Climate Change Minister James Shaw praises Te Arawa's climate change strategy
Friday, 1 October 2021
Climate Change Minister James Shaw has hailed a new climate change strategy announced by the Te Arawa iwi as “a remarkable piece of work”.
Shaw was speaking at Scion, a Crown research institute in Rotorua, on Friday for the launch of the strategy. It is the culmination of a two-year research project from Te Urunga o Kea: Te Arawa Climate Change Working Group, Te Arawa Lakes Trust and Scion.
He said iwi leadership on the issue would be “crucial as we work together to protect our communities and taonga from the impacts of climate change, while making urgent progress at reducing our emissions”.
“Only together can we rise to the challenge of limiting warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.”
**READ MORE:
* New strategy to settle marine and coastal claims 'within 30 years'
* The legal threat and the big opportunity in Māori engagement on climate change response
* Māori are among the most vulnerable to climate change
* Local level key for climate change action group
**
The strategy highlighted six areas identified by whānau and hapū as needing priority action over the next 10 years: land use change and practices, biodiversity, food and water security and sovereignty, energy security and sovereignty, adaption planning and resilience building and circular enterprise and economies.
Shaw acknowledged the work put in by Te Arawa on the strategy and said it was work that “helps to shape my thinking and government thinking”.
Māori are likely to be disproportionally affected by climate change, and it was important solutions came from outside Wellington, Shaw said.
“It would be very easy for us, especially in central Government, to come up with grand plans, one size fits all, and we could have a lot of people left behind.”
He also said it was important to see climate change work conducted “by Māori for Māori”.
“Many of the solutions are Māori. . . that can help to inform all of us as we face this incredible challenge,” Shaw said.
“This is important beyond Te Arawa, an example for others to follow, and not just other iwi, other communities.”
Te Arawa kaumatua Sir Toby Curtis said the strategy would help guide decision-making, and support adaption and mitigation planning.
“The strategy provides a pathway for whānau, hapū and iwi to work proactively – empowering our way of knowing and seeking new ways of living – to ensure our tribe’s collective survival.
“We have a long history of navigating change and transformation. We will continue to look to our whakapapa, and the generations of knowledge that have supported our way of life, to show us the way forward,” he said.
“I would like to acknowledge the mahi that has gone into shaping our strategy from whānau across Te Arawa and our local community, and reinforce that the hard work has only just begun,” Curtis said.
“It will take a collective effort from everyone within the rohe to realise our climate change ambitions.”
Te Arawa Lakes Trust climate change coordinator Lani Kereopa said the anticipated social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts of climate change on the iwi were taken into account when considering how to focus collective efforts.
She said the next steps for whānau, hapū, marae and iwi entities was to develop action plans; gather robust information to guide decision-making; build understanding of ways to adapt; empower on-the-ground action; build effective relationships; and aim to lead the way locally, nationally, and globally in relation to climate change.
“Te Arawa now has a climate change plan and some of our whānau and hapū are already initiating action.
“What we need now is resourcing and support from local, regional and central government to enable us to implement Te Ara ki Kōpū: Te Arawa Climate Change Strategy.”