Valuing New Zealand’s biosecurity system

CEBRA is working with the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on the significant task of measuring the economic value of New Zealand’s biosecurity system. Drawing from the influential CEBRA-developed Value model for Australia, this project will tailor the modelling approach to the New Zealand context. Using this approach to develop reliable, robust, and repeatable valuation methods will provide an understanding of the benefits of the biosecurity system to New Zealand over time.

The project aims to first set out and design the methods that are needed to measure the value of the biosecurity system as a whole and the assets it protects such as ecosystem services and infrastructure and adapt the approach for the New Zealand context. The model will calculate an aggregate value of the system across different biosecurity interventions and threats to give a total value of the entire system and its component parts. Furthermore, the model will estimate ‘value-added measures’ — the return on investment for biosecurity activities in terms of avoided economic damages. Simulating the arrival, spread, and impact of biosecurity hazards (asset yield reduction or value reduction) will provide estimates of the value of biosecurity interventions under different levels of biosecurity measures. The model will measure value under scenarios of: (1) no biosecurity system in place, (2) partial biosecurity measures (border and at-the-border), and (3) full biosecurity measures (border, at-the-border and within NZ). CEBRA-developed expert elicitation techniques will be used where knowledge about risks and interventions is incomplete.

This project and its outputs are central to ensuring appropriate resource allocation for the biosecurity system that protects New Zealand’s primary industries, native biodiversity, and economic growth.

CEBRA Project Leaders: Tom Kompas, Julia Polak