Published annually by the Faculty of Law at the University of Auckland, NZJEL is New Zealand’s leading academic journal dedicated to environmental and resource management law, featuring in-depth legal scholarship, commentary, and analysis from leading academics, judges, practitioners, and policy experts.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) was appointed as an independent adviser to the Environment Committee on 18 December 2025 to assist with its consideration of the Planning and Natural Environment Bills.

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.

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.

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.

The Environmental Defence Society says the decision to delay the Fisheries Amendment Bill until after the general election should mark the end for legislation that would weaken environmental protections and public accountability.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment addressed the Catchment Communities Aotearoa National Forum identifying the pivotal role of catchment groups in tackling environmental challenges in rural New Zealand.

The Natural Environment Bill was introduced on December 9, 2025 with the aim of managing impacts from the use of natural resources and protect the environment from harm.