Our land in New Zealand is used in many different ways. As our population grows and needs change, land is being used for different purposes. Our Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) Framework has been developed to enable people to explore different land use scenarios and see a broad assessment of the economic, environmental and social impacts.

In 2023, the AERU was commissioned by the New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre (NZFSSRC) to make an independent estimate of the value of the Centre to New Zealand. Case studies examined the value of the Centre by industry - namely dairy, kiwifruit, and poultry. The total conservative estimate based on case studies of the above industries was NZ$164 million per year - a significant return on the government’s NZ$2.5 million investment.

The AERU is currently engaged in a project to estimate the economic impact of extreme events in relation to climate change on New Zealand's primary sector, funded by MPI's Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change programme.

Since 2022, the AERU has been involved in a series of surveys aimed at measuring farmer participation in farm certification schemes.

AERU researcher Dr Sini Miller assessed how Canterbury residents value and trade off multiple attributes of freshwater use, developing policy scenarios to explore impacts on employment, as well as the environmental, recreation, and cultural values associated with water.

The AERU was contracted by Ihi Research and Development to perform a cost-benefit analysis of the He Toki ki te Mahi initiative, and provide an analysis of the initiative's economic impact.

The AERU is contributing to a research programme that aims to estimate the economic values of braided rivers alongside the management implications, and contribute to understanding the benefits and costs to affected communities from the different braided river management options developed.

Since 2007 the AERU has been commissioned by Antarctica New Zealand to produce a report outlining the contributions of Antarctic-related activities to the Canterbury and New Zealand economies.

This study is part of a broader project by CEBRA and the Australian Government aimed at delivering updated knowledge on the benefits and costs of biological control of established pests in Australia.