Axeing environment ministry poses threat to future

Opinion: Sometimes the numbers say it all: 583 submissions oppose a Bill that would abolish the Ministry for the Environment. Only five submissions support the Government’s plan.

Similarly, 27,000 submissions were made on the Fast-track bill, before the Government bulldozed it into law. Further attacks on the natural environment loom in moves to replace the Resource Management Act and in the Fisheries Amendment Bill. The list could go on.

Right now, the Government is preparing to roll its might over public opposition to its Environment (Disestablishment of Ministry for the Environment) Amendment Bill, which would dissolve the Ministry for the Environment and move its functions to a new Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport.

The name of that new ministry indicates the threat it poses, that protection of the natural environment will be subsumed in the Government’s endless drive for profit.

The need to protect the environment, safeguard native species, and address climate change would have to compete with clashing goals of building bigger cities, regions and roads.

Short‑term economic goals could easily dominate decision-making and lead to destructive exploitation of the environment.

We need an independent Ministry for the Environment to protect our unique natural landscapes, lakes, rivers, coasts and native species for generations to come.

Currently, the Ministry for the Environment is the lead advisor to the government on climate change policy. It manages emissions reduction plans and climate adaptation plans.

The Climate Change Commission says action is urgently needed to prepare for the impacts of climate change in New Zealand.

Its recent report shows climate-driven severe weather is wreaking havoc on our communities and there are “extreme” shortfalls in policy to address some of the biggest risks.

Scientists have established that our global environmental crises are approaching tipping points from which we will not be able to recover.

Instead of putting resources into trying to turn the tide, this Government is burning down the structures that manage our climate response, protect the wild spaces we love, and ensure our native wildlife can survive.

In New Zealand, more than 4000 native species are rare, threatened or at risk of extinction. An independent environment ministry is indispensable to stop our native taonga vanishing from the planet.

Sewage overflows are contaminating harbours, making swimming unsafe at dozens of beaches on a regular basis and causing seafood farming businesses to close their doors.

Rivers and lakes are in an even more dire state, with almost half our rivers unsafe for swimming.

Clearly, we’re not at a point where we can close the doors on our Ministry for the Environment, knowing its job is done.

To imagine we are would pose a risk to New Zealand’s international reputation as responsible environmental stewards.

And without a dedicated ministry, we could lose our capacity to meet local and international environmental obligations.

In setting up the ministry in 1986, the government recognised the need to take account of the intrinsic value of ecosystems, the different ways individuals and groups value the environment, the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi, the sustainability of natural resources, and the needs of future generations.

The bill undermines the crucial role Māori voices play in maintaining the integrity of the land and waters of Aotearoa, and therefore undermines te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Collaborative relationships with mana whenua should be deepened and resourced, not destabilised by dissolving the ministry.

This bill fits with this Government’s agenda to dismantle environmental protections to fuel short-term economic growth.

But its narrow definition of wealth poses a serious risk to the source of all wealth — nature.

Fuelling climate change, for example, has a high repair bill.

This year, we have witnessed cyclones, floods and landslides devastating homes, businesses and roads, costing the country millions of dollars and leaving many with heart-breaking clean-ups and losses.

On the other hand, protecting nature brings economic rewards.

Tourism, for example, relies on our clean green image. In the year to March 2025, tourism was New Zealand’s second highest export earner, making up 7.7 percent of GDP.

When properly funded, environmental governance can help protect our personal and economic health, infrastructure, natural habitats, and biodiversity from the ravages of climate change and pollution.

New Zealanders are justified in asking who, exactly, this Government is working for when no amount of public outcry has any effect on the laws it passes.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has described himself as the CEO of New Zealand, but it’s hard to imagine a CEO ignoring thousands of customers who take the time to express their views.