The Aotearoa Circle’s goal is big.

Undeniably, there is nothing bigger, nothing more important, nothing that matters more. This is it. Our chance to deliver on a vision for a country where the guardianship of its natural resources is not only central to its competitive advantage, but critical to its very economic survival.

Few countries are more dependent on natural resources for the wellbeing of their society and their economy than New Zealand. We are wealthy in natural resources. The World Bank estimates that New Zealand ranks eighth out of 120 countries in natural capital per capita, outranked only by petroleum-exporting countries.

But while we know life in New Zealand is great for many, we don’t want to take that for granted and assume it will always be this way. There is mounting concern at the degradation of our natural resources and the risks and uncertainties this presents to future generations of New Zealanders. The task at hand is an urgent one.

The Aotearoa Circle is a voluntary initiative bringing together leaders from the public and private sectors to investigate the state of our natural resources, and to commit to priority actions that will halt and reverse the decline.

The initiative will not duplicate work already underway, but will amplify existing efforts, and apply work in areas where there are gaps. Always looking to the future, but equipped with the knowledge of where we’ve been, and working together towards a shared goal.

We welcome the involvement of all who are willing to share in our duty to restore New Zealand’s natural resources and taonga.

Supporting The Aotearoa Circle is not a passive decision; our partners are the heartbeat of The Aotearoa Circle. Together, we share the fundamental belief that improving our environment, communities and economy will allow future generations to flourish.

“It is reasonable to predict, that in 100 years our biological economy would be bankrupt. It’s a horrific legacy to bequeath future generations. ” – Sir Rob Fenwick

Sir Rob Fenwick was an environmentalist, businessman, father and professional director. Before he passed away in 2020, he had a clear vision for Aotearoa New Zealand. He imagined a country where the steady decline of our natural environment had not just been halted, it had been actively restored.

A place where New Zealanders enjoyed a thriving natural environment, where our kids and grandkids could scramble over rock pools teeming with life and stand in our taonga forests, listening to birdsong in full chorus. A place where nature had been restored to even greater vibrancy than his childhood.

Driven to see this better world come to fruition after many years of degradation, Sir Rob worked tirelessly across business and government to drive transformation. It would be during these decades of achieving change, but not to the magnitude required, that a clear solution emerged - meaningful partnerships.

Observing that respected experts across public and private sectors were working hard but often separately to find solutions, he believed there needed to be true mahi tahi, working together as one. The solution, he saw, was Aotearoa’s businesses, scientists, government agencies, and tangata whenua coming together to solve our big problems – specifically to restore nature.

So, in 2018, when visiting Little Barrier Island to review conservation efforts of kiwi, an opportunity arose to discuss this challenge with Secretary for the Environment, Vicky Robertson. An idea was hatched, founded on using meaningful partnerships between public and private sector participants to drive systemic change. Never one to leave outcomes to chance, Sir Rob soon had Sir Jonathon Porritt on board.

Spring boarding from the 2019 Environment Aotearoa report illustrating the dire state of our natural capital, Sir Rob, Sir Jonathon and Vicky co-founded and launched The Aotearoa Circle. This would be Sir Rob’s final foundational legacy work, creating the environment for mahi tahi with koha and mana at the core, where sector leaders would work together to activate solutions. He knew future generations depended on it.

Sir Rob believed the work of caring for Aotearoa was a core responsibility for all New Zealanders.

And while our natural environment may currently be the envy of the world, many of us know without action, we risk its further degradation.

By drawing on tikanga Māori and working collaboratively to achieve kaitiakitanga – the practice of guardianship and protection of Aotearoa – we can restore New Zealand’s natural capital, thereby realising Sir Rob’s vision and ensuring sustainable prosperity for all.

Significant strides have already been made, bringing partners and key stakeholders together to identify and start implementing key priority actions across sustainable finance, marine, biodiversity, climate change and land and soil.

But there is still so much more to do. Embodying kaihautū, The Aotearoa Circle will help guide the waka to achieve long term sustainable change, no matter how rough the waters.