Climate Change – He titiro ki nga ahuatanga mo te Maori

Presentation Kairau

12 April 2010

What is Climate Change?

• NZ unique emissions profile

• Minor emissions on global scale

Climate Change the Facts

• Climate change is real

• Current impacts are real

• Communities, Land-based sectors and businesses are part of the solution– Our responses will shape the future of NZ’s land-based sectors– Need to understand what the needs of sectors and land managers are

– Need to work together to develop solutions

Climate Change the Facts• Earth is getting warmer - many natural systems are being affected• Levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere have increased as the

result of human activities and are now higher than they have been in 650,000 years• If we don’t reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide

concentrations in the atmosphere will continue to rise during the 21st century• Without action, the world's average temperature is very likely to change more

rapidly during the 21st century than during any natural variations over the past 10,000 years

• Climate change is not just rising temperatures• The effects of climate change will continue beyond 2100. Sea-levels will continue

to rise for centuries after greenhouse gas concentrations have stabilised• The climate system is very complex and there are still uncertainties about future

climate changes

Climate Change – the facts NZ• Whole country becomes warmer• West to become wetter, East to become drier• In average years: projected changes averaged across the

country are likely to be small but there is regional variability• In extreme years: droughts worse than experienced before• Seasonality changes: not seen in previous scenarios

– Winter/spring: increased westerlies leading to wetter conditions inthe west and drier conditions in the east and north

– Summer: less westerlies over the North Island, wetter in Gisborne

Source: The EcoClimate Report, 2008

Our Climate is Changing

It will take a global effort to reduce the greenhouse gases heating up our planet.

Tackling climate change is the most important task facing us as a nation. How we respond

now will determine the shape of our future – our economy, environment and communities.

“Whether we believe it or not, one thing is almost certain _ we increasingly live in a

carbon-prices world”

Cultural Impacts

• Māori culture and the environment are intimately intertwined.

• Tribal and personal identity are expressed through direct reference to the land and environment and flora and fauna.

• Climate change will affect our lands, waterways, coastal areas, native flora and fauna and traditional food sources.

• The flow on effects of these changes could affect traditional practices such as kaitiakitanga, as well as traditional aspects of Māori identity and society

Impacts

• The Māori economy is heavily weighted in the primary industries of agriculture, forestry and fishing which are most directly affected by changing weather patterns.

• ETS and Government Policy presents challenges for Maori primary sector

• Maori particularly vulnerable to a carbon priced world - increase

NZ Govt Response

• Developed an Emissions Trading System– An administrative approach used to control pollution

by providing economic incentives for achieving reductions in emissions - covers a range of sectors

• Plan of Action– R & D– Technology transfer– Adaptation– Business opportunities

Adaptation

• Simply, adaptation is about how we prepare for and cope with a changing climate

• Why?• Overarching adaptation outcomes:– Reduced vulnerability to a changing

climate;– Resilient farms, forests and rural

communities;– Opportunities presented by a changing

climate are captured.

Adaption

Actions to reduce greenhouse gas

emissions

Climate Change

Social -Economic Impacts

Physical-Environmental

ImpactsMitigation

reducing climate change

Responses

Adaptation

living with climate change

What can you do?

• Set some personal goals to become more energy wise• Walk, bike, skate, bus or carpool• save energy at your school• Challenge students/staff to bring a school lunch with minimum wrapping.• Enlist the caretakers support to compost food waste.• Plant more trees in your school grounds (and/or join with local

revegetation groups) to create more carbon sinks. • Organise a school-wide art/poster/video/power point presentation

competition to show an aspect of climate change.• Email the Climate Change teams at the Ministry for the Environment (

info@mfe.govt.nz) or a local newspaper to let them know what you are doing to reduce greenhouse gases in your school.

• http://www.climatechange.govt.nz/reducing-our-emissions/schoolstuff/