We use the law to protect the natural taonga of Aotearoa

We have laws to protect our environment and natural taonga.
Too often these are poorly implemented or ignored altogether.

We're changing that.

We use the law to hold regulators and corporate interests to account, for nature and for future generations.

Cases
Protecting hoiho from setnet fishing deaths
Protecting hoiho from setnet fishing deaths

We are taking the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries and the Minister for Conservation, to court for failing to adequately protect mainland hoiho from extinction

Climate litigation: Holding the government to account for delivering an effective climate plan
Climate litigation: Holding the government to account for delivering an effective climate plan

With our friends, Lawyers for Climate Action NZ, we are taking legal action against the Minister of Climate Change over ‘glaring holes’ in the Government’s climate plan.

Protecting Māui and Hector’s dolphins from extinction
Protecting Māui and Hector’s dolphins from extinction

We are taking the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries to court for failing to adequately protect Māui and Hector’s dolphins.

Latest cases

Cases
Protecting Mount Messenger wildlife
Protecting Mount Messenger wildlife

We challenged DOC’s decisions to grant a permit and a consent authorising the incidental killing of wildlife during the Mt Messenger bypass project, and we won.

Holding Environment Southland accountable on wetland loss
Holding Environment Southland accountable on wetland loss

We challenged Environment Southland in the High Court for its failure to take action on wetland destruction, and we won. 

Crayfish case #2: restoring crayfish numbers in Northland
Crayfish case #2: restoring crayfish numbers in Northland

We challenged the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Total Allowable Catch decision for crayfish in Northland, and we won.

Crayfish case #1: Restoring crayfish numbers in Northland
Crayfish case #1: Restoring crayfish numbers in Northland

With Te Uri o Hikihiki hapū, we challenged the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries catch limit decisions for crayfish, and we won.

Fighting nitrate pollution in Canterbury: ALIL
Fighting nitrate pollution in Canterbury: ALIL

We challenged Environment Canterbury’s decision to grant a problematic nitrogen discharge consent to a major irrigation scheme, and we won.

Challenging DOC’s failure to protect marine species from commercial fishing
Challenging DOC’s failure to protect marine species from commercial fishing

We challenged the New Zealand Government in the High Court over systemic failures to apply the law to protect marine biodiversity — and we won.

Recent wins

Explore all of our cases

Follow our updates

Hoiho case update: We have been granted an urgent hearing, with the Court saying that the interests of justice favour an urgent hearing. We'll be in the High Court December 1st - 2nd. For hoiho to survive on the mainland and in Rakiura, we need t
Breaking: High Court Judgment for ELI vs EPA The High Court has ruled that the Environmental Law Initiative (ELI) did not establish “a reviewable error” in the Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) decision that grounds did not
Breaking: We have filed High Court proceedings against the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, challenging his recent decision to close a portion of northern hoiho habitat to setnet fishing. Between October 2019 and June 2025, 17 hoiho were killed b