Managing flood risk – new Standard available now
Standards New Zealand has just published Managing flood risk – A process Standard, NZS 9401:2008. This new process Standard guides decision-making on flood risk, to ensure all flood risk components are considered when making key land use decisions. Intended users include local authorities, central government, communities, engineers, and developers.
Making a decision to build or develop in a flood zone or catchment area requires in-depth knowledge of the potential hazards. This Standard presents a best practice approach to managing flood risk – to be used as the standard process approach, nationwide – when considering flood risk.
This Standard takes a risk management approach based on the Risk management Standard, AS/NZS 4360:2004. (A handbook complements this Standard, Risk management guidelines – Companion to AS/NZS 4360:2004, HB 436:2004.)
Awareness of this Standard’s processes will provide confidence and peace of mind for planni ...read more [opens in new window]
ISO Guide will help reduce environmental impacts of products
The International Organization for Standardization has published an updated edition of its Guide for addressing environmental issues in product standards, ISO Guide 64:2008. The guide aims to contribute to sustainable international trade, and to reduce the potential environmental impact of products – by taking environmental aspects into account in product Standards.
It is a practical tool for addressing the potential adverse impacts on the environment of a product. To order this guide, call our customer services team on 0800 782 632.
Carbon footprint of products – New Zealand votes yes to international work on a Standard
On 4 November 2008, we submitted a positive vote from New Zealand to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), on the ballot to determine whether a new work item proposal on the Carbon Footprint of Products should proceed. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has been coordinating responses to the ISO ballot from New Zealand stakeholders. The overwhelming response was that ISO should proceed with the proposal, and that New Zealand does want to participate in its development. The ISO has reported back that the ballot was positive.
Sustainability criteria for biofuels – update
Standards New Zealand has submitted a positive vote to International Organization for Standardization (ISO), supporting the proposal for ISO to develop sustainability criteria for biofuels. The vote was secured following email consultation with a wide range of New Zealand stakeholders. We aimed to ensure that the vote was established taking account of all interests concerned at the national level.
We received an overwhelming response that New Zealand does want this international Standard to go ahead, and does want to participate in its development. Results of the ballot are expected in early 2009.
For more information , please contact Angela Henderson at Standards New Zealand, email email@example.com, telephone 04 498 3981.
ISO Technical Committee on environmental management – plenary meeting in Malaysia in 2009
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee 207 develops the popular ISO 14000 environmental management series of international Standards. The committee will hold a plenary meeting in Malaysia from 19 to 23 January 2009, and items on the busy work agenda include:
- carbon footprint of products and services
- competency requirements for greenhouse gas (GHG) validators and verifiers
- guidelines on ecodesign
- environmental labelling
- eco-efficiency assessment – life cycle analysis (LCA)
- desertification management
- procedures to improve balanced stakeholder – non-governmental organisation (NGO) – participation.
For more information on this work,please contact Angela Henderson at Standards New Zealand, email firstname.lastname@example.org, telephone 04 498 3981.