Author(s): Geoff Simmons and Gareth Morgan

New Zealand Current Affairs

Our Far South is packed with history and wildlife, and is renowned for its breathtaking and photogenic beauty. But does our appreciation of the region run more than skin deep? Do Kiwis really understand how important the region is and what issues are facing it? In February 2012, Gareth Morgan trapped ten of New Zealand's top experts on the region in a boat with 40 ordinary Kiwis for a month. Together with Geoff Simmons, he grilled them about the issues facing the region and Ice, Mice and Men is the result. What they found was startling. Our Far South - that part of New Zealand that extends from Stewart Island almost without interruption to the South Pole - harbours precious wildlife and is the engine room of the world's oceans and climate. We are blessed to live in this unique part of the world, but we also have a huge responsibility to look after it. Ice, Mice and Men looks at the three ways we risk inflicting long-term, even permanent harm, on this precious and fragile region. The race to exploit resources has been underway for three centuries, and may be poised to escalate. Pressure from human activity may be threatening biodiversity and even the survival of species. And looming ever larger is the threat of climate change. Damage done to Our Far South will have profound implications, both for New Zealand and right across the globe. Gareth Morgan is a well-known columnist, philanthropist and author. Geoff Simmons is an economist for the Morgan Family Charitable Foundation and has previously worked for the New Zealand Treasury. He is also Co-Creative Director of the Wellington Improvisation Troupe