Blogs
New Zealand: Tri-Regional (Continental) Collaboration
Deliberation process as adapted by the bilateral town-hall
We undertook our bilateral collaboration with Kenya. Kenya’s case study informed of oil drilling in Turkana County. Many Kenyans view oil as economically beneficial without considering the indigenous groups that have cultural ties and dependence on Lake Turkana. Additionally their ongoing drought was heavily brought on by the carbon emissions from the drilling of oil and has left many indigenous people of Turkana county desperate need of food and water, or worse, dead. New Zealand’s case study covered drilling rights in oceans surrounding New Zealand for oil and gas exploration. This is highly controversial in New Zealand, as though offshore drilling will boost our economy, it is at the cost of alienating Maori, whose direct relationship to the sea and water will be undermined and disrespected if drilling continues, not to mention the many negative environmental impacts arise from the drilling fluid, air pollution from machinery, and the risk of oil spills.
We shared our own case studies then discussed the similarities and dissimilarities, then came to the conclusion that in both Kenya and New Zealand, the government neglects to hear the cries from protesters, and no long term plans have been made by either governments concerning the social, environmental, and economic impacts of oil drilling, or they just haven’t been made public. It is important to stress that the Government has an obligation to respect indigenous rights.
REDD+
Kenya and New Zealand have different regards of REDD+. In Kenya, a number of activities are currently ongoing in the country to support efforts to design, develop and apply strategies and programs to reduce emissions and enhance carbon sink capacities of forest ecosystems. Significant policy, legislative and institutional changes have occurred over the last few years in Kenya that complement the REDD+ efforts in the country. The World Bank, United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Finnish Government have supported forestry conservation efforts in the dry lands, and the REDD+ Readiness process should reinforce these activities and future sector engagements. Kenya also hosts a number of land-based carbon projects, including Wildlife Works Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project that has sold carbon credits in the voluntary market. However, in NZ, REDD+ does not have any presence regarding the degradation and deforestation of land, although there is great potential for REDD+ to have influence over government choices. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry approximately 455,000 hectares of forestry land is at risk of being deforested and converted into pastoral use for dairying. This simultaneously destroys forests and habitats and replaces them with intensive dairy farming which is one of the most greenhouse gas intensive forms of land use.
‘Raise a Paddle’ Case Study
With Kenya, we decided to do the case study of Pacific Islanders’ resistance towards Canada’s tar sands. We decided it would be morally wrong for any country to profit from the fossil fuel industry, and particularly for New Zealand, as its biggest city, Auckland, is home to the largest Polynesian population in the world. The increase of carbon dioxide from fossil fuels adds to growing environmental damage, and will drown the homelands of our Pacific Island neighbours. Also, in Kenya, the Turkana community is the main indigenous group being affected by the drilling of oil, and the effectiveness of the Pacific Climate Warriors journey to Canada to combatting the mining of tar sand, could be adopted by countries such as Kenya and be key in the fight against oil drilling in Turkana.
We also want to place emphasis on the fact that the majority of those suffering from the negative impacts of climate change are people who don’t contribute to it, so we believe it is the responsibility of bigger nations who have the ability to help to provide support instead of staying passive.
We also discovered that another major obstacle is the lack of proper education on climate change. The men, women and children of those most at risk of the negative effects of climate change have very little knowledge of climate change and would therefore require those who are well aware of the issue to teach and lead them into this battle. This issue not only affects Kenyans, but it’s neighbors as well.
Compare and contrast how the local organizations understand, conceptualize and work towards climate change.
Local organizations understand and form their idea on climate change through its effects on nationally. This helps them better able to create solutions to climate change in relation to national needs. Global organizations such as REDD+ are able to attain information from local organizations to then provide financial support, advice, and a connection with indigenous people to form a solution to climate change that is also aligned with indigenous values.
In your two case studies, who decides how climate change is addressed? Who benefits and how?
Reviewing both case studies, it is clear that it is nearly always the government who benefits from the detrimental actions that cause climate change (i.e., fracking, oil drilling, etc.) by economical gain. It is also the government who holds the most power to implementing programmes and strategies to address climate change. In New Zealand, an attendant of a Rotorua Hui asked, “Why are dollars and cents being posed against the future of the planet? They don’t compare.”
How do Indigenous peoples’ perspectives and actions impact these organizations and the work they do?
Like many other indigenous groups around the world, the Māori worldview is holistic and focuses on caring for all aspects of our environment. Climate change will affect lands, waterways, flora and fauna, food sources, and consequently the responsibility of Māori to exercise kaitiakitanga (guardianship) over the land. Local organizations will be able to use their holistic and healthy approach of sustainability as a foundation for their plans and solutions. Organizations also have the duty to seek to involve Māori more closely in the policy development process as it is their land that is being discussed.
How do you see colonial power relations either being reinforced or being challenged in your two case studies?
Pacific Islands, such as Samoa and Fiji, who are most at risk of the rise of sea levels, are dependent on larger countries for financial aid and keeping their integrity to stop progressing with schemes and projects that contribute to climate change. The journey to Canada by the Pacific Climate Warriors challenges the power controls of larger countries over the small, isolated nations.
