Aotearoa New Zealand’s Indigenous leadership is stepping up climate action in a powerful and visible way as the National Iwi Chairs Forum (NICF) – a collective of leaders from 71 iwi (tribes) across the country – announced the sending of 10 young Māori climate leaders to attend COP30 in Brazil.
The rangatahi (youth) group will travel on behalf of te Pou Take Āhuarangi, the climate change arm of the NICF, receiving financial backing from their iwi. This marks a significant moment not only for Māori climate activism but for Indigenous representation on the global stage.
The Forum, founded in 2005, plays a pivotal role in Māori political and strategic engagement. It is one of the most comprehensive pan-tribal leadership bodies in Aotearoa, regularly interfacing with the New Zealand government, international partners, and the broader Māori public on critical issues ranging from health and education to environmental stewardship. The Forum’s active engagement with climate change is driven by both ancestral responsibility and immediate need. Māori communities are among the most severely impacted by recent extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods, and coastal erosion.
By selecting the 10 rangatahi (youth), the Forum is ensuring that Māori perspectives on climate are represented by a new generation of thinkers and leaders. These young delegates are not only fluent in tikanga (customs), reo (language), and indigenous knowledge systems, but are also equipped with scientific and policy expertise, embodying a bicultural and intergenerational approach to climate justice.
The rangatahi group carries the name of Te Kāhu Pōkere (the black hawk), a significant symbol of kaitiakitanga and Taane Aruka Te Aho (Ngāti Koroki-Kahukura, Ngāti Māhuta, Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau a Apanui) explained the significance of the hawk to the work they will do in Brazil. “Ko tō mātau mahi ko te mea nui kia Kāhu Pōkere te rere, ko te kāhu pōkere he manu kaitiaki ae, engari he momo manu rangahau, ka rere ka tirotiro whenua ka kohikohi i ngā mātauranga hou katahi ka hoki ki te kāinga.” (“Our job is to be like the kāhu pōkere, this is a bird that is a guardian but it’s also one that investigates. It flies about looking over the land, gathering new information, then bringing that back home.”) (From RNZ’s Daily Newsletter)
The decision to send youth to COP30 reflects a broader vision of mana motuhake – Māori self-determination. It positions Māori not merely as stakeholders or victims of climate change but as active agents of change and knowledge-holders with valuable solutions grounded in kaitiakitanga, or guardianship of the natural world. Māori communities have long maintained sustainable relationships with ecosystems through customary practices, seasonal calendars, and intergenerational knowledge that align closely with climate resilience and adaptation strategies.
This initiative also signals a shift in the tone of Indigenous diplomacy. The NICF is not waiting to be invited to international tables – it is setting its own agenda. Climate change is not just an environmental issue; it is about sovereignty, equity, and intergenerational justice. By elevating youth, the Forum is reminding governments and international bodies that Indigenous communities are here to lead, not follow.
It is worth noting that the Forum previously established working groups focused on climate, water rights, and the impacts of colonisation on Māori health and housing. Their climate advocacy is rooted in systemic analysis and aims to hold both local and national governments accountable for failing to act fast enough or inclusively.
As Aotearoa continues to face increasing climate-related disasters, the leadership of iwi and hapū (tribes and sub-tribes) becomes even more critical. The NICF’s support of Māori youth attending COP30 is a clear call to the international community that indigenous climate leadership is not optional – it is essential.
Image from Kia Manawaroa Issue 9 2025