Mōrena, ka hari te Rātū!/happy Tuesday!
It’s Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week). While Te Reo is an integral part of what makes Aotearoa our unique home, tangata whenua have been persecuted for speaking their own language. Use the abundance of resources and events to try something new on your own te reo journey, whether it’s greeting someone with “Kia ora”, learning your mihi, or listening to some Te Reo music.
How does this relate to climate change? Language is an integral part of culture, and indigenous cultures such as our own tangata whenua are critical to the fight against climate crisis:
Indigenous communities have been resisting and protesting colonial efforts to worsen climate change for centuries (e.g. in the Amazon, the Sioux tripe at Standing Rock, the Adivasi opposing the Adani coal mine). They safeguard 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity. In fact, just last week, Chile proposed an incredibly progressive new constitution with many principles key to climate justice, co-drafted by the Indigenous peoples of Chile. While it was rejected, almost 40% voted in favour, which hopefully signals the start of change.
Indigenous peoples have maintained intimate and critical knowledge on how to adapt with and sustain ecological systems. A land-based worldview that ties one’s culture to nature opposes the colonial, Western perceptions of nature as property or a resource which has caused climate change.
Indigenous communities are disproportionately impacted by climate change, as a result of the oppression and poverty caused by colonisation.
Recognition of indigenous peoples’ sovereignty over their own land is a critical part of climate justice, and effective climate action.
What can you do today?
The most-clicked link from last week’s issue was the environmental psychology survey. Koia kei a koe (you’ve got this)!
🐝 If you have 5 minutes: Power to the people!
350 Aotearoa are mid-campaign advocating for homegrown energy. One awesome way to transition to renewable energy is to share power within a community, enabling everyone to benefit off these new installations. Also, government and council buildings can be a power for good and supply their local areas with renewable, affordable energy.
Action: Sign the petition to advocate for energy projects in your community:Landlords can vote multiple times, but 16 and 17-year olds can’t even vote once. There are 2 campaigns we’d love to highlight as local elections open next week:
Action: Support our rangitahi who will be most impacted by climate change via the Make It 16 campaign, including signing the petition, sharing posters, asking local election candidates, or signing up to be a volunteer.
Action: Advocate for better rental homes via the Renters United Healthy Homes Commitment - a significant proportion of NZ’s emissions are from heating our damp, poorly insulated homes!
Action: Call for an equal voice for landlords and renters in local government elections.
💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more: Fight more flight
Do you have a climate justice project that needs funding to bring it to life? If you’re under 25 years old with a great idea to help build a sustainable world based on climate justice and kindness, Amnesty Aotearoa NZ are offering grants of up to $4,000.
Action: Check out the Gary Ware Legacy Award, or send it to a friend!Te Papaioea/Palmerston North: Climate protestors will meet the New Zealand Airports Hui to protest the aviation industry planning on returning to pre-covid levels of emissions as rapidly as possible. Most of those emissions aren’t in the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Action: Join the locals protesting the new international airport in Central Otago by assembling at 8:30 - 10:30am, Weds 14 September, 354 Main Street, Palmerston North.
Wins
In Issue #33, we shared a petition calling for Shell to use seismic waves to test for oil on the Wild Coast of South Africa. Now, the High Court in Makhanda has ruled to stop Shell searching for oil, which is a huge win for the thousands of South Africans who fought against it!
Save the Date
If there’s one in-person climate event to attend this year, this is it: September 23rd is the Global Strike for Climate, organised by Fridays for Future.
That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. Enjoy this 3-minute spoken word poem by Dr Selina Tusitala Marsh, Unity, spoken at Westminster Abbey in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen.
See you next week,
Dhanya, Emily, and Jenny from the Climate Club