The National Iwi Chairs Forum, representing more than 70 iwi, are meeting at Waitangi this week to set priorities for the year ahead. Photo: Supplied / National Iwi Chairs Forum
Climate change is a key focus for iwi leaders gathering at Waitangi this week, as coastal communities across the North Island recover from recent severe weather events.
The National Iwi Chairs Forum, representing more than 70 iwi, has been meeting to set priorities for the year ahead, with leaders pointing to the increasing frequency and severity of weather events as a growing concern.
Taane Aruka Te Aho, one of the rangatahi leaders of Te Kāhu Pōkere - the group that travelled to Brazil for COP30 last year - told RNZ that recent weather events across the motu have become a repeating pattern.
"The data shows us that these climate catastrophes are going to keep coming, more frequent, more severe. We've seen that in Te Tai Tokerau, in Tauranga Moana, in Te Araroa," he said.
Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ
On behalf of Te Pou Take Āhuarangi, the climate change arm of the National Iwi Chairs Forum, Te Kāhu Pōkere attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in November 2025.
They were the first iwi-mandated rangatahi Māori delegation to attend a global COP.
At this year's forum, the rōpū is presenting its findings and what can be taken back to hapū, iwi and hapori.
"One of the key learnings for me was the importance of data sovereignty and data strategies harnessing environmental data to help us in our climate-based decision-making," Te Aho said.
In the wake of flooding and storms in the north and east of the country, dozens of marae again opened their doors to displaced whānau, providing shelter, kai and serving as Civil Defence hubs.
Te Aho said those responses showed the strength of Māori-led systems of care.
"It's paramount that we acknowledge our whānau, but also fund our whānau to keep resourcing, because they are the ones opening up their doors," he said.
"To ensure not only our mokopuna are thriving, but to ensure our people of today can go back to work, that they're looked after. Pākeke mai, rangatahi mai, kaumātua mai, kei konei te iwi Māori ki te tautoko i a rātou."
Ōakura Community Hall had been devastated by a slip that smashed through the rear wall and filled the hall with mud, trees and debris on Sunday 18 January, 2026. Muddy water was continuing to flow out the hall's front doors hours after the slip begun. The hall was only reroofed and renovated about 18 months ago, after a massive community fundraising effort. Photo: RNZ/ Peter de Graaf
Last month, the government announced a $1 million Marae Emergency Response Fund to reimburse marae for welfare support provided during the severe weather events, allowing them to "replenish resources and build resilience."
Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka said at the time, the fund "ensures marae are not left carrying the costs of that mahi".
"Allowing them to replenish what was used, recover from the immediate response, and continue to build their resilience for future events."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon also praised the response from marae.
"Marae have been exceptional in the way they have stepped up to help their communities, providing shelter, food and care to people in need," he said.
Rahui Papa (pictured right) says emergency centres at marae have been just "absolutely wonderful" following recent severe weather events across the coastal North Island. Photo: Supplied / National Iwi Chairs Forum
Pou Tangata chairperson Rahui Papa welcomed government support for marae but said long-term planning was needed.
"Back in Cyclone Gabriel, they talked about a 100-year weather event. It's come up three or four times within the last few years," he said.
"And I'm picking that, with my weather crystal ball... it's going to happen time and time again.
"So comprehensive responses have to be employed. Emergency centres at marae have been just absolutely wonderful. I take my hat off to those communities and those marae that have worked together to really find a way to look after the community."
Ngāti Hine chairperson Pita Tipene said climate change was one of the key issues being coordinated at a national level.
"There's no point in planning for something next week and next month if we're consigning our planet to the changes that are upon us," he said.
"We only have to look at the devastation around Te Tai Tokerau, let alone Tauranga Moana and Tai Rāwhiti."
Te Kāhu Pokere outside of Parliament. Photo: Supplied/Pou Take Āhuarangi
Tipene also acknowledged the contribution of Te Kāhu Pōkere.
"The young people who went to COP in Brazil and presented back to us said the solutions are in place and led by people. Their messages were very, very clear and the energy and the focus that they bring to those efforts is significant," he said.
"The National Iwi Chairs Forum comes together because we know we have much more strength together than we are alone. And so coordinating our efforts into areas that will improve the circumstances of our people or protect and enhance the environments of our people, that's our overall priority."
Forum members also unanimously backed a legal challenge by Hauraki iwi Ngāti Manuhiri, which is taking the government to the High Court over amendments to the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act. The changes, made last year, raised the threshold for iwi seeking customary marine title.
Luxon is expected to meet with the forum at Waitangi on Wednesday.
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