Environment · Party position

NZ First on Environment

Withdraw from Paris Accord; invest in subsurface energy resources

NZ First says it will pull New Zealand out of the Paris climate agreement. It also plans to spend $1 billion mapping underground energy, geothermal, and CO₂ storage sites across the country to build energy security and economic growth. It would return half of mining royalties to the region where the mining happens, rather than sending the money to Wellington.

What they say they'll do

Withdraw New Zealand from the Paris Accord
Invest $1 billion in a National Subsurface Development Survey to map energy, geothermal, and CO₂ storage sites
Return 50% of mining royalties directly to the region where the mining took place

Who this affects

Regional communities near mining sites

Under the proposed policy, half of any royalties from mining in their region would be returned to that region rather than going to central government.

Energy sector and businesses

The proposed subsurface survey aims to identify sites for energy and geothermal development, creating a framework for resource extraction and development.

General public and businesses with climate obligations

Withdrawal from the Paris Accord would remove New Zealand from the international climate agreement that currently shapes some domestic emissions-related policies.

In their own words

“New Zealand First is saying we need to get out of the Paris Accord altogether”

“New Zealand First will be campaigning on an initial investment of $1 billion over the term of government, into a 'National Subsurface Development Survey'”

“50% of any royalties gained from mining to be directly returned to the region from which it came – not Wellington”

Verify at NZ First — 2023 manifesto

Summarised neutrally from NZ First’s own official policy (as at 2026-09-13) and checked by an editor. Nothing is paraphrased without the source linked. Read the original ↗ Arapono is non-partisan. Compare all parties on Environment →

In depth — from NZ First’s policy document

Returning 50% of mining royalties to the regions

Half the royalties from any mine would stay in the region it came from rather than going to Wellington, earmarked for local infrastructure and services. Around that sits a wider mining package: new zones with clearer rules on where mining may happen, longer permits covering the full life of a mine, a reined-in role for DOC and other agencies, a modern geological survey of what is underground, and the reopening of the School of Mines.

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NZ First on Environment

What they say they'll do

Who this affects

In their own words

Returning 50% of mining royalties to the regions

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