Agencies and Laws

Abstract

This chapter explores the main components of the environmental management system that has existed since the early 1990s. The key influences shaping the design of the system are explained and the connection to the larger reform of the public sector that occurred in the 1980s. The agencies and law that make up the environment management system are described. The Resource Management Act is the central piece of legislation and also one of the most debated parts of the environmental management regime. A guide to the controversy surrounding the Act is given by distinguishing the perspective of environmentalists, business interests and M{\={a}}ori. The final part of the chapter looks at New Zealand's participation in international environmental treaties which are another influence shaping our environmental laws as well as being a measure of the national commitment to the environment relative to other countries.