Environmental law Environmental laws are laws that protect the environment. The term "environmental law" encompasses treaties, statutes, regulations, conventions, and policies designed to protect the natural environment and manage the impact of human activitie ...

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

is an increasingly well defined body of national law that has a specialist court, The

Environment Court of New Zealand The Environment Court of New Zealand () is a specialist court for plans, resource consents and environmental issues. It mainly deals with issues arising under the Resource Management Act, meaning that it covers a wide range of potential future ...

(

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...

: Te Kooti Taiao o Aotearoa), to decide related issues.

History

The roots of New Zealand environmental law can be traced to the

common law Common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law primarily developed through judicial decisions rather than statutes. Although common law may incorporate certain statutes, it is largely based on prece ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. The increasing environmental awareness of the 1960s led to a specific body of

environmental law Environmental laws are laws that protect the environment. The term "environmental law" encompasses treaties, statutes, regulations, conventions, and policies designed to protect the natural environment and manage the impact of human activitie ...

that developed in many

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

countries including New Zealand. Environmental law became more integrated in the 1980s with the passing of the

Environment Act 1986 The Environment Act 1986 of New Zealand established the Ministry for the Environment and the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. References About the Environment Act 1986 Statutes of New Zealand Urban planning in ...

and the

Conservation Act 1987 The Conservation Act 1987 is New Zealand's principal act concerning the conservation of indigenous biodiversity. The Act established the Department of Conservation (who administer the Act) and Fish and Game, and complements the National Pa ...

. These Acts set up the Ministry for the Environment,

Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment __NOTOC__ The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (''Te Kaitiaki Taiao a Te Whare Pāremata'' in Māori language, Māori) is an independent Officer of the New Zealand Parliament appointed by the Governor-General of New Zealand, Govern ...

and the

Department of Conservation Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

. The most significant Act of Parliament concerning environmental law was the passing of

Resource Management Act 1991 The Resource Management Act (RMA) passed in 1991 in New Zealand is a significant, and at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water. New Zea ...

. Issues under the Act are adjudicated by the

Timeline

This timeline outlines the more significant environmental legislation in New Zealand: * 1903 - Scenery Preservation Act * 1962 -

Nature Conservation Council The Nature Conservation Council was a New Zealand government agency that existed from 1962 to 1990. It was set up largely in response to the increasing opposition to a hydro-electricity scheme that was being planned at that stage for Lake Manapou ...

set up under the Nature Conservation Council Act. * August 1970 -

New Zealand Cabinet The Cabinet of New Zealand ()Translated as: "The Rūnanga (literally 'Council') of the Government of New Zealand" is the New Zealand Government's body of senior ministers, accountable to the New Zealand Parliament. Cabinet meetings, chaired by ...

established the

Environmental Council Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, referring respectively to all living and non-living things occurring naturally and the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism ...

* February 1972 - Cabinet established the position of

Minister of the Environment An environment minister (sometimes minister of the environment or secretary of the environment) is a cabinet position charged with protecting the natural environment and promoting wildlife conservation. The areas associated with the duties of a ...

* August 1972 - Government creates the

New Zealand Commission for the Environment __NOTOC__ The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (''Te Kaitiaki Taiao a Te Whare Pāremata'' in Māori) is an independent Officer of the New Zealand Parliament appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the House of R ...

* April 1973 - The

Clean Air Act 1972 The Clean Air Act 1972 was an Act of Parliament passed in New Zealand in 1972. It aimed to regulate industrial pollution by establishing a licensing system for permissible emission levels. This legislation also enhanced the monitoring of air qu ...

comes into force. * March 1974 - Environmental Protection and Enhancement Procedures (EP&EP) are instituted. * January 1987 -

comes into force. * April 1987 -

Conservation Act The Conservation Act 1987 is New Zealand's principal act concerning the conservation of indigenous biodiversity. The Act established the Department of Conservation (who administer the Act) and Fish and Game, and complements the National Pa ...

comes into force. * October 1991 -

Resource Management Act The Resource Management Act (RMA) passed in 1991 in New Zealand is a significant, and at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water. New Zea ...

comes into force. * June 1996 -

Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO) is an Act of Parliament passed in New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and t ...

References

*Coutts, B. 1997 ''A Practical Guide to Resource Consents'' John McIndoe, Dunedin *Bosselman, K.; Grinlinton, D. 2002 ''Environmental Law for a Sustainable Society'' *Wells, N. E., (editor) 1984 ''A Guide to Environmental Law in New Zealand'',

External links

New Zealand Centre for Environmental Law
-

University of Auckland The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...

New Zealand Journal of Environmental Law

History

Timeline

See also

References

Further reading

External links