Summary A green economy is critical to New Zealand's future prosperity. And by prosperity, we mean much more than financial security. Prosperity encompasses the economic, social, mental, cultural and spiritual wellbeing of all citizens, and present and future generations. Conservation is a key player in protecting the integrity of ecosystems that deliver the natural capital we rely on to survive and thrive. The current economic model, which originated in the industrial revolution some 100 years ago, is no longer viable and must give way to a new business paradigm, one that works with nature rather than against it. Transcript Last December the Green Growth Advisory Group, chaired by Business New Zealand Chief Executive Phil O'Reilly,  reported back to the Government. It proposed four core principles as a basis for green growth. One of the four stated: " Improved environmental performance and net gains in biodiversity protection are integral to New Zealand's green growth". In June  WWF issued a report assessing New Zealand's performance since the 1992 UN earth summit in Rio leading up to the Rio+20 meeting that month. It looked at the six areas for action arising from the 1992 meeting. WWF Chair Dr Morgan Williams commented: "In all six many of the problems that existed 20 years ago remain, and are often worse...I see this report as a wake up call for New Zealand." That same month the business group Pure Advantage issued a report "New Zealand's Position in the Green Race". The report stated: "No country in