Minister of Climate Change explained

Post:Minister of Climate Change
Flag:Flag of New Zealand.svg
Flagcaption:Flag of New Zealand
Insigniacaption:Coat of arms of New Zealand
Incumbent:Simon Watts
Incumbentsince:27 November 2023
Department:Ministry for the Environment
Style:The Honourable
Member Of:
Reports To:Prime Minister of New Zealand
Appointer:Governor-General of New Zealand
Termlength:At His Majesty's pleasure
Precursor:Convenor of Ministerial Group on Climate Change; Minister for Climate Change Issues; Minister for International Climate Change Negotiations
Formation:14 August 2002
First:Pete Hodgson
Salary:$288,900[1]
Website:beehive.govt.nz

The Minister of Climate Change is a minister in the New Zealand Government with responsibility for climate change policy. The position was formally established in 2005 as Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues, but was preceded by the informal role of Convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change, which was held by the Minister of Energy Pete Hodgson.

The present Minister is Simon Watts.[2]

Responsibilities

The Minister of Climate Change has direct responsibility for the overall climate change policy direction at the domestic and international level. This includes responsibility for the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme under the Climate Change Response Act 2002 and for setting emissions budgets and preparing emissions reduction and national adaptation plans under the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019.[3]

Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Minister is responsible for representing New Zealand in international negotiations on climate change.

List of ministers

Minister of Climate Change

Key
No.NamePortraitTerm of OfficePrime Minister
As Convenor of Ministerial Group on Climate Change
1Pete Hodgson14 August 200219 October 2005Clark
As Minister responsible for Climate Change Issues
2David Parker19 October 200521 March 2006width=1 rowspan=3 style="color:inherit;background:"Clark
(1)Pete Hodgson
Acting[4]
21 March 20063 May 2006
(2)David Parker3 May 200619 November 2008
As Minister for Climate Change Issues
3Nick Smith19 November 200821 March 2012Key
Craig Foss
Acting[5]
21 March 20122 April 2012
4Tim Groser2 April 201214 December 2015
height=60 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:"5Paula Bennett14 December 201526 October 2017
height=15 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:"English
As Minister of Climate Change
height=75 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:"6James Shaw26 October 201727 November 2023height=15 style="color:inherit;background:"Ardern
height=15 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:"Hipkins
7Simon Watts27 November 2023presentLuxon

Minister for International Climate Change Negotiations

Separate ministerial responsibility for International Climate Change Negotiations was established under the Fifth National Government, first through an Associate Minister role and then as a full Minister.[6] The responsibilities associated with this portfolio were incorporated within the Climate Change Issues portfolio in 2012, after a brief period in which Tim Groser held both portfolios. At the time, Prime Minister John Key stated that the reason for the change in title was to address diplomatic misconceptions: "The reality is it partly in the sense that when he turns up at this meetings, people look at him and say `if you are the associate minister, where is the minister?' And of course when it comes to international negotiations, he is the minister."[7]

No.NamePortraitTitleTerm of OfficePrime
Minister
height=50 style="border-bottom:solid 0 grey; background:"1Tim GroserAssociate Minister for Climate Change Issues (International Negotiations)24 November 200827 January 2010Key
height=50 style="border-top:solid 0 grey; background:"Minister Responsible for International Climate Change Negotiations27 January 20102 April 2012

References

  1. Web site: Parliamentary Salaries and Allowances Determination 2016 . Parliament.nz . 2017-02-28.
  2. Web site: Ministerial List. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 December 2017.
  3. Web site: Ministry for the Environment. Summary of Ministers and Cabinet portfolios Ministry for the Environment. 2020-07-23. www.mfe.govt.nz.
  4. News: Parker quits all Cabinet posts . The New Zealand Herald . 2006-03-21 . 2008-06-22 . David Parker has now quit from all his Cabinet posts [...] Today [Prime Minister Helen Clark] gave transport and responsibility for climate change policy to Health Minister Pete Hodgson [...] on an acting basis..
  5. News: Fowler. Peter. 2012-03-21. Craig Foss picks up climate change portfolio. en-NZ. NZ Herald. 2020-07-23. 1170-0777.
  6. Web site: Changes to Ministerial responsibilities announced. Beehive.govt.nz. 27 January 2010. 2 December 2017.
  7. News: 2010-01-26. PM 'has confidence' in Tolley despite portfolio downsizing. en-NZ. NZ Herald. 2020-07-23. 1170-0777.

External links