End-of-Term Review of the New Zealand Government’s Response to Climate Change: A Public Health Perspective

Abstract

Near the end of each electoral term seems an appropriate time to review the New Zealand Government’s response to major threats to health. Climate change is a very serious problem and is an important threat to international health as well as health in New Zealand (NZ). Actions to both mitigate climate change and to start to adapt to a more disrupted future climate are becoming critical. Such measures can be conceptualised as forms of “catastrophe insurance."

We therefore searched government websites (as per other work), and examined media releases by the “Minister for Climate Change Issues” covering the January 2009 to mid-October 2011 period. An analysis of particularly significant new responses and progress in what we consider are the top five domains for action, is presented and discussed.

Keywords: climate change, policy, New Zealand

JEL Classification: Q28