Iwi and experts warn against division in fight against climate change
The Government cannot leave anyone behind as it combats climate change, Iwi Chairs Forum climate spokesperson Mike Smith says. Smith compared the climate crisis to the Covid-19 pandemic, saying nothing short of an all-of-country effort would prevent disaster. He also noted that issues which hindered the pandemic response, namely misinformation and cracks in social cohesion, could also prevent an effective climate response. He warned there must be public buy-in, and said iwi and hapu could help to achieve that. The Government released its first Emissions Reduction Plan on Monday. READ MORE: * Familiar reforms part of new Government plan to adapt to a hotter world * Here's how the Government and councils plan to save Aotearoa's wildlife * SH1 expansion approval 'hypocritical' amid Govt pledge to halve emissions by 2030 The plans headline-grabbing initiatives included a $579 million scheme to trade-in old cars for hybrids and electric vehicles, as well as about $340m to research how to reduce agricultural emissions. But it also included a focus on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and partnering with Maori. Climate Change Minister James Shaw said he was focused on ensuring emissions reductions would benefit the Maori economy and iwi. An equitable transition that brings everyone with us and leaves no one behind, he said. In the plan itself, the Government committed to ensuring Maori voices on climate change were heard at influential levels of Government. It also said the Maori economy including forestry would be supported, as well as Maori-led responses to climate change. But further details on how Maori climate responses would be supported were not included. Smith explained that was because the Iwi Chairs Forum, in discussions with the Government, had pushed for a framework that supported bespoke responses to climate change. He praised the Governments Emissions Reduction Plan for including a clear focus on partnering with Maori and hapu to support grassroots measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Such a system should support local initiatives and partnerships at hapu and marae levels, he said, which was vital not only to reduce the carbon footprint left by Maori, but also to maintaining the integrity of the Governments plan. Each and every New Zealander has to understand that this is something that's going to affect us all. We need to be a team of 5 million on this, he said. He said New Zealand needed to see everyone get involved to combat climate change, to reduce emissions but also to build awareness about this complex issue. He said hapu and iwi were already well-placed to build trust and lead flax roots community action. A one-size fits all, top down model, is not likely to deliver the new answers required to address climate change at a local level. Co-design means local communities will come together, address their climate change needs, do the risk audits, look for solutions and bring their local knowledge, he said. Local communities will then own the problem, thats really important. Already, he said Maori were taking action to mitigate the effects of climate change. This was seen through marae mara kai, reducing emissions from food supply. He said Maori had also been at the forefront of political pressure to stop oil and gas extraction. Beyond the direct impact of those campaigns, he said they had proven effective at sparking korero about climate change which was important to keep New Zealanders aware and onboard with the issue. We need to understand what the threats are, if our people own the problem they will own the solution. It ensures that the social licence required for these quite dramatic changes is maintained. These changes are too politically vulnerable to survive a massive pushback, which we have seen with Covid, he said. Climate Change Commission chairperson Rod Carr said it was good to see the Government focusing on hapu and local partnerships with Maori, both to adhere to Te Tiriti o Waitangi but also to engage with local solutions and needs. We need to do this together, he said. We are going to need a transition that includes the most vulnerable in our society, includes those with high emissions, includes those vulnerable to the change away from high emissions work. Otherwise, you set up the opposition, with alienation and disaffection. The Ministry for the Environment was working to produce a Maori Climate Strategy by 2024, and start funding Maori responses to climate change this year.