Project Kainga and climate change team
Primary Investigator
Staff
- Associate Professor Janet Stephenson,
- Raaniera Te Whata
Email raaniera.tewhata@otago.ac.nz - Lucy Matahaere
- Fiona Gray (Project Administrator)
Email fiona.gray@otago.ac.nz
External research team members
- Dr Hauiti Hakopa (True North Research & Mapping Ltd)
- Dr Selai Letica (Orangahau)
- Dr Stephen McTaggart (McTaggart Research Aotearoa)
- Dr Alvaro Romera (AgResearch)
- Dr Hirini Tane (Te Potiki National Trust)
- Dr Paora Tapihana (Te Potiki National Trust)
- Dr James Turner (AgResearch)
- Paul Voigt (Nikau Pacific Group).
- Associate Professor Krushil Watene (Massey University)
Funding
Funded 2019-2024 by the MBIE Endeavour Fund
Research
We are working with seven rural marae communities to help them respond to the challenges of climate change. These kainga (communities) want to build resilience to climate change impacts that they are already experiencing such as flooding, droughts, changing waterway biodiversity and quality and sea level rise.
In addition to exploring innovative new activities on their lands, community households and marae can also prepare for changing climate futures and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions at these scales.
Our research team is helping kainga to develop tikanga-based, economically affordable and community-relevant responses to climate change, which may also help tackle other related 'big' issues like food sovereignty, water quality, energy affordability and poverty. Ultimately, through research and development over five years, we hope to build a mix of innovations and leadership responses that do one thing: restore oranga, or good health, to lands, water and our people.
Findings will be shared widely with other Māori communities, iwi and other agencies such as councils and government.
For more information see Kainga and Climate Change on Facebook