Former Green Party Co-leader Russel Norman will today give his valedictory speech in Parliament, wrapping up seven years as an MP and nine years as Co-leader during which he put climate change and smart green economics on the political agenda. Green Party Co-leaders Metiria Turei and James Shaw both expressed their warmest thanks to Dr Norman today, paying tribute to his huge contribution over nine years as a co-leader of the Greens, and 18 years of involvement with the Party....

The Foreign Minister must confirm whether New Zealand will be supporting Australia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Green Party said today.

Green Party Co-leader James Shaw has renewed his call for cross-party action on climate change at today’s trans-transman Environmental Defence Society Climate Change and Business Conference, saying a lack of policy stability is letting business down. “Increasingly business leaders are wanting to lead on climate, and are exasperated at the Government’s lack of political leadership on these issues,” said Mr. Shaw. “National has turned their back on business certainty and price stability by weakening the ETS and rejecting offers of...

New data released by the Green Party today shows that New Zealand is contributing far less than other comparable countries to a fund that helps developing countries combat climate change. This revelation comes amidst significant climate talks taking place this week in Bonn, and shows New Zealand’s pledge to the Green Climate Fund sits at just NZ$0.88 per person, compared to the average pledge of NZ$12.46. “The Green Climate Fund is one of the most important ways that developed nations...

The Green Party is challenging Prime Minister John Key to tell New Zealanders what his next step will be, following his failure, over the weekend to secure any meaningful concessions on Kiwis detained in Australia.

The National Government’s plans for emissions reduction will melt Antarctica if all other countries follow our lead, the Green Party said today. New research published today in Nature magazine led by Nick Golledge, at Victoria University’s Antarctic Research Centre, has confirmed that Antarctica’s ice cap will melt unless ambitious action is taken to start reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the next five years. “If most countries followed New Zealand’s lead, global warming would exceed 3–4°C leading to major losses of...

The Green Party is today announcing that, in Government, it will ensure half of all Green Cabinet Ministers are women, and will call on other members of any coalition Government it is involved in to do the same.

The New Zealand Superannuation Fund’s commitment to invest NZ$540 million in clean energy is its clearest signal yet that they are taking climate change seriously, the Green Party said today. The release of the Fund’s annual report today details how the Fund’s $540 million commitment to invest in clean energy as part of a wider priority this year to explore opportunities to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure and complete their Climate Change and Investment Strategy project. “The Super Fund is putting...

The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) makes it more likely that everyday New Zealanders will become tenants in our own land, while private companies snap up the limited gains of about one percent of GDP, the Green Party said today. “The TPPA is a bad deal because the costs will be worn by everyday New Zealanders while the benefits will go to private companies,” Green Party Co-leader James Shaw said. “New Zealanders are more likely to become tenants in our own...

The Government must listen to Pacific leaders and start taking climate change seriously on the international stage, the Green Party said today. "In addressing the United Nations today, John Key said he hoped Paris would amount to a meaningful agreement on climate change,” said Green Party co-leader James Shaw. "And yet the emissions reduction target that New Zealand is taking to Paris is embarrassingly weak.” "Key has been in talks with Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. If the National Government...