The Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai (the Authority) is taking steps to improve clarity for drinking water suppliers by releasing a policy position on when a downstream supply exists and clarifying what responsibilities apply. This work follows engagement with the sector last year.

New research by Earth Sciences New Zealand, commissioned by Te Waihanga, explores how flood damage to infrastructure could change under different climate scenarios. It shows that, across the scenarios modelled, flood damage is expected to increase over the coming decades, with the impacts felt unevenly across the country.

The Government has introduced a Bill to amend New Zealand’s climate change law.

The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) has today filed its submission on the Conservation Amendment Bill, welcoming the Government’s decision to abandon the controversial conservation land exchange and disposal provisions, while warning that several significant issues remain unresolved.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has submitted on the Conservation Amendment Bill, focusing on how proposed reforms could shape the future management of New Zealand’s conservation estate.

For RMLA members working across environmental law, policy, planning, governance, biodiversity, natural-resource management and ecological restoration, these opportunities may be of particular professional and academic interest.

RMLA lodged its submission on the Conservation Amendment Bill with Parliament’s Environment Committee on 13 July 2026.

Legislation to update New Zealand’s environmental reporting regime has passed its first reading in Parliament.

Fisheries NZ is consulting on new sustainability measures for the country’s two tarakihi stocks.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment received questions from the Waitangi Tribunal, regarding the Wai 3325 Climate Change Priority Inquiry, and provided a response.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment addressed the Environmental Defence Society Annual Conference identifying that concurrent resource management and local government reforms risk creating “an expensive mess” if catchments are fragmented.

Following discussions last week on the fringes of the EDS Conference, the Minister of Conservation has agreed to substantial changes to the Conservation Amendment Bill.