Young people’s climate leadership in Aotearoa

ABSTRACT

Children and young people internationally have been demonstrating their concern about the inadequacy of adult responses to the climate crisis. These young people recognise that their wellbeing and that of the planet is imperilled by this inaction. Furthermore, schools should be taking the lead in educating and supporting children and young people with regard to climate science and climate action, as well as with their emotional wellbeing. This article reports the views of a range of young people in Aotearoa New Zealand, who were consulted to inform the writing of a climate wellbeing guide to accompany a climate learning programme for schools. Their views illustrate their frustration at the inadequacy of their education experiences currently, and provide hopeful critique that sheds light on future possibilities for climate education that fosters young people’s climate leadership as well collective and planetary wellbeing.

KEYWORDS:

• Youth leadership
• climate education
• climate wellbeing
• climate activism
• school strikes for climate
• biodiversity

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of our colleague Professor Sandy Morrison, of our participants and the advisors to this project.

Disclosure statement

We confirm that there are no relevant financial or non-financial competing interests to report.

Notes

1. Aotearoa is a Māori name for New Zealand.

2. Pākehā refers to people with European ancestry.

3. Young people.

4. Ethics approval number 0000029956.

5. See: Matamua (2017). Matariki: The star of the year. Huia Publishers.

6. See: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/2831-kauri-dieback-and-matauranga-maori

7. See this kōrero on a resource site for teachers: Grace, (n.d. How Māui slowed the sun. https://eng.mataurangamaori.tki.org.nz/Support-materials/Te-Reo-Maori/Maori-Myths-Legends-and-Contemporary-Stories/How-Maui-slowed-the-sun

8. Pacific Islands peoples make up 8% of the total Aotearoa New Zealand population.

Ministry for Pacific Peoples (2020). Pacific Aotearoa status report. A snapshot. https://www.mpp.govt.nz/assets/Reports/Pacific-Peoples-in-Aotearoa-Report.pdf

Additionally, 66.4% of Pacific Islands peoples living in Aotearoa New Zealand were born here (https://www.stats.govt.nz/tools/2018-census-ethnic-group-summaries/pacific-peoples).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Ministry of Education- New Zealand .

Notes on contributors

Jenny Ritchie

Jenny Ritchie Dr Jenny Ritchie, Te Puna Akopai | School of Education, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand has research interests in education for social, cultural, and ecological justice; pedagogies that support children’s cultural, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing and citizenship enactment; and applying Māori conceptualisations in sustainability pedagogies. Orcid 0000-0003-2934-6358

Mere Skerrett

Mere Skerrett has a background in teaching and researching in both the early childhood and primary education sectors, with a focus on Kōhanga Reo and Māori/English bilingualism. She recently graduated as the top female graduate (te kirikawa) from Te Panekiretanga o te Reo, the Institute of Excellence in Māori Language, which provides the most advanced Māori language academic course for adult students across New Zealand. Mere has led the development of Te Iti Rearea, an initial teacher education programme which enables students to teach in both the early childhood and primary sectors. She also successfully led the development of the Exemplary Masters of Teaching and Learning programme with an Early Childhood Endorsement, Te Kahukiwi o Aotearoa. She has been the recipient of a doctoral award and networking award from her Tainui people, and won the Te Pā Harakeke Award of commitment to Kāi Tahu whānau and leadership in te reo Māori. Orcid 0000-0003-2175-1949

Ali Glasgow

Ali Glasgow I have a background in early childhood education (ECE) and as a Pacific teacher and researcher, I seek to advance Pacific education, foregrounding cultural and linguistic pedagogy and practice, drawing on cultural community perspectives. I have worked extensively and researched with Pacific communities both within NZ and overseas. I have provided specialist advice in a number of contexts both in NZ, in the Pacific including the Cook Islands, and the Solomon Islands, as well as Indonesia and East Timor. My PhD research investigated the language, culture and traditional practices in Pacific Language Nests in New Zealand. Through this research I have built up a strong relationship with the Pacific ECE communities and work to foster and support these communities. In 2015 I was awarded a Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) grant to research Māori and Pacific community views of infant care giving practices. This research has enabled us to build a body of knowledge on traditional and contemporary Māori and Pacific cultural practices, and to promote and advance this knowledge. Orcid 0000-0002-3002-6100