Climate tort liability update

The Climate Change Response (Tort Liability) Amendment Bill became law on 23 August 2026.

The legislation creates a statutory bar that blocks tort-based climate litigation in New Zealand courts and has been described by legal bodies as constitutionally significant and retrospective in nature.

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says “Ongoing litigation in the High Court, where an applicant has brought civil claims against six major businesses for their greenhouse gas emissions, risks developing a new regime that contradicts the framework Parliament has already enacted. It’s creating uncertainty in business confidence and investment.”