Amiomio Aotearoa (logo)

A circular economy for the wellbeing of Aotearoa New Zealand

Āmiomio Aotearoa is a transdisciplinary, multi-partner research project funded by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and hosted by the University of Waikato.

Āmiomio Aotearoa is a novel socio-economic concept that is cyclical in nature and regenerative by design. Bringing together Mātauranga Māori and western science, the concept aims to move beyond linear extract-produce-use-dispose material and energy flow models in order to optimise the value and use of products, components and materials over time.

How will we achieve this?

Our research will address fundamental knowledge gaps through a multidisciplinary and collaborative research programme that builds on existing, and creates new, areas of research excellence in materials science, economics, kaupapa Māori, business, law and regulation, and public policy. The research platform will play a critical role by connecting and integrating these research communities to develop transformative new knowledge and innovative solutions tailored to Aotearoa New Zealand’s specific geographic, economic, political and societal context.

Our Mission

To create world-leading research to facilitate Aotearoa New Zealand's transition towards the development and adoption of production-consumption systems that optimise circular material flows that reduce resource consumption and environmental impacts, thereby supporting sustainable development for the benefit of current and future generations.

Our Team

Āmiomio Aotearoa is led by Kim Pickering. The leadership team also includes Tom Roa, Les Oxley, Barry Barton, Eva Collins and Robert Joseph.
The team has grown and now comprises 49 researchers and an advisory board.

The collaboration involves researchers from across disciplines at the University of Waikato, University of Canterbury, Victoria University of Wellington, Massey University, Auckland University of Technology, University of Otago, University of Auckland, SCION, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, BRANZ Ltd, and a number of international partner organisations.

Research Leaders – University of Waikato

Waikato Centre for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing – Director, Prof Kim Pickering
Centre for Environmental, Resources & Energy Law – Director, Prof Barry Barton
New Zealand Institute for Business Research – Director, A/Prof Eva Collins
Te Mata Hautū Taketake – Māori and Indigenous Governance Centre – Director, Dr Robert Joseph

Research Aims

The research programme is built around these three research aims:

1. Establishing the Āmiomio Aotearoa Concept

We will create a blueprint for the Āmiomio Aotearoa concept, informed by Aotearoa NZ’s unique bi-cultural history and its societal, political, geographic, policy and market setting. The concept, co-created in partnership with Māori, will inform and guide future research and innovation activities, and will be created to dynamically and meaningfully represent the bi-cultural core values upon which is it founded (Māori/NZ European), to ensure its long-term relevance to national and international research agendas in the circular economy space.

2. Materials and Design

The circular economy transition requires a paradigm shift in society’s relationship with products, and the materials from which they are made. Through this research we aim to develop new niche products that will contribute to the disruption of the status quo, and to develop design processes that start from a position of non-acceptance of current conceptions of ‘waste’ and ‘end of (product) life’ to support the development of new ways of ‘doing’ design, and designing out waste.

3. People, Business, and Policy

NZ faces particular opportunities and challenges in moving towards a circular economy. Opportunity spaces include consideration of the potential gains to be derived from, for example, the incorporation of Māori concepts such as para kore (zero waste) into the development of new sustainable business models. Challenge spaces often relate to difficulties associated with achieving fundamental and widescale behaviour change, for example, how can NZ’s large SME sector be encouraged (and supported) to achieve significant improvements in their rates of low-grade recycling and more general waste minimisation? To achieve a circular economy, innovation is required across business practice, economic theory, regulatory frameworks, and consumer behaviours, supported by in-depth knowledge of existing assets, materials, energy, and utility requirements, and policy development. We will explore which intrinsic (pro-environmental/social) and extrinsic (financial, regulatory, reputational) motivational factors can be supported by policy to influence sustainable production and consumption, taking account of the numerous challenges created by multiple path dependencies (e.g. long-standing norms, mental models, operating procedures, and cognitive biases).

Links to Research Currently Underway

Blumhardt, H. (2023). Working Paper: Regulating products, production, and consumption for a Circular Economy in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Thundathil M., Nazmi AR., Shahri B., Emerson N., Mussig J. and Huber T. (2023) Designing with biobased composites: understanding digital material perception through semiotic attributes. Design Science 9(6) http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dsj.2023.5.

Thundathil M., Nazmi AR., Shahri B., Emerson N., Müssig J. and Huber T. (2023) Visual–Tactile Perception of Biobased Composites. Materials 16(5) http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ma16051844.

Barton, B. (2022). Building Resilience from the Ground Up: Local Supply and Demand Management with Renewables, Prosumers, Energy Efficiency, Critical Minerals, and the Circular Economy. In C. Banet, H. Mostert, L. Paddock, M. F. Montoya, and I. del Guayo (Eds.), Resilience in Energy, Infrastructure, and Natural Resources Law: Examining Legal Pathways for Sustainability in Times of Disruption (pp. 327-341). Oxford University Press, doi10.1093/oso/9780192864574.003.0020.

Blumhardt, H. & Prince, L. From lines to circles: Reshaping waste policy. Policy Quarterly, 18(2), 71-80.

Burke, H., Zhang, A., & Wang, J. X. (2021). Integrating product design and supply chain management for a circular economy. Production Planning & Control, 1-17.

Diprose, G., Walton, S., Greenaway, A., and Collins, E. 2022. How is the circular economy emerging in Aotearoa New Zealand? Research Brief.

Diprose, G., Walton, S., Greenaway, A., and Collins, E. 2022. How is the circular economy emerging in Aotearoa New Zealand? Infographic.

Farooque, M., Zhang, A., Liu, Y., & Hartley, J. L. (2022). Circular supply chain management: Performance outcomes and the role of eco-industrial parks in China. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 157, 102596.

Luthra, S., Sharma, M., Kumar, A., Joshi, S., Collins, E., & Mangla, S. (2022). Overcoming barriers to cross-sector collaboration in circular supply chain management: a multi-method approach. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 157, 102582.

Manu, T., Nazmi, A. R., Shahri, B., Emerson, N., & Huber, T. (2022). Biocomposites: A Review of Materials and Perception. Materials Today Communications, 103308.

Matinong, A. M., Chisti, Y., Pickering, K. L., & Haverkamp, R. G. (2022). Collagen extraction from animal skin. Biology, 11(905), 1-15.

Pritchett, S. Blumhardt, H,, Smith, P. & Austin, G. (2022). The Right to Repair. In Digital technology and equity in NZ. Bridget Williams Books.

Wang, J. X., Burke, H., & Zhang, A. (2022). Overcoming barriers to circular product design. International Journal of Production Economics, 243, 108346.

Zaw, W. T (2022). Right to Repair: The Obstacles in the Current Law. The New Zealand Law Journal, 164-168.

Zaw, W. T. (2022) Right to repair: How to design new law reform. The New Zealand Law Journal. Accepted for publication, 23 May 2022.

Zhang, A., Wang, J. X., Farooque, M., Wang, Y., & Choi, T. M. (2021). Multi-dimensional circular supply chain management: A comparative review of the state-of-the-art practices and research. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 155, 102509.

UN Climate Change Conference COP26 Symposium

Barton, B. (2021, November). Commentary on what's important. In T. Gibbons (Chair), Local panel: Law, science & innovation. Symposium conducted at the UN Climate Change Conference COP26, Glasgow, Waikato Event.

Oxley, L. (2021, November). Circular Economy. In F. Scrimgeour (Chair), Local panel: Finance and economics. Symposium conducted at the UN Climate Change Conference COP26, Glasgow, Waikato Event.

Roa, T. (2021, November). Introductory Comments. In S. Morrison (Chair), Local panel: Setting the scene - what's to come! Symposium conducted at the UN Climate Change Conference COP26, Glasgow, Waikato Event.

Opinion pieces

Blumhardt, H. (2021, November 3). NZ’s government plans to switch to a circular economy to cut waste and emissions, but it’s going around in the wrong circles. The Conversation. 

Walton, S. (2021, August 2). What goes around ... moves around. Otago Daily TImes.

Media Releases

Call for Research

Events

Join us for a free webinar featuring William Allouche, a PhD student and member of the Āmiomio Aotearoa project. He will be discussing his research proposal on "Developing a sustainable building system using design for deconstruction, biobased building materials, and recycled waste."

The event will take place on Tuesday, 6th June 2023, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm (NZT). It will be held online via Zoom, and the URL link will be provided upon registration. The duration of the webinar is 1 hour, which includes a Q&A session and an opportunity for discussion.

To register, click here to visit the Eventbrite listing.

Collaboration

Ᾱmiomio Aotearoa Research Project has an agreement with Sustainable Business Network's Go Circular 2025 Programme. We are proud to be partnering with the Sustainable Business Network to launch the Creating a NZ Circular Economy Directory

Join SBN for the online launch of the brand new Circular Economy Directory for Aotearoa New Zealand. This free event is on 12 April at 12.30pm.

The Directory will be the go-to place to find products and services that can help your business ‘go circular’. That means designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use and regenerating nature.

Learn how the Directory can help you and be inspired by our guest speakers who are using circular economy practices already.

Ᾱmiomio Aotearoa has an MOU with Reuse Aotearoa for a research project aimed to develop a framework for measuring the impacts and outcomes of reusable packaging in the grocery sector.

The research will develop case studies with grocery retailers and producers in Wellington and the Waikato. The findings will help inform policy changes to support and grow practices at the top of the waste hierarchy, addressing a significant knowledge gap.

The project includes researchers with expertise in applying a mātauranga Māori lens to understand the impact of reusable packaging systems in the groceries sector, and explore whether increasing the diversity of retailers could help shift sustainability/circular practices more widely.

Inspiration for the Āmiomio Aotearoa Tohu (Design)

The name ‘Āmiomio Aotearoa’ was gifted to us by Associate Professor/Manukura Tom Roa (Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato).

Key elements incorporated into the tohu include reference to a takarangi (spiral), which promotes shifting states of energy, spiralling inwards and outwards. The koru represents growth and multiple koru are inclusive of Māori, NZ Europeans and other peoples. The swirling patterns between the koru represent the flowing waters, currents and swirls within the awa o Waikato (Waikato River), locating this collaboration within the University of Waikato and on the tribal lands of the Waikato people.

Āmiomio Aotearoa promotes the weaving of two knowledge systems: mātauranga Māori and western science.

General Enquiries

[email protected]

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