The International Court of Justice’s landmark ruling will usher in a new era of accountability for states, including Aotearoa New Zealand, to deliver on their climate change commitments.

From the shallows to the deep, the oceans surrounding Aotearoa are among the most biodiverse on Earth. They are a taonga — and caring for them is essential. 
 
We’re taking the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries to the Wellington High Court for failing to uphold the law in managing orange roughy fisheries.

Environment Canterbury and Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Ltd (ALIL) have withdrawn their appeals against our historic High Court ruling, cementing an important legal victory for freshwater protection.

We are challenging the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) this week in the High Court over its decision that there were no grounds to reassess the herbicide glyphosate, along with more than 90 glyphosate-based formulations currently approved for use in Aotearoa. 

We believe in fairness and the rule of law. As a wealthy country, we need to meet our climate targets with real action, as part of the global effort to limit warming to no more than 1.5C this century.

The Environmental Law Initiative and Lawyers for Climate Action NZ Inc have launched major legal proceedings against the Minister of Climate Change, alleging that the Government’s emissions reduction plan fails to fulfil basic requirements of the law.

In a landmark February ruling, the High Court found that Environment Southland failed its legal duty to monitor and protect wetlands—clarifying that all councils in Aotearoa must take proactive, effective action to safeguard these critical ecosystems. The decision sets a powerful precedent, reinforcing that inadequate monitoring, enforcement, or resource excuses will not meet statutory obligations under the Resource Management Act.

Our submission on the MPI Proposals to Amend the New Zealand FoodNotice: Maximum Residue Levels for Agricultural Compounds.

ELI is challenging the lawfulness of a nitrogen discharge consent issued by Environment Canterbury in the High Court this week. The consent to the MHV Water Ltd irrigation covers farming activities on more than 58,000 ha of land. 

Join Dr Mike Joy and ELI for a public talk on the future of freshwater in Canterbury.

We are challenging Environment Canterbury’s blanket rule allowing nitrate pollution in the Christchurch High Court this week.

“Canterbury holds the majority of Aotearoa's freshwater, but this public resource is significantly degraded,” says ELI’s Senior Researcher, Anna Sintenie. 

The Government’s amendment to s 53 of the Wildlife Act, which is a reaction to ELI’s recent High Court win, make the Act even more complicated and difficult to implement.

“I think most New Zealanders would be very uncomfortable with the idea that the Director-General of Conservation is put in the position of having to authorise the killing of often endangered wildlife."