The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is driven by people who know that protecting the planet and supporting communities go hand in hand. The party was formed in 1990 and believes government must do more to protect the planet, honoring the thousands of years of traditional and local knowledge to support a safe climate and healthy communities. The Mining Policy envisions a society where mining only happens for materials which serve a socially useful purpose, when renewable materials are not available and when mining is the best means of obtaining the material. It also supports maximising renewable and recycled materials and forms of energy production and reducing the demand for new extraction activities.