Ministry for the Environment New Zealand

We work to achieve good environmental leadership and decision making at all levels so that we can deliver the environment that New Zealanders expect and deserve.

On this website you can find out about issues that affect the environment, environmental laws and treaties and the state of the environment. There's also information on what you can do for the environment, copies of our publications and information about our organisation.

Interested in working at the Ministry, see our job vacancies.

Latest news from the Ministry

Ecological flows and water levels - new workshop dates

The public workshops for the National Environmental Standard on Ecological Flows and Water Levels have been rescheduled to start on 26 May and run through to 13 June. [15 May 2008]

Review of New Zealand’s 2007 Net Position Report

This document presents the findings of a review of New Zealand's 2007 net position report (September 2007) which describes the 2007 estimate of New Zealand's net position with respect to its Kyoto target over the first commitment period. [15 May 2008]

Education and Advisory Services Fund is open for applications

The Ministry welcomes applications (until 30 May 2008) to the RMA Education and Advisory Services Fund for the 2008/2009 financial year, with total funding of up to $120,000 incl GST for advisory services, and up to $60,000 incl GST for workshop services. [15 May 2008]

Net Position Report 2008: Projected balance of emissions units during the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol

The net position is New Zealand’s projected balance of Kyoto Protocol units during the first commitment period (2008-2012) of the Kyoto Protocol. The balance of units is a projection of what actual emissions will be reported in New Zealand national greenhouse inventory submissions over the commitment period and government transfers of Kyoto emissions units. [13 May 2008]

Wood burner performance reviewed

The Ministry, in partnership with Environment Canterbury and Nelson City Council, has released a report detailing design verification and emissions and efficiency testing of 10 wood burners. The review revealed poor compliance. The Ministry strongly recommends councils, retailers and consumers continue to refer only to the national authorised list of wood burners. [7 May 2008]

Guidance for second generation planning goes live

Structuring, organising, and writing regional and district plans is a little easier with new RMA guidance that went live today on the Quality Planning website. [1 May 2008]

Recycling in Public Places Initiative

The second round of funding for councils is now open as part of the Ministry's Recycling in Public Places Initiative. Applications close on 13 June 2008. [28 April 2008]

Implementation workshops - drinking water sources standard

Dates have been announced for national workshops on implementation of the National Environmental Standard for Sources of Human Drinking Water. [22 April 2008]

New Zealand’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990-2006: An Overview

This document provides an overview of "New Zealand's Greenhouse Gas Inventory 1990 - 2006". The full inventory report is available on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change website. [16 April 2008]

Guidance for Voluntary, Corporate Greenhouse Gas Reporting

This publication gives guidance for corporations on voluntary Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reporting, including emission factors. It is intended to help those corporates that wish to voluntarily monitor and report greenhouse gas emissions on an organisational basis for their New Zealand operations. [10 April 2008]

Small Business Expo - Sustainability theme

The theme of this year's Small Business Expo is 'Sustainability'. The Expo will be held in Auckland (16-18 April), Christchurch (20-22 May) and Wellington (25-27 June), and we'll be offering "sustainability health checks" to small businesses. [9 April 2008]

Making Good Decisions programme

Over 300 local decision-makers participated in the recent training and certification round following on from the 2007 local body elections. If successful, they will join over 900 current certificate holders. Workshops associated with the first-ever round of re-certification have now kicked off as well. [8 April 2008]