OIA Ref: 2022-019
Chris McCashin
[FYI request #20917 email]
15 November 2022
Tēnā koe Chris
Thank you for your email of 19 October 2022 seeking information about geoengineering under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Before responding to your request in detail, the Commission would like to confirm that we are interpreting
your use of the term geoengineering as referring to geoengineering in an active sense. In other words,
physical actions taken to try and manipulate the weather or climate.
To ensure we provide a comphrensive response, we have broken down your request into multiple parts
below and we will respond to each part individually.
“Please provide any and all Information known or held by you or your department in any format
including written documents, reports, memos, letters, notes, emails, draft documents, non-written
information and unrecorded information regarding:
Geoengineering carried out by Air New Zealand planes, while flying over NZ air space.
Especially the practice of Solar Radiation Management, using stratospheric sulfate aerosols
to create a dimming effect and impact climate, known as STRATOSPHERIC SULFATE
AEROSOLS GEO-ENGINEERING (SAG-SRM) - from January 2010 until now.
Any and all Information known or held by you or your department in any format including written
documents, reports, memos, letters, notes, emails, draft documents, non-written information and
unrecorded information regarding: the practice of artificially modifying the climate using reflective
nano-materials to reflect sunlight via dispersal from jet aircraft that expand into reflective artificial
clouds from January 2010 until now.
The Commission can confirm it does not hold any information in scope of these parts of your request.
As such, we must refuse them both under Section 18(e) of the Act, because the information requested does
not exist.
Please also provide any and all water quality research reports, specifically looking at heavy metals
in water and contributory factors to metals in water.
On 3 November 2022, the Commission advised you that this portion of your request relating to water
quality reports has been transferred to the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) in accordance with
Section 14 of the Act, as the Commission believes this aspect of your request is more closely connected
with the functions of MfE. MfE will contact you about this in due course.
While it is possible that the Commission may have received a submission(s) about heavy metals in water as
part of its public consultation phase of our first advice to government,
Ināia tonu nei: a low emissions future
for Aotearoa, the subject of heavy metals in water was not a topic that the Commission was consulting on.
It should also be noted that the Commission received over 15,000 submissions in total. To identify and
collate only those (if any) relating to this specific topic would require a substantial use of the Commission’s
available resources and significantly impact our ability to perform our day-to-day functions.
We have considered whether charging or extending the timeframe for responding to your request would
help, in accordance with Section 18A of the Act. However, our Government Services function comprises of
a smal team with an already sizeable ongoing workload, and we believe these measures would not change
our ability to meet your request within a reasonable timeframe. As such, we have decided to refuse this
part of your request under Section 18(f) of the Act, because the information requested cannot be
identified, and if found, made available without substantial collation or research.
Please note that these submissions are available on our website, and you are welcome to undertake your
own search for those that may be of interest to you, at
: https://www.climatecommission.govt.nz/our-
work/advice-to-government-topic/inaia-tonu-nei-a-low-emissions-future-for-aotearoa/submissions/
Please also provide any and all reports completed on impact of Geoengineering on weather
patterns, climate change, risks & benefits, etc etc. Effectively any and all information on
Geonengineering and the impacts it is having on NZ weather”
The Commission considers a previous response we made to an earlier request about geo-engineering, sent
on 2 November 2021, to be within scope of the final part of your request. This response is available on our
website, at:
https://www.climatecommission.govt.nz/who-we-are/corporate-publications/official-
information-act-requests/
We are consequently refusing the final part of your request under Section 18(d) of the Act, because the
information deemed within scope is already in the public domain, as outlined above.
You have the right to seek an investigation and review of this response by the Office of the Ombudsman in
accordance with section 28(3) of the Act. The relevant details can be found on their website, at:
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz
Please note that the Commission has a policy of proactive release of OIA responses to help others have
access to more information. As a result, this letter wil shortly be published on the website with your name
and contact details redacted to protect your privacy.
Ngā mihi
Grant Blackwell
Acting General Manager, Strategy, Planning and Engagement
Climate Change Commission
Document Outline
