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Natural Environment Bill

Foundations - Environmental limits - What are environmental limits and why they are required

46: Purpose of environmental limits

You could also call this:

"Protecting You and the Environment with Limits"

Illustration for Natural Environment Bill

The purpose of an environmental limit is to protect you and the environment. It does this in two ways: by protecting human health, known as human health limits. It also protects the natural environment, known as ecosystem health limits, so it can keep supporting life.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1520964.

This page was last updated on 14 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Climate and energyHealth and wellbeing > Public health

45: Defined terms, or

"What special words mean in the Natural Environment Bill"

47: Who sets environmental limits, or

"Who decides the rules to protect our environment?"

Part 2Foundations
Environmental limits: What are environmental limits and why they are required

46Purpose of environmental limits

The purpose of an environmental limit is to—
protect human health (human health limits); or
protect the life-supporting capacity of the natural environment (ecosystem health limits).