Climate Action

Climate action is about both combating climate change and its impacts. Climate action is about building resilient communities, economies, and environments.

Our approach centres on supporting New Zealand and its communities to learn about and utilise sustainable and regenerative practices, as well as build resilience to better address the impacts of climate-related events.

Our work is informed by a te ao Māori approach that recognises our interdependent and reciprocal relationship with the environment.

UNESCO supports climate action acknowledging that education, science, and culture are powerful tools to help us navigate and respond to climate challenges, guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific region, climate action is especially important given our vulnerability to rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and the need to protect unique cultural and natural taonga.

Oceans play a crucial role in climate action by acting as a massive carbon sink and heat absorber, mitigating the effects of climate change. The Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is critical to our work in this area.

The Decade provides a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to strengthen the management of our oceans and coasts for the benefit of humanity. The Decade is designed to facilitate global communication and mutual learning across research and stakeholder communities and will support new, collaborative partnerships that can deliver more effective science-based management for our ocean space and resources.

The Decade enables New Zealanders to learn more about why our ocean's health is declining and how they can be a part of the solution.

Our approach to the Decade is unique as it draws from the knowledges, practices, values and world views of the indigenous peoples of New Zealand and the Pacific.