Blogs
New Zealand: 4b. Global Virtual Town Hall
What does it mean to “decarbonise”?
To remove excess carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.
What does it mean to “decolonise”?
Decolonization is about changing the way Indigenous Peoples view themselves and the way non-Indigenous people view Indigenous People. Through decolonization, indigenous people reclaim and restore their community, culture, language, history and traditions of which they were stripped from by government policies designed for assimilation. In New Zealand, our indigenous people, the Maori, are reclaiming control via the Treaty of Waitangi. For non-indigenous people, it is also a time for us as individuals, governments, institutions and organizations to reflect on our country’s and world’s history and support indigenous people during this time of resurgence for them. We need to accept the reality of our country’s colonial history, and accept how history erased the stories of Indigenous Peoples, and how it continues to oppress Indigenous Peoples. We must recognise that indigenous worldviews are equal to other views, and incorporate these views, knowledge and perspectives into the education system, so a new generation will grow up in unity.
Map the two terms, ‘decolonize’ and ‘decarbonize,’ indicating the points of overlap between them. Why must the two be carried out together? Provide brief examples from things you've learned throughout the unit to support your ideas.
If we want to reduce the impact of climate change and ‘decarbonize’, it is imperative we make changes; for the good of our indigenous peoples, for the good of our descendents, and for the future of our planet. From this project, we recognize these changes are so far being made at an individual level across all nations. For example, our case study was on the Pacific Climate Warriors, they are a network of young Polynesians who decided ‘We are not drowning. We are fighting,’ and went to bigger countries (i.e, Australia, Canada) to demand that something be done. But globally, change has proved to be a struggle at a government level. Our bilateral partner was Kenya and we both did separate case studies on oil drilling in our respective countries, and came to the conclusion that both governments are blinded by money, and the struggle of indigenous people to have their voices heard highlights that our national leaders are not doing a well enough job to decrease climate change and respect Indigenous rights. This may be because Governments don’t think climate change is a problem, just because they don’t think it’s a direct problem to them. And that’s privilege. This is how we think decolonization and decarbonization go hand in hand. If we recognise that indigenous worldviews are equal to other views, and incorporate these views into our government, we are restoring an environment where the people and the land are one, and thus, new plans with this framework will aim to ‘decarbonise’.
This is where we think New Zealand is primed to become a role model for a government that takes positive climate change action. This year on October 19th, a new government was formed in New Zealand. The people of New Zealand wanted their voices heard, and as a result, we now have a government that is willing and able to stop offshore drilling, invest in more sustainable, renewable energy, and examine solutions to stop global warming. It is incredibly exciting to live in a time where the New Zealand government now understand their responsibility to promote, consult, and include Māori knowledge and values in environmental policy, planning and management. Though climate change is bigger than politics, it is certainly easier when your government is on the people's’ side, and the planet’s side!
How can you as students participate in this process on various levels?
As students in New Zealand, one way we could participate in this process is to ask our teachers or our principal to teach the indigenous language which is Te Reo Maori in New Zealand. We believe all secondary students should take at least one year of compulsory Te Reo Maori, and we may be able to urge our individual school to make this happen. This allows non-indigenous people to be exposed and engage with a new culture, and further unites them because of increased understanding and knowledge. With positive media coverage, other schools may implement this, and hopefully our new government will put it in the curriculum as well.
