Climate change impact on Māori wellbeing and culture 'sobering' yet 'insightful'

22 October, 2021

A new report highlighting the effects climate change will have on Māori in the coming decades is a “sobering” read, but it presents an opportunity to adapt.

He huringa āhuarangi, he huringa ao: A changing climate, a changing world, a multidisciplinary report from Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) and Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, was released on Wednesday. Created by 11 researchers from universities and organisations around the country, the report was a sweep of recent research and expert guidance rather than an exhaustive analysis.

It found that Māori wellbeing across four key areas – He Kura Taiao (living treasures), Whakatipu Rawa (Māori enterprise), He Oranga Tāngata (healthy people), Ahurea Māori, Tikanga Māori (Māori culture and practices) – would be moderately impacted by 2050, with a total of 25 risks across the four categories identified.

By 2100, the risks to ecosystems were likely to be severe, threatening Māori culture and wellbeing.

John Reid (Te Arawa), a co-author of the study and senior research fellow from the University of Canterbury, said while the report showed a rather gloomy future, it presented an opportunity to adapt.

MacDiarmid Institute, Principal Investigator Dr Pauline Harris​ (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine), a co-author and member of the advisory team and senior lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington, added the report was a good concise summary of relevant major climate change issues from a Māori lens.

Read the full story on Stuff.