The Government’s proposed amendments to the Climate Change Response Act would weaken climate accountability and restrict the ability of New Zealanders to challenge major polluters through the courts, says Green Party candidate for Coromandel Pamela Grealey.

“The proposed law changes appear designed to shut down climate litigation already before the courts and make it harder to hold both government and major emitters accountable for the climate damage caused by their actions.”

“The fact that these changes could benefit some of New Zealand’s largest polluters while communities are already dealing with worsening climate impacts is deeply concerning.”

Pamela Grealey says communities across the Coromandel electorate are already experiencing flooding, slips, coastal erosion, storm damage, and growing pressure on infrastructure and local economies.

“The Coromandel electorate stretches from peninsula communities through the Hauraki Plains, around the Firth, and into the western Bay. People across our electorate understand the real-world cost of climate disruption.”

The proposed amendments would reduce consultation requirements, weaken the role of the Climate Change Commission, and limit legal avenues for climate accountability.

“The Government is calling this ‘efficiency’, but reducing scrutiny and limiting public participation is not good governance.”

“Our communities have a long history of standing up to environmental harm and protecting whenua, waterways, coastlines, and native ecosystems for future generations.”

“Climate policy should be science-based, transparent, and accountable to the public.”

“These proposed changes deserve full public scrutiny through a proper select committee process, not a rushed rewrite that weakens accountability.”

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