Collections / Making sense of climate change
Presented here are stories of how people in Aotearoa/ New Zealand are making sense of climate change. This collection will slowly grow as more stories are collated. Since understandings of the world and how to be in the world are diverse, there are a broad range of ways of understanding and engaging with issues of climate change. The aim of presenting these stories is to help inform and foster conversations about how people in NZ are and can make sense of climate change.
Mapping current social knowledge around climate change
In the lead up to the NZ Climate Change Centre's December 6th 2010 workshop Degrees of Possibility: igniting social knowledge around climate change I have started gathering stories of how people in NZ are making sense of climate change.
I began by documenting the reflections of social scientists, there are currently a number of conversations occurring across researchers in NZ ( and internationally) about the contributions of social science to issues of climate change. There is debate about a need for more social research to 'help people understand climate science' to shift policy to 'move towards a low carbon economy' and to 'change practices and institutions' to make more visible existing possibilities for living more sustainably.
Prof. Richard Le Heron (Vice President - Social Science and Humanities- Royal Society of New Zealand) identifies a shift in how people are understanding society's relationships with environments through climate change debates.
Prof. Jan Bebbington (St Andrews University, Scotland) discusses moving towards a low carbon economy from a policy, academic and personal perspective.
Dr Yvonne Underhill-Sem (Director, Centre for Development Studies, University of Auckland), asserts climate change is a development issue. NZ has an obligation to find ways of reducing emissions due to its history of development and relationships with the Pacific.
With the idea of giving a taste of the conversation at the workshop I have posted three videos to the workshop website. These videos are attached here. Please let me know what you think of them, you can post comments on the youtube site they are housed on.
Reflections from participants at the Climate Futures forum. March 2011
Reflections on the question of 'how are we making sense of climate change in New Zealand' were filmed during breaks at the Climate Futures: pathways for society forum at Te Papa, Wellington March 2011. The people speaking in these clips were all participants at the forum.
| Hutt Valley High School | Betsan Martin |
| Rhys Taylor | Jason Markham |
| James Crampton | Troy Baisden |
Community activities in reponse to climate change:who and where?
Who is taking action on climate change in New Zealand, where are they and what they are doing?
Here is a spread sheet of over 500 activities people across NZ undertook in 2010.
We are providing this data to you on the basis that it was collated in April 2010 and may no longer be accurate. However we trust that most initiatives will be ongoing. It still provides a useful resource for networking and documents the types of activities people were involved in as they made sense of climate change in New Zealand.
The data is provided under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand License. This allows the data to be copied, distributed and adapted, provided that the source of the data is acknowledged as being Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research.
This work is licensed under a Creative">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/nz/">Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand License.
Matakana Dial-a-Ride
For the first time in New Zealand, an innovative service called Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) could be trialed on the Matakana coast in Northland. The dial-a-ride service aims to meet a local need for public transport and reduce the carbon footprint of travel in Northland.
Locals and visitors to the Matakana Coast face a challenge: how to get around its lovely markets, wineries and unique small towns when everything is spread out. Many of the region’s roads are not suitable for cycling, and the public transport is minimal because it's hard to fund a regular service for so few locals. The car is usually the only real choice.
The Hikurangi Foundation have linked key stakeholders including the Regional Transport Authority, the local council, and businesses, who are now working together to assess the demand and feasibility of DRT. Sometimes called dial-a-ride, this new technology can allow people to book a ride when they need it and get real-time updates on the location of the vehicle (likely to be a 13-seater shuttle). The bus driver gets help to optimise the journey and be in touch with the passenger through media like texting.
The Matakana pilot (phase one) looked at the demand for the service, the business model for running it and the use of lower carbon vehicles and fuels. Surveys went out to 7,000 local households. The final report is due soon, but so far the response looks really promising. The survey had higher than normal response rates from locals and the initial reading indicates that the demand for the dial-a-ride service could be high.
Project partner, Auckland Transport have actively taken on the project and are now preparing a business case for the trial to include detailed costings and demand- forcasting to finalise the business case.
“I am so pleased with the response we have had from the authorities. The pilot is turning out to be much bigger than we originally hoped. I think we've helped initiate what could be a very exciting innovation for lower carbon transport in NZ.”
~ Bevan Woodward, Project Manager, BetterWORLD NZ Ltd.
Project Partners: Bevan Woodward, Project Manager (5 Lilburn St, Warkworth, Ph 09 425 1928 Mob 021 122 6040, bevan@betterworldnz.com)
AT (Auckland Transport), RDC (Rodney District Council), Tourism Auckland and The Hikurangi Foundation.
Transition Towns
Transition Towns initiatives are part of a vibrant, international grassroots movement that brings people together to explore how we – as communities - can respond to the environmental, economic and social challenges arising from climate change, resource depletion and an economy based on growth.
Transition Initiatives work on a local level to increase the ability of communities to withstand crisis and handle change. They do this by proactively creating a positive vision of their communities in a world with less cheap abundant energy, a changing climate and a changed social, environmental and economic environment. Whilst this process is informed by anticipating what particular risks or threats may be present in that community, the focus is on creating the world we would like to see for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren.
On this journey, Transition Towns adopt the following four assumptions:
- That life with dramatically lower energy consumption is inevitable, and that it’s better to plan for it than to be taken by surprise.
- That our settlements and communities presently lack the resilience to enable them to weather the severe energy shocks that will accompany peak oil.
- That we have to act collectively, and we have to act now.
- That by unleashing the collective genius of those around us to creatively and proactively design our energy descent, we can build ways of living that are more connected, more enriching and that recognise the biological limits of our planet.
Within New Zealand there are Transition Initiatives across the country from the far north down to the far south. The purpose of Local Transition Initiatives is to drive forward the "energy descent" process in their region. This may be through a more or less formal "Energy Descent Action Plan", through hands-on projects (like the establishment of community gardens or transport schemes), through awareness raising (film screenings, lectures, workshops etc) or the establishment of partnerships with existing community groups to help disperse and implement the transition message.
To follow are a just few examples of projects being run by some of these initiatives:
- Bay of Islands TT – Run an OOOOBY (Out Of Our Own Backyards) stall at the Kerikeri farmers market. Working with Far North District Council to develop policies focusing on energy efficiency and sustainability.
- Waiheke TT - a ten-year vision of planting 20,000 fruit and nut trees on the island's public and private land. Octogenarian, Fay Giles bringing in 15 new TT members at her 81st birthday party.
- Raglan TT - Earth Plastering Workshop, Seed Bank, community buses run on chip oil, permaculture design courses.
- Hawke’a Bay – Set up an eDollars local currency exchange, developed the Survival HB website which provides information and resources likely to be useful for coping in the event that the fallout from peak-oil arrives sooner rather than later.
- Brooklyn TT - Wellington – Community Orchard and Share-Gardens.
- Motueka TT – Tending our Living Earth – Tiakina te Taiao – rural living skills course at Riverside Community,
- Christchurch – New Brighton Eco-Weekend, Signs of Change Workshop.
- Waitati TT – Waitati Energy Group, Waitati Edible Gardens, W3 Rideshare.
http://www.transitiontowns.org.nz/
Marae DVD Tour
A four-month bus tour of North Island marae and their Maori communities was undertaken to spark action on climate change.
This ground-breaking national outreach to Maori communities saw people begin to build their own plans for adapting to and minimising the impacts of climate change in their communities. Filmmakers Mike Smith and Hinekaa Mako created a 45-minute documentary film He Ao Wera about potentially devastating rising sea levels and other climatic changes facing coastal hapu.
The film showed at 17 North Island marae creating a unique opportunity to engage influential Iwi leaders in climate action discussion. It also instigated an online community of over 1,000 individuals through promotion of the website www.tuanuku.com, and the engagement continues on Tuanuku's facebook page. The screenings also triggered follow-up events in eight locations. Further work is now needed to turn the interest generated by the tour into mitigation and adaptation action.
Tuanuku means to ‘get up and get moving’ or ‘activate’. It is also a reference to ‘Papatuanuku’ the Maori term for Mother Earth or ‘the place where we stand and live our lives’.
The inspiration behind the film came from a series of recent worldwide and local events. A quick survey of how the effects of climate change would impact upon Te Tai Tokerau quickly established that in the Whaingaroa district alone, every single coastal hapu would be adversely affected by rising sea levels.
In 2007 the township of Kaeo in the far north was devastated by a huge storm that created what was described as a “once in one hundred year flood”. The township and all of the outlying villages were devastated by the flood. A total of 28 houses were destroyed along with 3 local marae.
Homes that could be salvaged were repaired. Just as life was beginning to return to a semblance of normality, another storm hit. This second flood (only 100 days later) was worse than the first. It is becoming clear, the kinds of effects we can expect from climate change are not a matter of “if” or “when” – they are happening now.
The film features interviews with the country’s leading climate scientists and meteorologists. It also includes interviews with a range of Maori observers from a diverse range of communities throughout Aotearoa / New Zealand.
Waitati Community Power
A small semi-rural community in Blueskin Bay (just north of Dunedin) is pioneering the development of community-owned wind power. They are well on their way to being the first community in New Zealand to own their own wind turbine and power company.
The initial feasibility study is now complete and the next steps are to undertake a detailed site and technical assessment, establish a community ownership structure, and secure co-development options. The project is being operated by Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust, and has gained funding support from the Hikurangi Foundation.
If the project reaches completion it should be able to supply the average energy needs of several local communities, a total of about 700 households. They plan to begin with one turbine to provide for 200 households and to work up to three 500-800 kw turbines, each one between 45-75 meters from ground to wing tip.
This is only one part of an overall energy literacy programme undertaken by the Trust to make people aware of where their energy comes from and how much they use, aiming to reduce demand and increase energy efficiency and resilience. In 2009 the Trust gained EECA funds to retrofit 400 households with 80% subsidised insulation mainly in the Blueskin area but also spread across the wider Otago region.
Alongside the community wind turbine, the Trust is also investigating the potential of micro-hydro and distributed generation, and are involved in piloting Powerhouse Wind’s “Thin-air” proto-type. They have also been involved in a regional solar energy initiative.
Waitati Community Power Project Coordinator Scott Willis: “Our aim is to reclaim some control over energy use and energy generation: To make our community more resilient and to make energy generation more responsive.”
Their goal is also to develop a manual on community renewable energy generation. This will cover both the technical/financial feasibility process and also the community buy-in, ownership and funding model. It will cover the pitfalls as well as the success. The goal is to make this manual freely available via the Internet, hopefully towards the end of 2011. In so doing, these social entrepreneurs are helping to pave the way for other communities around the country to do the same.
According to Scott Willis this “is a very big and exciting task and has not been done anywhere in New Zealand. There is a great deal of interest in how we get on”.
“Our vision is to facilitate a positive, healthy, secure and resilient future for Waitati, Blueskin Bay and linked communities and promote sustainable resource use. We are engaged in an active transition to a lower energy future and seek to lower our carbon footprint while developing an energy resilient system”, he said.
This is community eco-entrepreneurship at its best.
For more information contact: Scott Willis at waitatienergy@gmail.com
Web link: http://www.transitiontowns.org.nz/waitati
Article: blueskinbay.co.nz
350 Climate Action - Global Climate Working Bee
On the 10th of October 2010 (10/10/10) the crew at 350 Aotearoa organised the New Zealand contribution to the “Global Climate Working Bee” — a day when thousands of communities across the globe came together to walk the talk on community climate change solutions.
It was the biggest day of community-based practical action to cut carbon emissions that the world has ever seen with 7,347 events around world, in 188 different countries. From women in Pakistan learning to cook with solar ovens, to sumo wrestlers in Japan riding their bicycles to work, to villagers in Fiji restoring mangroves damaged by Cyclone Tomas, people got to work on climate solutions and sent a message to world leaders: "We're doing our work, what about you?"
About 130 Climate Working Bees happened around New Zealand. Indeed 10/10/10 was kicked off globally in Wellington at the 350 Sunrise Global Launch Party. In Auckland there was The Big Bike Fix Up and the WhiteRoofs initiative; and in Christchurch people planted trees to a background of electronica music at the Tranceplant event. The events included a Climate Smart Film Festival, community garden working bees, Pedal-Power days at schools, and “Greenovation” gift packs delivered to student flats around Wellington.
If you haven’t already heard of 350, check out www.350.org. The 350 Campaign is a worldwide movement started by Bill McKibben, to raise awareness about the need for deep cuts in global emissions towards a stabilization target of 350 parts per million atmospheric CO2. (CO2 levels are currently at about 388 ppm).
350 Aotearoa took part in the forerunner to the 10/10/10 Global Working Bee. The 2009 campaign was part of a coordinated global effort to call attention to climate change, culminating on October 24 with what CNN called “the most widespread day of political action in the planet’s history” with around 5,200 events worldwide, across 181 countries. Again New Zealand kicked off the action with a Dawn Ceremony to launch the global effort, putting New Zealand on the map.
By harnessing youth energy via web-based social networking, 350 Climate Action has managed to tap into a large youth culture to provide a positive focus on climate change action. Within New Zealand, 130 community groups, businesses, school groups and university groups organised Global Climate Working Bees on October 10th.
350 Aotearoa has also helped to coordinate positive actions across the Pacific, and maintains close ties with organisers in every Pacific Island nation.
350 Aotearoa also works to build cross-party support for climate change legislation and action within the New Zealand Parliament. As a symbolic contribution to mainstreaming support for sensible approaches to climate change mitigation 350 Aotearoa have been working on a project to get solar panels installed on the roof of Parliament.
Kaikohe Cycleway
Cyclists will soon be able to ride from the coast to coast in Northland by way of an exciting new cycleway arising from a community project.
With a disused railway line running nearby the people
of Kaikohe had already started on the dream of turning it into a cycleway. When the Government said it wanted to invest in a series of new national cycleways, Kaikohe quickly put its case forward.
They were thrilled to get quick start funding because they knew a cycleway would be accompanied by a long list of benefits, including: jobs, farm diversification, more local services, better health for locals and a stronger culture.
The proposed cycle trail will run from Horeke on the upper reaches of the Hokianga harbour (where the second signing of the Treaty of Waitangi occurred after the initial signatures were gathered at Waitangi), through the town of Kaikohe and on to Opua, just
south of Waitangi on the Bay of Islands.
But the opportunity comes with challenges, particularly for a community with so little financial resources. The benefits will only come if they can get the quality of the visitor experience, and the supporting services (connecting transport and cafes for example) right.
Experts close to the process are emphatic that what will make the cycleways “sing” is the involvement of the local community and the unique cultural experience that the community can offer visiting cyclists. This is dependent on the capacity of the community to rapidly set up new tourism businesses and to organise participation and influence decisions that affect them.
This project is working with Kaikohe and surrounding communities to make the most of the economic development potential that a “quick start” cycleway on their doorstep offers; specifically ensuring access to expertise, resources and time to help build community enterprise, a remarkable local brand and low carbon tourism.
So far, thanks to local community leaders, the community is more involved in Council decision-making and the first sections of the track have been cleared by local youth workers. Other young unemployed are learning carving skills so they can create the Pou (posts erected to symbolise the relationship between Māori iwi and hapu and the land) that will mark the cycleway. Kaikohe Community Trust has two previously unemployed young people working with it on the cycleway project - gathering local stories and building understanding and support.
“We are trying to provide a catalyst for a number of community outcomes with spinoffs for tourism and community development in the Hokianga”, said John Vujcich of the Cycleway group. “The cycleway will help to showcase the history of the area with several points of historical, ecological and community interest along the way,” he said.
Much of the proposed cycleway runs along unused rail corridors. People from Kaikohe have been working on opening up this section of the track for some time. It would attract visitors to an area of New Zealand with its own unique brand of culture, diverse scenery, and rich history. This story needs to be told. It has the potential to spawn a number of local business initiatives around cultural tourism and provide a welcome economic boast to small rural communities located on the proposed route.