Making a Difference to Environmental Management in Aotearoa New Zealand: The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment

The office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) was established through the Environment Act 1986. The Commissioner's position is designated as an Officer of Parliament, as with the Auditor-General and the Ombudsman. As such, the Commissioner is independent of the Executive Government, appointed by the Governor-General and reports to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The PCE has five main roles ▪ environmental systems guardian; ▪ investigator of citizens concerns; ▪ environmental management auditor; ▪ information provider/facilitator; and ▪ adviser to Parliament on environmental issues. This article reviews the context and challenges surrounding environmental management in New Zealand through the lens of PCE investigations and with particular reference to the transition from environmentalism to environmental sustainability. It focuses on two major areas: ▪ the PCE's constitutional role and contribution to environmental management and sustainable development over the last 1...