{{short description|New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Dame Jan Wright | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|size=100%|DNZM|CRSNZ}} | image = Jan Wright DNZM (cropped).jpg | caption = Wright in 2023 | birth_name = Janice Claire Wright | order = 3rd | office = Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment | term_start = March 2007 | term_end = October 2017 | predecessor = Morgan Williams | successor = Simon Upton | office2 = | predecessor2 = | successor2 = | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | party = | other_party = <!--For additional political affiliations--> | partner = <!--For those with a domestic partner and not married--> | relations = | children = | module = {{Infobox scientist |embed=yes | fields = Public policy | workplaces = | education = | alma_mater = Harvard University | thesis_title = Investments that save lives: the norms of environmental and medical decision making | thesis_url = http://id.lib.harvard.edu/alma/990075366480203941/catalog | thesis_year = 1997 | doctoral_advisor = | academic_advisors = | known_for = | influences = | influenced = }} }} '''Dame Janice Claire Wright''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|size=100%|DNZM|CRSNZ}} was New Zealand's third Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. She was sworn in as Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment for a five-year term on 5 March 2007, and was reappointed for a further five years in 2012.
Wright has a Physics degree from the University of Canterbury, a master's degree in Energy and Resources from University of California, Berkeley, and a PhD in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Prior to her current role, Wright taught at Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate in Ōtara,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/82343955/National-Portrait-Sweet-but-steely-Environment-Commissioner-Jan-Wright|title=National Portrait: Sweet but steely – Environment Commissioner Jan Wright|work=Stuff.co.nz|date=6 August 2016 |accessdate=9 March 2018}}</ref> worked as an independent policy and economic consultant for many different NZ government agencies and as a member of various Crown entity boards.<ref>{{cite web|title=Who is the Commissioner? |url=http://www.pce.parliament.nz/about-us/who-is-the-commissioner/ |publisher=Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment |access-date=27 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113095111/http://www.pce.parliament.nz/about-us/who-is-the-commissioner/ |archive-date=13 November 2011 }}</ref> She was the board chairman of Land Transport New Zealand, and in that role was the presenter of the 2005 Cycle Friendly Awards.<ref>{{cite web |title=2005 Cycle Friendly Awards |url= http://can.org.nz/2005/cycle-friendly-awards |publisher=Cycling Advocates' Network|accessdate=27 October 2011}}</ref>
In her role as Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Wright has criticised the Government a number of times for its policies towards the environment. In 2013 she criticised planned amendments to the Resource Management Act, saying it "is not, and should not become, an economic development act".<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.3news.co.nz/RMA-not-economic-tool---watchdog/tabid/1607/articleID/288609/Default.aspx | work= 3 News NZ | title= RMA not economic tool – watchdog | date= 1 March 2013 | url-status= dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1303/S00001/proposed-changes-unbalance-rma-environment-commissioner.htm |work=Scoop.co.nz | title=Proposed changes unbalance RMA – Environment Commissioner| date=1 March 2013}}</ref> In 2012 she said changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme would cost New Zealand in the long-term, criticising concessions made to big business.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.3news.co.nz/Dismay-over-agriculture-exemption-from-ETS/tabid/1160/articleID/273479/Default.aspx | work= 3 News NZ | title= Dismay over agriculture exemption from ETS | date= 20 October 2012 | url-status= dead }}</ref> Earlier in 2012 she said the Government had "dropped the ball" on the environment.<ref>{{cite news | url= http://www.3news.co.nz/NZ-dropping-ball---environment-commissioner/tabid/1160/articleID/255881/Default.aspx | work= 3 News NZ | title= NZ 'dropping ball' – enviro commissioner | date= 29 May 2012 | url-status= dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/politics/6998213/Failure-to-act-in-20-years-since-Rio-vows |work=Stuff.co.nz | title=Failure to act in 20 years since Rio vows | date=28 May 2012}}</ref>
Wright retired from the Commission at the end of her second term. She was replaced by former Environment Minister and OECD Environment head Simon Upton.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/328759/upton-to-be-parliamentary-commissioner-for-the-environment|title=Upton to be Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment|date=13 April 2017|work=Radio New Zealand|access-date=24 April 2017|language=en-nz}}</ref> In April 2018, Wright was announced as a member of the Interim Climate Change Committee, set up while a formal Climate Change Commission was established under the proposed Zero Carbon Act.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/interim-climate-change-committee-announced|title=Interim Climate Change Committee announced|work=The Beehive|access-date=21 July 2018|language=en}}</ref> In 2018 Wright became chair of conservation project Te Manahuna Aoraki.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-05 |title=Dr Jan Wright - Te Manahuana Aoraki Project |url=https://www.temanahunaaoraki.org/our-story/our-people/dr-jan-wright/ |access-date=2022-06-14 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Wright is a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org.nz/who-we-are/our-people/our-companions/view-our-companions/|title=List of Companions of the Royal Society of New Zealand|last=|first=|date=|website=royalsociety.org.nz|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=27 November 2018}}</ref> In 2012, she was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Science degree by Lincoln University.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://livingheritage.lincoln.ac.nz/nodes/view/230 |title=Graduation Programme |year=2012 |publisher=Lincoln University |accessdate=14 January 2020 |page=38}}</ref> In the 2023 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the state and the environment.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2023 |title=New Year honours list 2023 |date=31 December 2022 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>
== References == {{Commons category|Jan Wright}} {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wright, Jan}} Category:Living people Category:University of Canterbury alumni Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni Category:Officers of the Parliament of New Zealand Category:New Zealand women scientists Category:UC Berkeley College of Natural Resources alumni Category:Companions of the Royal Society of New Zealand Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Lincoln University (New Zealand) alumni Category:New Zealand schoolteachers Category:New Zealand economists Category:Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit