For climate change minister James Shaw, resigning in protest at government inaction on emissions would be giving up.
He told Q+A with Jack Tame that despite being disappointed with overall progress, he intended to continue in the job.
"The way that I think about it, I'm trying to do the best I can with the governments we've been given," said Shaw.
Despite being a minister, Green Party co-leader Shaw sits outside of the cabinet.
When presented with emissions-increasing policies pursued by the government, Shaw asked: "Do you think I'm happy with any of those things?
"I don't just sit there Jack, and if you think that resigning is going to cause more change than continuing to battle it out – the way I see it is a reason to double down, not give up," said Shaw.
"Yes there are losses, there are wins also," he added, citing the rapid adoption of electric vehicles in New Zealand in recent years.
While conceding that emissions overall haven't been lowered, Shaw said: "I still hold myself to this, that the measure of success for any government has to be that emissions come down."
Shaw wouldn't be drawn on whether he had ever considered resigning in protest, but said "there are days, Jack, when you wonder whether it's worth it".
"If anything, the events of the last few months have told me that I need to stick it out, that we all need to stick it out, and we need to redouble our efforts."
On whether former PM Jacinda Ardern lived up to her description of climate change being her generation's "nuclear free moment", Shaw said he believed Ardern had put a lot of effort in, but "I also think the government did not do everything within its power".
"I can take responsibility for my part over the last five years," said Shaw. "I'm very proud of the work we've [the Greens] have done as part of this government, but I also know there have been frustrations and setbacks."
Q+A is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
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