He Ekenga Ngaru - Māori community solutions to climate retreat and adaptation

A group of young Māori researchers with the Resilience National Science Challenge brought together Māori planners, researchers and kaitiaki from across the motu to a symposium at Whakaue marae in Maketū, Bay of Plenty in October 2023. The kaupapa was to develop a community response to the Parliamentary inquiry into climate adaptation. Many attendees were representing iwi and hapū facing climate impacts such as sea-level rise and coastal flooding and are considering potential relocation of their marae and other taonga, or other adaptation initiatives. The submission that was informed by kōrero at the symposium strongly advocates that: • Aotearoa needs greater focus on and provision for 'bottom-up' approaches to retreat and adaptation • Terminology and framing of 'retreat and adaptation' needs more co-development to reflect Tāngata Whenua • Long-term, equitable, and sustainable planning and funding models are required to support community-led retreat and adaptation • Retreat and adaptation needs to be autonomous and mana-enhancing • Adaptation and retreat processes are an opportunity for recognition and redress of historical trauma associated with colonisation.