Hurianga āhuarangi
Hurianga āhuarangi Climate Change
The products we buy, the food we eat, the way we travel, and the goods we produce can all create greenhouse gases. These gases build up over the years and essentially trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere - warming our climate.
SS4C Whakatū (Nelson), March 2023
Sir Peter Blake:
“We have to look for the new fuel, and it’s sitting around us. It’s in the water - it’s hydrogen. It’s blazing out of the sky - it’s the sun. It’s the wind power that covers the earth.”
Māori identity and wellbeing is threatened by Climate Change
Te whenua, te wai, and our taonga species are being affected by climate change. Threatening traditional māori practices connected to māori identity.
Losing traditional resources from the moana, awa, and ngahere will affect future generations because the tikanga and mātauranga māori associated with the resources and practices around will be lost.
FAQs about Climate Change
What does ‘Net Zero’ mean?
‘Net Zero’ or ‘Net Zero Emissions’ refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) that's produced and the amount that's removed from the atmosphere. Essentially, because there is no excess amount of GHG polluting the atmosphere.
What is Aotearoa’s main cause of GHG?
50% of Aotearoa/New Zealand’s GHG emissions come from Agriculture. Our Dairy Industry makes up 23.5% alone. Our Energy Sector produces 39.9% of our countri’s GHG emissions, with 16.7% coming from Transport alone.
What is ‘renewable’ energy?
‘Renewable Energy’ is essentially energy that is derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. Sunlight and Wind are examples of energy that are constantly being replenished, and they cause little (if any) environmental damage.
What is the ‘Zero Carbon Bill’?
In New Zealand, the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Bill aims to develop and implement clear and stable climate change policies that contribute to the global effort under the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5℃.
What are Carbon Credits?
‘Carbon Credits’ or ‘Carbon Offsets’ work like permission slips for emissions. When a company buys a carbon credit, usually from the government, they gain permission to generate one ton of CO2 emissions. ‘Carbon credits’ are awarded for projects that store, avoid or reduce greenhouse gas (GHG).
How is Carbon Stored?
‘Carbon Sequestration’ happens in a variety of ways. Particularly in Marine Ecosystems: Mangroves, Sea-Grass, Saltmarshes, and Kelp Forests are all key and vital ways that Carbon is stored. On Land, Soil is the main sequester of Carbon.