Environmental Law Initiative - Aotearoa NZ

Calling on Ministers to use their powers to protect leatherback turtles — Environmental Law Initiative We’re calling on the Minister of Conservation and Minister for Oceans and Fisheries to take immediate action to prevent fishing-related deaths of critically endangered West Pacific leatherback turtle&...

Read more on our website here: www.eli.org.nz/updates/leat...

"Many of those turtles will not survive, the group says, despite being “absolutely protected” under the Wildlife Act.

"ELI is calling on Conservation Minister Potaka to urgently prepare a Population Management Plan (PMP) and set a maximum allowable level of fishing-related mortality (FRML)."

As The Post reports:
"In letters sent this week, the Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) warned ministers Tama Potaka and Shane Jones that NZ’s bycatch rules have become a “major conservation failure”, with at least 43 leatherback interactions recorded so far this year..."

Unlike Hawaii, which enforces strict interaction limits, NZ has no limit on the number of leatherback turtles that are killed as fisheries bycatch. We consider this a major conservation failure.

Accidental turtle killings ‘a major conservation failure’ Critically endangered leatherback turtles dying in commercial fisheries spark urgent calls for action, but ministers warn against rushing in new controls.

We have launched a new initiative:
West Pacific leatherback turtles are critically endangered & facing extinction. The population declined 87% between 1984 & 2017, with estimates lacking after 2017. A 2013 estimate had only 1,438 mature adults remaining.
www.thepost.co.nz/environment/...
#turtles

“We'll be closely scrutinising the consultation document to ensure that the Minister is fulfilling his legal duties under the Fisheries Act.”

"Population models tracking the rare seabirds from 1991 to 2023 show persistent decline in all sub-populations.

"ELI’s director of research and legal, Matt Hall, said: “We're at the point where every hoiho matters, and we have to do everything we can to remove the threats that endanger them.

"A major threat assessment delivered to officials this month shows the hoiho species is collapsing across every part of its northern range - the South Island and Rakiura/Stewart Island - driven mainly by poor survival of juveniles and adults."
#hoiho #penguins

Alarming report shows rare penguin in freefall as Government moves to extend fishing ban Seventeen hoiho deaths in one season: new data reveals the scale of the crisis.

In 2 weeks, we'll be in the High Court challenging the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries' emergency closure decision, which closed only part of northern hoiho habitat to setnet fishing, when the entire population is at risk of extinction.
As The Post reports:

www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

"Director of research and legal for ELI, Matt Hall says the case isn’t about banning glyphosate, but making sure regulatory decisions are based on up-to-date evidence and consistent with the law's purpose to protect people, the environment and the country’s export reputation.

"The advocacy group says emerging science, and the unknown toxicity of chemicals added to glyphosate formulations, demand a precautionary approach, especially given some co-formulants are banned overseas.

"The group has filed an appeal arguing the court misinterpreted key parts of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO), and gave the environmental watchdog too much discretion to decide what counts as “significant new information” about glyphosate’s risks.

Environmental group takes glyphosate fight to Court of Appeal The battle over glyphosate isn’t over. An environmental group says the EPA is shutting the door on new science - and is now taking the fight to the Court of Appeal.

Andrea Vance in The Post today:

"The Environmental Law Initiative is challenging a High Court ruling that backed the Environmental Protection Authority’s refusal to reassess glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup.

#glyphosate
Read the full piece at the link:
www.thepost.co.nz/environment/...

In our appeal, we’re challenging the Court’s legal interpretation of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Law and the EPA’s approach to glyphosate risk assessment. Read more at eli.org.nz/cases/glyphosate

New scientific evidence continues to emerge about the risks associated with glyphosate and glyphosate-containing substances.

Without a clear framework for reassessment here in NZ, the public cannot be confident that regulatory decisions are protecting the public and environmental interest.

Photo of an orange flower, with the text: Breaking. Appeal Filed. The Environmental Protection Authority has never done a proper risk assessment of the most abundantly-used herbicide in Aotearoa, glyphosate. We do not think that is right. That’s why, we are appealing the High Court ruling that upheld the EPA’s decision finding no grounds to reassess glyphosate or glyphosate-containing herbicides. Contains the ELI logo.

Breaking: We are appealing the High Court ruling that upheld the NZ EPA’s decision finding no grounds to reassess glyphosate or glyphosate-containing herbicides.

Despite being the most widely used herbicide in Aotearoa NZ, the EPA has never conducted a comprehensive risk assessment of #glyphosate.

“We are awash in chemicals whose effects on our ecosystems are poorly understood… Rather than cut corners, we need a coherent, well-resourced system that reflects our values, protects biodiversity, and ensures long-term productivity.”

In today’s Post, our Director of Research and Legal, Dr Matt Hall, outlines why it’s vital we take more — and better — precaution when it comes to hazardous substances in Aotearoa, not less.

Aotearoa is home to almost 28,000 species found nowhere else on Earth. To fast-track hazardous chemicals in New Zealand — as BusinessNZ is proposing — risks this unique biodiversity, the health of our communities, and our reputation as an exporter.

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#hazardouschemicals
#nzepa

It’s about how corporate power operates in the shadows, using PR firms, advertising agencies, and lobbying to shape public opinion and policy outcomes.”

But it also exposes something more troubling: the sophisticated machinery of influence that fossil fuel companies deploy to maintain their social licence while continuing business as usual. This isn’t just about one misleading ad campaign.

Integrity Briefing: Z Energy's greenwashing saga and what it says about corporate power This weekend, Z Energy did something rare in corporate New Zealand: it apologised.

“The settlement, announced yesterday, represents one of New Zealand’s most significant challenges to corporate green claims.

buff.ly/6EYzrab

Environmental and consumer advocates welcome Z Energy apology — Environmental Law Initiative Z Energy has apologised for any confusion caused by aspects of its advertising campaign, which claimed it was moving with the times and in the business of getting out of the petrol business. 

Read more here: www.eli.org.nz/updates/z-en...

Image of a smoke stack with green pen colouring over the smoke. With text: Breaking. Settlement win. ELI, Consumer NZ & Lawyers for Climate Action NZ v Z Energy. Z Energy has today issued a public apology for any confusion caused by its advertising campaign which claimed it was “moving with the times”, and “in the business of getting out of the petrol business”. The apology, part of a settlement is in full-page ads in major newspapers across the country.

After our 2 year-long joint proceedings against Z Energy, the company has run full-page adverts in the Sunday Star Times and the Herald on Sunday, apologising for any confusion caused by aspects of its advertising campaign, which claimed it was in the business of getting out of the petrol business.

Glyphosate residue limits to stay at 0.1mg/kg for wheat, barley and oats, with restrictions introduced on permitted use | NZ Government After carefully considering industry, stakeholder, and public feedback on a proposal to change maximum residue levels (MRLs) for glyphosate in wheat, barley and oats, New Zealand Food Safety has…

Thank you to all orgs, companies and individuals who submitted on the proposed increases to the MRLs. You can read MPI’s full press release here:

buff.ly/H0mCc2w

You can read a summary of the submissions on the MPI website and our full submission at eli.org.nz

Glyphosate residue limits to stay at 0.1mg/kg for wheat, barley and oats, with restrictions introduced on permitted use | NZ Government After carefully considering industry, stakeholder, and public feedback on a proposal to change maximum residue levels (MRLs) for glyphosate in wheat, barley and oats, New Zealand Food Safety has…

Growers and millers have increasingly entered into contractual arrangements that require no, or extremely low, glyphosate residues in grains used for food, effectively prohibiting pre-harvest use of glyphosate.”

Glyphosate residue limits to stay at 0.1mg/kg for wheat, barley and oats, with restrictions introduced on permitted use | NZ Government After carefully considering industry, stakeholder, and public feedback on a proposal to change maximum residue levels (MRLs) for glyphosate in wheat, barley and oats, New Zealand Food Safety has…

From the MPI press release:

“..after considering more than 3100 submissions and meeting with a broad range of submitters and stakeholders, we found compelling evidence that the way glyphosate is used in New Zealand has changed over the past five or six years.

Glyphosate residue limits to stay at 0.1mg/kg for wheat, barley and oats, with restrictions introduced on permitted use | NZ Government After carefully considering industry, stakeholder, and public feedback on a proposal to change maximum residue levels (MRLs) for glyphosate in wheat, barley and oats, New Zealand Food Safety has…

We are particularly pleased to see that glyphosate will no longer be allowed to be applied directly onto cereal crops grown for human consumption (it can now only be applied before crops emerge).

We are also encouraged to read that glyphosate use has been changing in the primary sector.

Glyphosate residue limits to stay at 0.1mg/kg for wheat, barley and oats, with restrictions introduced on permitted use | NZ Government After carefully considering industry, stakeholder, and public feedback on a proposal to change maximum residue levels (MRLs) for glyphosate in wheat, barley and oats, New Zealand Food Safety has…

Breaking: We welcome MPI’s announcement today that after considering industry and public feedback, glyphosate residue limits will stay at 0.1mg/kg for wheat, barley and oats with additional restrictions introduced on use. (However, the level for dry field peas will be raised to 6mg/kg).

#glyphosate

"A three-year rock lobster fishing ban was implemented in the inner Hauraki Gulf in April, & submissions have just closed on a proposal to close rock lobster fishing in part of Northland. Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says he’s awaiting advice from officials before making a decision on the closure"