James Shaw to resign

Former Climate Change minister James Shaw, the architect of New Zealand’s landmark climate change legislation the Zero Carbon Act, says he’ll step down as Green Party co-leader in March but will remain in Parliament for the time being to support the Bill of Rights (Right to a Sustainable Environment) Amendment Bill.

“It has been the privilege of my lifetime to serve as New Zealand’s Climate Change minister for the last six years and as Green Party co-leader for nearly nine,” says Shaw.

“It has been an honour to serve alongside my co-leader, Hon Marama Davidson, her predecessor Metiria Turei, and an extraordinary Caucus of Green MPs, staff, party officials and volunteers.

“I’m very proud of what the Green Party has achieved over the last eight years,” he says.

“In 2017, the Greens became a party of government, with ministers, for the first time. We also made political history by increasing our support at the end of each of our two terms – a feat no other government support partner had achieved.

“In Government, we passed the landmark Zero Carbon Act with unanimous support across Parliament, becoming one of the first countries in the world to place the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 degrees Celsius target in national legislation.

“It is especially gratifying to see the Zero Carbon Act survive its first change of government,” says Shaw.

“New Zealand can be proud that it has an enduring climate change framework, with long-term targets and institutions that will guide us over several decades and changes of government.

“Our historic election result in 2023 ushered in a new era for the Green Party.

“Now is the time for a new co-leader to work alongside Marama to take this new Caucus into the future.”

Nominations for Green Party co-leader open Wednesday January 31 and close on Wednesday February 14 with the new co-leader expected to be announced March 10.