How climate change will affect M膩ori, and how to adapt
A new report from Ng膩 Pae o te M膩ramatanga (NPM) and Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research provides guidance for Te Ao M膩ori on climate change adaptation and mitigation. He huringa 膩huarangi, he huringa ao: a changing climate, a changing world was produced by a multidisciplinary M膩ori research team working across many research institutions. Using a novel kaupapa M膩ori risk assessment approach to climate change, the report synthesizes the latest climate change research through a M膩ori lens, and identifies the potential impacts, implications, mitigation and adaptation strategies for wh膩nau, hap奴, iwi and M膩ori business. It follows the recent release of an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report forewarning that global temperature is expected to reach or exceed 1.5掳C of warming over the next 20 years.
He huringa 膩huarangi, he huringa ao finds that M膩ori well-being across all four key domains鈥攅nvironment, M膩ori enterprise, healthy people and Maori culture鈥攚ill be moderately impacted by 2050. By 2100, the risks to ecosystems are likely to show severe impact, compromising many aspects of M膩ori well-being. The authors write: "Climate change not only threatens the tangible components of M膩ori well-being, but also the spiritual components and, most important, the well-being of future generations."
The report sets out how the production and ecology of freshwater, terrestrial and coastal-marine ecosystems and biodiversity in Aotearoa will be challenged by projected warming temperatures and reductions in rainfall. Vulnerable flora and fauna may face habitat loss and in some cases extinction. Any decline in the quantity and quality of keystone species like p膩ua, kina and koura, will adversely impact M膩ori customary practice, cultural identity, social cohesion, and well-being.
Cultural infrastructure, especially in exposed areas (e.g. river valleys and coastal areas), will be particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, and some marae and papakainga may have to be moved, along with urup膩 in low lying and coastal areas prone to flooding and erosion. While some hap奴 and iwi are developing their own climate change adaptation and mitigation plans, the report provides M膩ori-focused guidance on areas often overlooked in mainstream reports. As the authors note: "Evidence suggests climate-related adverse health impacts are expected to become more severe and be borne disproportionately by groups like M膩ori who already suffer health inequities."
Provided by Ng膩 Pae o te M膩ramatanga
