Environment Hubs Aotearoa reached out to its members and their networks to ask what people wanted to know about different political parties' responses to environmental issues. The crowdsourced responses were whittled down to eleven key questions which were passed on to each party for response.  At the time of publication only three of the parties, Labour, National and the Greens, had responded, despite follow-up. We hope you find them useful in thinking about what’s important to you and who you might vote for in the upcoming elections. 

The Sustainability Trust published a summary of the responses, commenting that all the parties agree that waterways should be monitored better, that there should be more investment in public transport, that the agriculture sector is important and changes should be led by research, all support Predator Free 2050, the Zero Carbon Act and moving towards sustainable resources. The devil is in the detail, which is why it is important to read what each party is committing to and to look closely at the differences, which are not easily summarised.

Click each question to see the answers given by each of the National, Labour and Green Parties.


ENM recently became a member of Environment Hubs Aotearoa. EHA is a charitable incorporated society whose members are independent local community hubs, each of which has strong local connections and individual strengths. The result is a national organisation that allows the sharing of these assets and on-the-ground experience, to better empower more New Zealanders to create a thriving and sustainable Aotearoa.

What policies will your party implement to increase public and active transport and reduce carbon-emitting transport?
How will your policies see urgent action around reducing emissions from agriculture, and how will you support farmers to move towards regenerative agricultural practices?
What are the next steps to reduce waste and support product stewardship, especially re food, plastic waste, batteries, textiles and packaging?
Will your party support measures to monitor water health, including, oceans, rivers, streams and underground tributaries, and will this data be publically available?
What are the three key actions your party would support, to move toward Zero Carbon?
Do you have plans to increase the range of items that can be recycled and upcycled domestically?
What policies do you have to support individuals and businesses to move towards clean energy options, e.g. solar, wind, hydrogen, electric vehicles?
How will your party mitigate the effects of rising sea levels and changing weather patterns in the New Zealand context?
How will your party go about ensuring the ongoing protection of the natural flora and fauna of Aotearoa given the effects of climate change?
Do you have policies that support a more resilient food system, that includes local food supply rather than export-orientated or import-heavy?
What commitments does your party have to only build efficient, sustainable new houses, to raise the standards for retrofitting houses to ensure the wellbeing of those living in them, and to bring current housing up to this level?