finance
New Zealand Bill Would Bar Private Lawsuits Over Greenhouse Gas Emissions and End Active Climate Case
The New Zealand government introduced legislation amending the Climate Change Response Act of 2002 to remove the ability of private parties to bring civil litigation relating to GHG emissions. The bill applies to active cases and is likely to pass. Similar protections for energy producers and agriculture have advanced in five U.S. states in 2026.
Jul 8, 7:18 PM·1m read1 source
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The New Zealand government has proposed legislation to limit the ability of individuals to sue companies for the impacts of climate change. The bill amends the Climate Change Response Act of 2002 and removes the ability of private parties to bring civil litigation relating to GHG emissions. It will apply to active cases.
The bill’s policy statement says the role of developing, setting, and implementing regulatory policy in respect of greenhouse gas emissions sits with the Executive and the Legislature. It creates a statutory bar on tort liability for emissions-related climate change effects so that no person, including the Crown, can be found liable in tort.
The Government is concerned that litigation could lead to a finding that causing or contributing to the emission of greenhouse gases could result in tort liability and considers that tort law is not an appropriate mechanism for responding to greenhouse gas emissions.
The proposal responds to Smith v. Fonterra, a case brought against the country’s seven highest GHG emitters arguing that GHG emissions were a public nuisance under New Zealand law. Forbes reported that the bill is likely to pass.
In the United States, the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026 was introduced by Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Harriet Hageman in April to protect energy producers from litigation relating to climate change. Oklahoma, Utah, Iowa, Louisiana, and Tennessee passed legislation in 2026 to protect fossil fuel companies and the agriculture industry from litigation relating to GHG emissions and climate change.
