Statement on National MP Joseph Mooney’s proposed Climate Change (Restriction on Civil Proceedings) Bill

National Party Member’s Bill would silence crucial climate action 

The National Party's proposed bill, which would outlaw the public from taking climate change litigation, is a dangerous attack on legal rights and our collective ability to take action on climate change says the Environmental Law Initiative.  

This legislation seeks to silence members of the public, people such as Mike Smith, and prevent them from holding major polluters accountable for climate change.  

“This Bill wants to change the law to remove the rights of the public to hold corporations accountable for causing climate change. That is deeply concerning.” says Dr Matt Hall, ELI’s Director of Research and Legal.  

The Bill wants to leave it to governments, to the market and to international cooperation to solve the climate crisis. But these mechanisms are not working.

It’s an attempt to protect the worst climate polluters and we expect there to be a strong response against it.

This Bill will remove a crucial avenue for justice at a time when the New Zealand government has been heavily criticised for its lack of ambition on climate action.