NES Cook Islands - National Environment Service Cook Islands

The Cook Island enacted the Conservation Act 1975 as its first legislation to manage the environment on 15 September 1975. Prior to this enactment the environment was regulated under applicable New Zealand laws and customary practices determined by traditional leaders. The Rarotonga Environment Council (REC) was established as the Permitting Authority and consisted of technical advisors, private sector and the Aronga Mana. The first office was headed by Tony Utanga and was situated at a seaside building where the Ministry of Internal Affairs is currently located.

On 29 June 1978, the Cook Islands Cabinet declared the Island of Suwarrow as a National Park. The Conservation Act 1975 was repealed on 15 April 1987 and the agency became the Conservation Services under the directorship of Gerald McCormack. 

In 1994 the Conservation Act 1987 was repealed by the Rarotonga Environment Act 1994/95 to expand the legal mandate of the agency. The agency came under the Ministry of Works, Environment and Physical Planning following the nationwide government reform in 1996.

On 19 November 2003, the Rarotonga Environment Act 1994/95 was repealed by the Environment Act 2003. The legislation formalised the establishment of the National Environment Service or Tu’anga Taporoporo (Cook Islands Maori name) as a statutory agency of the Crown and expanded the Permitting Authority to include the members of Parliament of the respective island, NGOs and Government Ministries. The National Environment Service is established to protect, conserve and ensure the Cook Islands environment is managed sustainably. The agency is headed by a Director with delegated powers to carry out the functions of the Environment Act 2003.