Anger over plans to abolish New Zealand’s dedicated environment ministry | New Zealand
The New Zealand government is trying to abolish the dedicated environment ministry to reduce bureaucracy; Critics say the move could weaken environmental protections.
According to the plan, the ministry will be transformed into a new “mega ministry” that will cover housing, urban development, transportation, local government and the environment.
The ministry of environment was established by law in 1986 to be the country’s chief advisor on environment and climate. On February 19, the coalition government submitted a bill to parliament to abolish the ministry. The government aims to have the new ministry operational by July 1.
Chris Bishop, the minister responsible for resource management reform, said when announcing the proposal in December: “The system is very fragmented and very unco-ordinated.”
Bishop said public servants are often as frustrated as ministers with “duplication, overlapping responsibilities and lack of coordination” between existing ministries. He said the new ministry would “unite the key tools that shape growth and productivity”.
Environment minister Penny Simmonds said in February that the merger would improve the wellbeing of communities while protecting the environment.
“Environmental functions remain a core part of the new ministry’s work,” he said.
While New Zealand presents itself to the world as “100% pure” and “clean, green”, it is often stated that for many people living in the country, a deep connection with nature is an important part of personal and collective identities.
However, their species are in alarming decline, large numbers are threatened or at risk of extinction (one of the highest amid a global biodiversity crisis), and many of the country’s freshwaterways are in a dire state due to nutrient pollution and sewage overflows.
Experts and opposition parties say the scrapping of the environment ministry is a new blow to conservation.
Professor of political science at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch and expert on climate and democracy, Dr. Bronwyn Hayward said she was “very concerned” about the changes.
“There is a real risk that in merger we will lose accountability, skills and the coherent delivery of effective policy that creates a better environment for everyone and supports our economy and prosperity,” he said.
The right-wing coalition government has faced widespread criticism over its environmental and climate policy agenda since taking office in 2023. It has promised to restart offshore oil and allocated $200 million of its budget to invest in gas exploration. It plans to increase mineral exports to $3 billion by 2035, while also cutting funding for conservation and climate initiatives.
The new fast-track legislation, which introduces major infrastructure projects including mining, has been described as “seriously damaging” to the environment and risks destabilizing the path to a greener future. In 2025, a group of environmental lawyers sued the government over its “dangerously inadequate” emissions reduction plan.
Rachel Brooking, the environment spokeswoman for the opposition Labor Party, said the plan to sack the environment secretary was “emblematic of the government’s approach to the environment and nature, which is to enable more pollution and to cut existing programs to improve nature and the environment.”
“We are concerned that all the monitoring and environmental protection work the ministry is involved in will be set aside.”
Lan Pham, the Green party’s environment spokesman, said the move was “a clear signal that the environment comes last for this government.”
Pham said the ministry’s existence was because in 1986 New Zealanders decided the natural world needed a “dedicated voice at the heart of government”.
“At a time when climate change is inundating our communities every week, costing billions of dollars, lives and livelihoods, this government’s response is to sack the ministry responsible for protecting the environment.”
Simmonds has refused to respond to criticism about environmental protection and the closure of her ministry. The Guardian contacted Bishop for comment.
