga framework three years ago, to foster and embed understanding of mātauranga across the EPA. We want it to be more of a force in our work. We want our decision-makers to confidently test and probe mātauranga when it is presented in evidence.

The question for us is how, as a regulator and government organisation, do we meaningfully consider mātauranga knowledge, recognising it pertains to life on the marae, life in the sea, life in the forest – life across te taiao.

Gayle Holmes, General Manager of Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement

"The work of our strengthened Compliance, Monitoring, and Enforcement function drives delivery of our third strategic goal: protecting people and the environment."

Our work involves compliance, monitoring, and enforcement activities in relation to hazardous substances, ozone-depleting substances, the EEZ and the Register.

Louise McMillan, Acting Team Leader, Hazardous Substances

One of my interests is making science relevant to people and their lives. As acting Team Leader in the Hazardous Substances and Reassessments team I have scope to do this, particularly through the work of the EPA’s community engagement group. 

This group collaborates on projects which help us to meet our community engagement objectives. We are keen to engage with a wide range of New Zealanders and organisations, to hear what’s important to them and to think how best we can respond across the organisation. 

"The broad goal is to literally save the planet."

Professor Michael Bunce, EPA's Chief Scientist

This year we launched our environmental DNA (eDNA) programme: Wai tūwhera o te Taiao - Open Waters Aotearoa.

"At its heart, our eDNA programme is about building bridges between people and nature. It uses eDNA testing to connect communities to their environment."

Vanessa Crowe, Senior Advisor, Customer and Community Engagement

When you want people to think or engage differently you need to ground it in something familiar and appealing. You can then open constructive dialogue.

"You need to be comfortable with not knowing where engagement will lead you, or how people will connect with your material."

Siobhan Quayle, Group General Manager, Regulatory Systems and Operations

Our strategic goal, Delivering the Right Decisions is core to the work of the Operations arm of the EPA.

"Our challenge is always to balance the many considerations that need to be taken into account, while enhancing the wellbeing of present and future generations."

Emma Burge, Geographic Information System Analyst

Making connections across geographic boundaries is part of who I am. In breaks between study and work, I once spent four months as a women’s education and health coordinator in Nepal, and three months in Lebanon, teaching English and maths to Syrian refugees.

Making connections is at the heart of mapmaking, which is now my career focus. I’m the EPA’s resident map nerd, and have now qualified with a Postgrad Diploma with Merit, in Geospatial Science. 

"The EPA is a dream place to work for me and I care deeply about the environment."

Environmental performance

We have committed to making a positive difference to the environment by joining the Toitū Carbonreduce programme (previously the Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme), to monitor and reduce our carbon emissions. 

As the table below shows, the results from our first emissions audit in 2019 were encouraging. We expect that the COVID-19 lockdown will show a reduction on the results from the next emissions audit.