New Zealand: Politics

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon with US President Donald Trump in South Korea last week.

Why I’m not outraged at the Govt’s latest climate backsliding

Fri 7 Nov 2025

COMMENT: The Government’s latest climate rollbacks underline New Zealand’s long history of a lack of genuine desire to cut emissions, writes Geoff Bertram.

Govt weakens climate legislation, strips CCC’s powers

Wed 5 Nov 2025

By Liz Kivi | The Government has announced sweeping changes to key climate legislation, including stripping the independent Climate Change Commission of one of its core roles, and removing the requirement that Emissions Trading Scheme settings align with international climate targets.

Supermarket fast-track a ‘cynical ploy’, risks climate and environmental protections

Wed 5 Nov 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government’s “express lane for supermarkets” announcement has been met with fierce backlash, with critics calling the Fast-track Approvals Amendment Bill a Trojan horse that strips environmental protections, sidelines communities, and hands sweeping powers to ministers at the expense of democracy.

NZ, Singapore, Chile to collaborate on Green Economy Partnership

Mon 3 Nov 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | The three countries that kicked off what eventually became the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) have agreed to start work on a Green Economic Partnership Agreement (GEPA).

Gene tech reforms face political split

23 Oct 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams |The Government’s Gene Technology Bill continues to divide Parliament, after the Health Select Committee released its long-awaited report last week outlining key recommendations and lingering concerns.

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Associate Transport Minister James Meager

NZ abstains from vote on global shipping carbon tax

22 Oct 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government says it held back from endorsing the International Maritime Organization’s Net-Zero Framework over fears the plan could raise costs for exporters and importers.

Govt ‘captured by industry’ on methane – Carr

21 Oct 2025

By Liz Kivi | Former Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr says that recent moves to weaken methane targets and halt plans for agricultural emissions pricing show the Government has been captured by industry.

‘Pathetic': experts slam govt’s approach to adaptation

20 Oct 2025

By Liz Kivi | The government has signalled it will step back from full property buyouts if assets are hit by climate disasters, a move adaptation experts say will condemn hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders to a “dismal” future.

Govt promises ‘earlier action’ in response to Commission’s warning climate targets at risk

17 Oct 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government says it will “explore opportunities for earlier action” ahead of the third Emissions Reduction Plan, and has committed to looking at ways to stop the system of free carbon credits for industrial polluters from disincentivising industrial decarbonisation.

Govt unveils National Adaptation Framework

16 Oct 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | Minister of Climate Change Simon Watts has revealed the first actions under New Zealand’s National Adaptation Framework, which sets out the Government's approach to the rising risks from natural hazards such as floods and storms.

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts (front right) alongside Agriculture Minister Todd McLay announcing the controversial new methane target on Sunday.

Where’s Watts? Climate Minister no-show at climate conference

16 Oct 2025

By Liz Kivi | Opposition parties have slammed the Climate Change Minister’s failure to front up to a major international conference in Christchurch, saying it shows that climate adaptation is a low priority for the National Party.

Dr Maina Talia, Tuvalu’s Minister for Climate Change, speaking at the Adaptation Futures 2025 Conference in Christchurch on Monday.

‘Weird and sad’ – Tuvalu Climate Minister condemns NZ halving methane target

15 Oct 2025

By Liz Kivi | Dr Maina Talia, Tuvalu’s Minister for Home Affairs, Climate Change, and Environment, says he’s surprised at New Zealand’s decision to weaken its target for reducing methane emissions – and is planning to take up the issue with his counterpart Climate Minister Simon Watts this week.

Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton

Policy churn ‘bewildering and costly’: Commissioner urges cross-party fix for environmental management

9 Oct 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton warns that fragmented, stop–start policy and constant law reform are stalling progress on climate, freshwater and biodiversity.

Fast-track changes coming before end of year

3 Oct 2025

The Government is already preparing to amend its fast-track approvals law, even as the first projects consented under the regime begin construction.

While many other countries sent leaders and ministers to the event, Carolyn Schwalger, New Zealand's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, spoke on the Government's behalf.

NZ quiet on climate target at UN meeting

2 Oct 2025

By Liz Kivi | New Zealand didn't mention its recently minted – but widely criticised – climate target for 2035 at a major multilateral climate meeting in New York last week, at an event which was ostensibly billed as a platform for leaders to present their new targets.

‘Damp squib’ – Govt energy plan slammed for locking in fossil fuels

2 Oct 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | Critics across business, climate groups and the opposition say the Government’s electricity reforms duck structural change, double down on LNG and gas, and offer little relief for soaring power prices – warning of an “expensive white elephant", deeper energy poverty and a missed chance to scale renewables.

International organisations slam ‘no additional warming’ approach to methane

1 Oct 2025

A coalition of nearly 100 international organisations, including Greenpeace, have launched an open letter to governments calling for binding targets to cut industrial agricultural emissions, ahead of the New Zealand government's decision on its methane target.

‘Beyond embarrassing’ – Peters’ Paris remarks draw fire for talking down Pacific climate diplomacy

26 Sep 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | Foreign Minister and NZ first leader Winston Peters says he wants to revisit the Paris Agreement with Pacific leaders because some may be unaware of how it’s structured.

More shoreline adaptation plans confirmed for Tāmaki Makaurau

24 Sep 2025

Auckland Council has now confirmed 18 of a total of 20 shoreline adaptation plans, which look at how council-owned assets and land can be managed in response to coastal hazards and a changing climate over the next 100 years.

Australia leapfrogs NZ on climate ambition

19 Sep 2025

By Liz Kivi | Lawyers for Climate Action say Australia’s new 2035 climate target should be a wake-up call for ‘clean, green’ New Zealand.

Climate change collaboration and competition law

18 Sep 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | The revamped competition law regime needs to be able to take into account the benefits of companies that collaborate for action on climate change, says the panel that reviewed both the Commerce Commission and the Commerce Act.

Greenpeace supporters outside the Environment Canterbury buliding

North Canterbury councillors divided on nitrate emergency call

18 Sep 2025

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter | North Canterbury’s regional councillors are concerned about unsafe rural drinking water, but disagree on whether it constitutes a nitrate emergency.

Phill Hooper told the Greypower Ashburton audience that "spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on emission monitoring and reduction for the Ashburton District Council is a waste of money.

Ashburton councillor opposes climate strategy he voted for

17 Sep 2025

Jonathan Leask, Local Democracy Reporter | Incumbent Ashburton councillor Phill Hooper says he doesn’t want to waste money on a climate change strategy, despite voting for the policy a few weeks ago.

Christchurch Mayoral hopeful Sara Templeton (centre) is promising sustainable transport for the city.

Climate at the ballot box in local govt elections

15 Sep 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | Climate action as well as anti-climate stances are both the subject of promises at this year's local government elections, with pledges to focus on resilience to extreme weather events widely supported, while plans for cutting emissions have been countered by promises to block such action, as voting papers hit mailboxes last week.

Invites-only fast-track for seabed mine slammed as 'rushed, awful'

12 Sep 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | With the wider public shut out of submissions, critics including Te Pāti Māori, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining and Greenpeace say the process strips away robust scrutiny and risks setting a dangerous precedent.

Kathryn Ryan and Energy and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts at yesterday's Climate Change and Business Conference

Watts full-throated in National’s support for Paris

10 Sep 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | Climate Change Minister Simon Watts came to this week’s Climate Change and Business Conference with nothing to announce.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins speaking at the Climate Change and Business Conference in Auckland yesterday

‘Pick up the phone’ on climate change action, Hipkins urges Luxon

9 Sep 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should reach out to the Labour Party if he wants get a political deal on methane reductions and the Paris agreement rather than his two coalition partners, Labour leader Chris Hipkins says.

Government ministers and business leaders met in the Australian capital this week.

Growth, energy and climate in focus at Trans-Tasman bilateral talks

5 Sep 2025

Trans-Tasman climate cooperation was one of the themes at the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum, with senior government officials and business leaders from both sides of the ditch meeting in Canberra this week.

New report calls for Cabinet overhaul

5 Sep 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | A new report from The New Zealand Initiative argues that New Zealand’s “sprawling” Cabinet structure fragments climate responsibility and slows solutions, and proposes consolidating climate, environment and conservation portfolios.

'Atrocious' and 'bizarre': experts slam Act Party's climate policy

3 Sep 2025

By Liz Kivi | The Act Party is promising to challenge New Zealand’s Paris Agreement climate target, while the coalition Government’s other minor partner, NZ First, also says it wants to reevaluate the country’s commitment to the international treaty.

Significant environmental law reform risks NZ going from leader to laggard

3 Sep 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | New legislation must strengthen environmental safeguards and policy-makers must approach reform with extreme caution, according to Environmental Defence Society reform director Dr Greg Severinsen in a new report.

ETS a ‘broken paradigm’ undercutting biodiversity efforts

25 Aug 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | Pure Advantage is calling on the government to reform the Emissions Trading Scheme, with a new policy briefing saying that New Zealand’s offset-heavy approach is a “broken paradigm” undermining biodiversity and shifting risk to communities.

'Not giving up' – Right to repair bill in doubt

21 Aug 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | A bill that would make it easier for New Zealanders to access spare parts and the information to repair a product themselves while also cutting carbon emissions is looking unlikely to make it into law.

RMA to speed up fossil fuel consents

18 Aug 2025

By Liz Kivi | An energy lobby group has welcomed a last-minute amendment to the RMA that puts fossil fuels on the same footing as renewables, however a sustainable energy expert says the move “beggars belief.”

Shane Jones on climate change – it’s real, but…

15 Aug 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones believes climate change is real, but is uninterested in what is causing it and primarily focused on adapting to it.

NZ signs up to UK initiative to boost renewable energy in the Pacific

8 Aug 2025

New Zealand has joined the United Kingdom's TIDES initiative, which aims to support renewable energy developments in the Pacific Islands.

Labour vows to reinstate oil and gas ban

6 Aug 2025

By Liz Kivi | The Labour Party is promising to reinstate a ban on new oil and gas exploration permits, but won’t say if they will go even further and commit to revoking permits if elected.

Backlash over govt conservation changes

4 Aug 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | The government’s proposed changes to the Conservation Act are the most significant roll back in conservation protections in a generation, according to the Green Party.

'A sneeze in the night': Peters questions NZ's climate culpability

4 Aug 2025

New Zealand First seems to be vying with ACT and farming lobby group Groundswell to claim credit for being the first to call for New Zealand to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

Bill to restart oil and gas exploration clears final hurdle

1 Aug 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | The government’s Crown Minerals Amendment Bill is set to become law after passing its third reading in parliament last night, with critics calling it humiliating for the climate minister and an embarrassment to New Zealand's international reputation.

Local government and climate minister Simon Watts (left) and transport minister Chris Bishop at the Local Government NZ conference this week

Local govt bill 'completely misses the point,' passes first reading

18 Jul 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | The government’s bill making changes to the Local Government Act to "refocus" councils on their core functions passed its first reading in Parliament last night, with critics saying it will set back climate resilience.

Debanking bill 'financially dangerous'

15 Jul 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | A private member’s bill aiming to stop financial institutions from considering ESG factors has been slammed by leading investment groups, legal experts, and climate finance advocates as misguided, financially dangerous, and legislative overreach.

Riwaka Sandy Bay Road during recent flooding

'Back-to-basics' approach for councils ignores climate risk

11 Jul 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | While ACT is standing local government candidates to oppose councils' attempts to manage emissions and ministers are calling for local authorities to 'get back to basics' - or even suggesting scrapping regional councils altogether - one expert says this narrative is putting communities at risk in the face of climate change.

Climate backtracking could impact trade relationships: Labour

9 Jul 2025

By Liz Kivi | Labour Party Energy spokesperson Megan Woods says the government needs to be upfront about how its energy policies will impact trade relationships, following revelations New Zealand was warned by other governments that backtracking on climate policies jeopardised its membership of an international alliance.