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Environmental Defence Society
EDS speaks for the environment. It has influence.
Since 1971, EDS has been driving environmental protection in Aotearoa New Zealand
through law and policy change. That's why it's one of this country's most influential non-
profit organisations when it comes to achieving better environmental outcomes.
EDS has expertise in key disciplines including law, planning, landscape and science. It
operates as a policy think-tank, a litigation advocate, and a collaborator – bringing together
the private and public sectors for constructive engagement.
EDS runs conferences and seminars on topical issues, including an annual Environmental
Summit and the Climate Change and Business Conference.
EDS is a registered charity and donations to it are tax-deductible.
Environmental Defence Society - Latest News [Page 1]
EDS 2026 Conference Session Spotlight: Surviving Climate Breakdown
Wednesday, 6 May 2026, 12:00 pm | Environmental Defence Society
Land use also has a major impact on the severity of downstream impacts of weather events. Mature and healthy native forest provides the best protection for the country’s erodible soils and also retains water during high rainfall. More >>
EDS Urges MPs To Scrap The Fisheries Amendment Bill
Tuesday, 5 May 2026, 9:59 am | Environmental Defence Society
The Fisheries Amendment Bill does little to address the deep-seated problems in the system which EDS identified in its 2018 report ‘Voices from the Sea’. More >>
High Country At Risk As Government Opens Door To Development And Disposal
Friday, 24 April 2026, 5:43 pm | Environmental Defence Society
Activities enabled by the Bill are not defined, and there are no limits on their scale. More >>
Conference Topic Spotlight: Restoring Our Oceans And Fisheries
Tuesday, 14 April 2026, 1:52 pm | Environmental Defence Society
The Marine Reserves Act needs a speedy revamp so we can make faster progress with marine protection. It took over a decade to secure marine protection in the Hauraki Gulf after it was first proposed by the Sea Change collaborative process. More >>
EDS Says Fast-Track Gold Mine Poses Unacceptable Environmental Risks
Monday, 13 April 2026, 5:30 pm | Environmental Defence Society
“While the fast-track regime is designed to facilitate development, it does not justify approving projects with high environmental risk and insufficient information,” said EDS CEO Gary Taylor. More >>
EDS And Forest & Bird Join Forces To Challenge Stewardship Land Decisions
Wednesday, 8 April 2026, 4:19 pm | Environmental Defence Society
This is a very significant challenge involving a great deal of research and analysis, hence the 2 societies joining forces. More >>
EDS 2026 Conference Session Spotlight: Conservation Reform
Tuesday, 24 March 2026, 10:28 am | Environmental Defence Society
The Denniston Plateau was retained as stewardship land, notwithstanding calls for its protection as a Scientific Reserve. This means it remains open as a location for possible fast-track coal mining. More >>
Expert Panel Invites EDS To Comment On Bendigo Goldmine
Thursday, 12 March 2026, 5:57 pm | Environmental Defence Society
The project comprises four open pits and underground mining, associated processing infrastructure and a very large tailings dam in the Dunstan hills above the Clutha River in central Otago. More >>
Conference Session Spotlight: Indigenous Biodiversity Under The New System
Tuesday, 10 March 2026, 10:16 am | Environmental Defence Society
The Government’s proposed Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill will have significant implications for how indigenous biodiversity is protected, managed and restored. More >>
EDS Puts Environmental Lawmaking Under The Spotlight
Thursday, 26 February 2026, 11:27 am | Environmental Defence Society
The first report in the series, Freshwater ambushed, focuses on amendments to sections 70 and 107 of the Resource Management Act which weakened long-standing safeguards for aquatic life. More >>
EDS Proposes Drafting Changes To Fix New Resource Management Laws
Sunday, 22 February 2026, 4:03 pm | Environmental Defence Society
EDS has asked to appear before the Select Committee where it will outline its deep concerns and present its recommendations for practical solutions. More >>
EDS Seeks Funding Support To Ensure Independent Scrutiny Of Bendigo Gold Mine
Saturday, 14 February 2026, 3:17 pm | Environmental Defence Society
For this case, we have engaged senior counsel and independent specialists, including experts in economics, terrestrial ecology and freshwater. More >>
EDS Draft Submission On RM Replacement Bills Calls For Significant Changes
Monday, 9 February 2026, 8:29 pm | Environmental Defence Society
As well as releasing our draft submission, we are providing a template that should be useful to guide people through their individual submission preparations. More >>
Taranaki VTM Decision Shows The Fast-Track Act Can, Surprisingly, Work
Sunday, 8 February 2026, 3:27 pm | Environmental Defence Society
While the TTR decision is a draft, it so comprehensively rejects the applicant’s contentions on multiple counts that it’s hard to see that being reversed when the final decision is released. More >>
Rock Lobster Decision One Step Closer In Moving From Reef Collapse To Reef Recovery
Friday, 19 December 2025, 9:33 am | Environmental Defence Society
Large rock lobsters are the only species in Aotearoa known to prey on long-spined sea urchins – a subtropical species that can graze deeper than kina and has the capacity to wipe out entire kelp forests, including those beyond kina depth limits. More >>
Let’s Avoid Submission Writing At The Beach
Tuesday, 16 December 2025, 12:34 pm | Environmental Defence Society
The Natural Environment Bill and the Planning Bill were introduced last week, and the Environment Select Committee is expected to announce the closing date for submissions this week, said EDS CEO Gary Taylor. More >>
End Of Year Good News: South Island Marine Reserves Get The Go Ahead
Sunday, 14 December 2025, 6:46 pm | Environmental Defence Society
Marine protection is incredibly hard to achieve, so these substantial gains which have been in the works for over a decade, are fantastic to see. More >>
Stewardship Land Reclassification Leaves High-Value Ecological Areas Without Top-Tier Protection
Thursday, 11 December 2025, 1:20 pm | Environmental Defence Society
“To get an outcome is a significant step and it’s a credit to Minister Potaka that he has got this over the line in what is a challenging coalition government,” says Shay Schlaepfer EDS COO. More >>
Government Backs Down On Fast-Track Amendments
Wednesday, 10 December 2025, 3:20 pm | Environmental Defence Society
Our submission to the Select Committee clearly showed that Panels were exercising their discretion to invite comments judiciously, says Shay Schlaepfer, EDS Chief Operating Officer. More >>
RMA Replacement Bills Introduced – Fixes Are Needed
Tuesday, 9 December 2025, 1:55 pm | Environmental Defence Society
There are two Bills – a Natural Environment Bill and a Planning Bill – a split which marks an abrupt end to more than three decades of integrated environmental management under the RMA. More >>
