Ministry for the Environment

The Ministry for the Environment is the public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the New Zealand Government on policies and issues affecting the environment, in addition to the relevant environmental laws and standards. The Environment Act 1986 is the statute that establishes the Ministry. In mid-February 2026, the Sixth National Government announced plans to disestablish the Ministry for the Environment and merge it into the new Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT).