Appendix One: Functions of the Ministry
The functions of the Ministry for the Environment as set out in the Environment Act 1986 are:
- To advise the Minister on all aspects of environmental administration, including:
- Policies for influencing the management of natural and physical resources and ecosystems so as to achieve the objectives of the Environment Act 1986;
- Significant environmental impacts of public or private sector proposals, particularly those that are not adequately covered by legislative or other environmental assessment requirements currently in force;
- Ways of ensuring that effective provision is made for public participation in environmental planning and policy formulation processes in order to assist decision making, particularly at the regional and local level.
- To solicit and obtain information from any source, and to conduct and supervise research, so far as it is necessary for the formulation of advice to the government on environmental policies.
- To provide the Government, its agencies, and other public authorities** with advice on:
- The application, operation, and effectiveness of the Acts specified in the Schedule to the Environment Act 1986 in relation to the achievement of the objectives of that Act;
- Procedures for the assessment and monitoring of environmental impacts;
- Pollution control and the co-ordination of the management of pollutants in the environment;
- The identification and likelihood of natural hazards and the reduction of the effects of natural hazards;
- The control of hazardous substances, including the management of the manufacture, storage, transport, and disposal of hazardous substances.
- To facilitate and encourage the resolution of conflict in relation to policies and proposals which may affect the environment;
- To provide and disseminate information and services to promote environmental policies, including environmental education and mechanisms for promoting effective public participation in environmental planning;
- Generally to provide advice on matters relating the environment.
Other legislation
The Ministry for the Environment also has specific functions under the:
- Resource Management Act 1991
- Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996
- Ozone Layer Protection Act 1996
- Climate Change Response Act 2002
and administers the legislation listed in Appendix Three.
** “Public authorities” means:
- a Minister of the Crown
- a Government Department
- any instrument of the Executive Government of New Zealand
- any local authority
