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Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand)

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The Ministry for the Environment (MfE; Māori: Manatū Mō Te Taiao) is the public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the New Zealand Government on policies and issues affecting the environment, in addition to the relevant environmental laws and standards. The Environment Act 1986 is the statute that establishes the Ministry.

Ministry for the Environment
Manatū Mō Te Taiao
Agency overview
Formed1986
JurisdictionNew Zealand
Headquarters8 Willis St,
Wellington 6011
Annual budgetVote Environment
Total budget for 2019/20
Decrease$994,991,000[1]
Ministers responsible
Agency executive
  • James Palmer, Chief Executive and Secretary for the Environment
Websiteenvironment.govt.nz

Description

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Functions assigned by Section 31 of the Environment Act 1986 include advising the Minister for the Environment on all aspects of environmental administration, obtaining and disseminating information, and generally providing advice on environmental matters. Since 1988, the Ministry of the Environment has coordinated New Zealand's interdepartmental policy response to climate change.[3]

The Environmental Protection Authority was set up in 2011 to carry out some of the environmental regulatory functions of the MfE as well as other government departments.

The Ministry for the Environment administer a number of environmental funds:[4]

  • Waste Minimisation Fund
  • Environmental Legal Assistance Fund
  • Contaminated Sites Remediation Fund

It runs the Green Ribbon Awards, which have been given out by the Minister for the Environment since 1990.[5]

The Ministry owns the Environmental Choice New Zealand ecolabel,[6] but it is administered independently by the New Zealand Ecolabelling Trust.[7]

In 1997 the Ministry released New Zealand's first State of the Environment report.[8] This was followed up in 2008 by a second report titled Environment New Zealand 2007.[9] Chapter 13 of this report was removed before final publication but was leaked to the Green Party. After news media reported the existence of the omitted chapter, the Ministry placed the contents on its website.[10]

As stated, the Ministry for the Environment was established under the 1986 Environment Act which was implemented to encourage preventive measures for the protection of the environment.[11] The Ministry for the Environment was established to ensure broad thinking about the environmental issues that plague our world and continue to do so even more severely in the 21st century. The measures the ministry for the environment take time to consider and focus on include intrinsic values of ecosystems, including principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, values people place on the environment, needs of future generations and sustainability of natural and physical resources.[12]

As a response to the ministry for the environment, in 1991 the Resource Management Act was passed to enforce resource sustainability and environmental protection on a legal platform.[13] However, in 2023 the government is repealing the Resource Management Act to enhance new laws into this reform as a way of managing the environment and the pressing issue of climate change.[14]

Key initiatives

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The Ministry of the Environment has many key initiatives that help them support New Zealand and its environment.[15]

Resource management system

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The resource management system governs how people interact with natural resources.[16] It allows people to use natural resources where suitable.[16] This system is currently under some change. The new government in New Zealand has introduced a permanent fast-track approvals process to parliament and is repealing the Natural and Built Environment (NBA) and Spatial Planning Acts.[16] There has been some controversy around this bill and its lack of consideration for environmental impacts.[17]

Emissions reductions

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New Zealand aims to reduce all greenhouse gases (except methane emissions from waste and agricultural biological processes) to zero by 2050.[18]

The Ministry of the Environment has an emissions reduction plan (ERP) that outlines how New Zealand will reduce these emissions.[18] These plans are created every 5 years. The ERP requires climate action from many parts of government and sectors of the economy including, transport, energy, building and construction, waste, agriculture and forestry.[18]

National adaption plan

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The Ministry of the Environment has a national adaption plan that helps New Zealanders adapt, live and thrive in a more damaged and difficult climate.[19] This plan helps to support different groups of people including Māori and Pacific people.[19] The plan is currently focusing on flood risk areas and developing projects to support other climate change impacts.[19]

Recovering from recent severe weather events

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New Zealand has recently suffered from severe weather events caused by climate change. In 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle severely impacted the Hawke’s Bay region.[20]

The Ministry of Environment is supporting these councils and communities with a significant recovery job as well as helping these communities become more resilient.[21] The main ways they are supporting these communities are by, changing laws, strong risk management and climate adaptation.[21]

Ban on more problematic plastics

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The Ministry of Environment classes problematic plastics as single-use plastics such as straws and produce bags.[22] They banned these products in 2023 as an initial step in the 3-step phase-out plan. In 2025, they are banning all PVC and polystyrene food and beverage packaging.[22]

Climate change policy

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The Ministry for the Environment has introduced several policies to address climate change and protect New Zealand’s natural environment. The Zero Carbon Act, passed in 2019, sets a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.[23] The act established the Climate Change Commission, which is a crown entity that provides independent advice to the government on emissions reduction targets and strategies.[24] The commission has been criticised by Greenpeace for not going far enough when making recommendations for agricultural methane reduction.[25]

Agricultural policy

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In 2003 the Fifth Labour government decided to attempt to introduce a levy on farm animals and their methane emissions, in order to fund research on how to reduce farm emissions. The levy would’ve cost 9c for mature sheep, 54c for each mature beef cow, and 72c for each dairy cow.[26] This was widely protested by farmers and the opposition. Eventually after sustained criticism, and unpopularity of the policy, on 17 October 2003 Labour said it found alternative sources to fund emissions research, and would not introduce the levy.[27]

In 2018, the Interim Climate Change Commission was established, to look at various options of agriculture pricing. As the combination of Methane (43.7%) and Nitrous Oxide (10.7%) emissions make up a majority of New Zealand’s emissions,[28] reducing Agricultural emissions would be necessary to lower New Zealand’s carbon footprint and currently policy left the majority of emissions untaxed. In 11 October 2022 the Sixth Labour Government announced its decision to pursue a farm-based levy,[29] with a backup ETS processor levy if the farm levy was not ready by 2025.[30] They also announced consultation on the policy, which lasted from 11 October to 18 November and were posted on 21 December 2022.[31] The processor levy backup under the ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme) was where the levy would simply be decided by the ETS, and handed on to processors, such as slaughterhouses or importers and producers of fertilizer. Initially considered by the 2018 Interim Climate Change Committee, and this was left as a backup option, in case the farm-based levy was not in place by 2025.[30]

The other approach was the farm-based levy, this arose out of consultation with the agriculture sector and He Waka Eke Noa (Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership), seeking an alternative to pricing under the ETS at a processor level.[30] Under this the levy is paid by farmers themselves, and they are required to report their emissions. Of note of both methods is that Methane and Nitrous Oxide would be taxed separately and differently, as they have different effects and permanence in the environment and atmosphere.[30]  Additionally, the government committed to funding the agricultural sector, and $380 million to help farmers reduce emissions, among other funding.[29]

In 18 August 2023, the Sixth Labour Government announced the confirmation of the split-gas approach,[32] the commitment to have farm level emissions reported by late 2024, and various changes from consultation, such as the decision for carbon sequestration to give a reduction in the levy if it was scientifically valid. The National Party committed before the 2023 election to implement a sustainable pricing system for agriculture by 2030, and to start measuring farm level emissions by 2025 .[33] The National Party eventually formed a government after the 2023 election.

Ministers

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The Ministry serves three portfolio and five ministers.[34]

Officeholder Portfolios Other responsibilities
Hon Penny Simmonds Lead Minister (Ministry for the Environment)
Minister for the Environment
Hon Simon Watts Minister for Climate Change
Hon Chris Bishop Minister Responsible for RMA Reform
Hon Andrew Hoggard Associate Minister for the Environment
Hon Nicola Willis Associate Minister for Climate Change

List of ministers for the environment

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Key

  National   Labour

No. Name Portrait Term of office Prime Minister
1 Duncan MacIntyre   9 February 1972 8 December 1972 Marshall
2 Joe Walding   8 December 1972 10 September 1974 Kirk
3 Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan   10 September 1974 12 December 1975 Rowling
4 Venn Young   12 December 1975 12 February 1981 Muldoon
5 Ian Shearer   12 February 1981 26 July 1984
6 Russell Marshall   26 July 1984 17 February 1986 Lange
7 Phil Goff   17 February 1986 24 August 1987
8 Geoffrey Palmer   24 August 1987 2 November 1990
Palmer
Moore
9 Simon Upton   2 November 1990 3 October 1991 Bolger
10 Rob Storey   3 October 1991 29 November 1993
(9) Simon Upton   29 November 1993 10 December 1999
Shipley
11 Marian Hobbs   10 December 1999 19 October 2005 Clark
12 David Benson-Pope   19 October 2005 27 July 2007
– David Parker
(acting) 		  27 July 2007 31 October 2007
13 Trevor Mallard   31 October 2007 19 November 2008
14 Nick Smith   19 November 2008 21 March 2012 Key
– Chris Finlayson
(acting) 		  21 March 2012 2 April 2012
15 Amy Adams   3 April 2012 6 October 2014
(14) Nick Smith   8 October 2014 26 October 2017
English
16 David Parker   26 October 2017 27 November 2023 Ardern
Hipkins
17 Penny Simmonds   27 November 2023 present Luxon


See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "Total Appropriations for Each Vote". Budget 2019. The Treasury.
  2. ^ a b "Ministerial List". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  3. ^ Ratnasiri; et al. (12 June 1996). "Report on the in-depth review of the national communication of New Zealand". UNFCCC. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  4. ^ "Sources of funding for projects and participation". Ministry for the Environment. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
  5. ^ "The Green Ribbon Awards". Ministry for the Environment. 15 April 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  6. ^ "About Environmental Choice New Zealand". Environmental Choice New Zealand. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  7. ^ "The New Zealand Ecolabelling Trust". Sustainable Business Council. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  8. ^ The State of New Zealand’s Environment 1997 Archived 9 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Report Ref. ME612, Ministry for the Environment, Wellington, New Zealand.
  9. ^ "State of Environment New Zealand report welcomed". New Zealand Government. 31 January 2008. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2008.
  10. ^ "Ministry stands by decision to drop conclusion chapter Media release: 11 February 2008". Ministry for the Environment. 11 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2 April 2008. Retrieved 28 March 2008.
  11. ^ "Environment Act 1986". New Zealand Legislator. New Zealand Government. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  12. ^ "About the Ministry for the Environment". Ministry for the Environment. New Zealand Government. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Resource System management reform". Ministry for the Environment. New Zealand Government. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Resource System management reform". Ministry for the Environment. New Zealand Government. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Key initiativies". Ministry for the Environment.
  16. ^ a b c "What the Government is doing about the Resource Management System". Ministry for the Environment. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  17. ^ "Environment ministry advice show flaws in Fast-Track Approvals Bill". Labour. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  18. ^ a b c "Emissions Reductions". Ministry for the Environment.
  19. ^ a b c "National Adaptation Plan". Ministry for the Environment.
  20. ^ "Hawke's Bay flood works". Ministry for the Environment.
  21. ^ a b "Recovering from recent severe weather events". Ministry for the Environment.
  22. ^ a b "Ban on more problematic plastics begins on 1 July". Ministry for the Environment.
  23. ^ Dreaver, Charlie (7 November 2019), "Zero Carbon Bill passes final reading", RNZ, archived from the original on 16 April 2024, retrieved 20 June 2024
  24. ^ "Climate policy detail: The Zero Carbon Act", Stuff, 11 September 2023, archived from the original on 1 December 2023, retrieved 20 June 2024
  25. ^ Lo, Joe (9 June 2021), "New Zealand climate plan criticised over 'cow-shaped hole'", Climate Home News, archived from the original on 7 March 2024, retrieved 20 June 2024
  26. ^ New Zealand Press Association (30 August 2003). "Government in retreat over stock-gas tax". NZ Herald. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  27. ^ Dunn, Liam (17 October 2003). "Hodgson backs down on fart tax". NZ Herald. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  28. ^ "New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions | Stats NZ". Stats NZ. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  29. ^ a b "Pragmatic proposal to reduce agricultural emissions and enhance exports and economy | Beehive.govt.nz". Beehive. 11 October 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  30. ^ a b c d Pricing Agricultural Emissions Ministry for the Environment. 22 October 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  31. ^ "Govt and industry take next step on agriculture emissions reduction plan | Beehive.govt.nz". Beehive. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  32. ^ "New emissions reduction plan will future-proof NZ's largest export sector | Beehive.govt.nz". Beehive. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  33. ^ McClay, Todd (18 August 2023). "National backs farmers to cut emissions". New Zealand National Party. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  34. ^ "Summary of Ministers and Cabinet portfolios". Ministry for the Environment. Retrieved 16 November 2020.

References

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  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
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