The New Zealand government Tuesday laid out its framework for developing the country's natural resources, which put initiatives such as expanding oil and gas exploration alongside recognition for the sustainable " greening" of economic growth.

Part of the government's Business Growth Agenda, the Building Natural Resources report set out 49 government initiatives to improve the use and management of resources.

It outlined seven areas "to build economic growth through sustainable use of natural resources": using freshwater resources to increase productivity in areas such as farming; more efficient land and resources use; developing energy and minerals potential; developing marine and aquaculture resources; developing Maori- owned resource-based industries; maintaining and advancing biodiversity; and becoming a low-emissions economy.

"The goal of the Business Growth Agenda is to support our businesses to deliver more and higher-paying jobs for New Zealanders," Finance Minister Bill English said in a statement while launching the report.

"For that to happen we need more businesses getting the best returns for both our economy and our environment from our natural resources."

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce said the report set a vision for improving "environmental outcomes" over time, while still achieving the growth needed to lift exports to the government's target of 40 percent of GDP.

"New Zealand has abundant natural resources. We rank eighth in the world for our overall natural capital and first if calculated on renewable resources per capita. Our resource base is a significant source of our wealth and competitive advantage," Joyce said in the statement.

Investment in oil and gas exploration would receive a significant boost with the award of 10 exploration permits this year, which were also announced Tuesday, he said.

"The challenge for New Zealand -- and frankly all countries -- is how we can make the most of all our opportunities to achieve strong economic growth that delivers jobs alongside policies that improve the environment," Joyce said.

Other initiatives announced Tuesday to coincide with the report included a pre-feasibility study for major new irrigation development in the lower North Island and plans to change the country's Resource Management Act.

Building Natural Resources is the fifth Business Growth Agenda progress report, following reports on Export Markets, Innovation, Skilled and Safe Workplaces, and Infrastructure, with a sixth report on Building Capital Markets scheduled to be published early next year.

While business groups welcomed the report, opposition politicians slammed it for a lack of substance.

Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said the report was just another rehashing of the "narrow plan of agricultural intensification and dangerous deep-sea drilling" that had failed to create jobs over the past four years under the center-right National Party-led administration.

"The report tacitly acknowledges how jobs-poor National's approach is. It states that National's favored oil and gas sector creates just 7,700 jobs and indicates that number is likely to fall in coming years. In contrast, manufacturing creates around 200,000 jobs yet gets the cold shoulder from National," Norman said in a statement.

"Over half of the GDP contribution of manufacturing goes to workers in their wages, but for mining the figure is just 15 percent. Mining makes huge profits for often foreign-owned companies, but contributes little to New Zealand families' incomes. "

Fossil fuels had failed to create jobs, said Norman, citing last week's announcement that Brazilian oil giant Petrobras would pull out of exploration in waters off the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, and U.S. firm Anadarko's announcement earlier this year that it would not be carrying on with plans for deep sea drilling off the west coast of the North Island.

Environment spokesperson for the main opposition Labour Party, Grant Robertson, said the report was "full of waffle and devoid of actual action."

"On almost all of the recommendations the best the government can say is that it is 'investigating,' 'reviewing,' 'looking at' or 'developing' a response," Robertson said in a statement.

"Along with not protecting and preserving our environment, the government is also showing a lack of interest in the enormous economic opportunities that come from green growth." Endi