10 February 2015                         

Iwi leaders have drawn up an ambitious proposal to plant a million hectares of forest in exchange for Government's agreement to step up efforts to combat climate change.

The draft proposal was included in a booklet obtained by the NZ Herald, which shows what members of the Iwi Chairs Forum raised with Prime Minister John Key at Waitangi last weekend. The booklet contains the reports of various working groups within the 65-person forum on issues ranging from education to freshwater rights and mining.

In the Crown-iwi partnership on climate change, iwi would commit to planting a million hectares of forest over 10 years on Maori-owned, marginal land in Northland, the Central North Island and East Cape, potentially creating up to 50,000 jobs. In exchange, iwi leaders wanted the Government to champion the interests of Maori in any international deal made at climate change talks in Paris this year.

They also wanted New Zealand to make greater emissions reduction targets in line with the US, China and the EU.

Ngati Hine leader Pita Tipene said the forum had planned to discuss the proposal with ministers at Waitangi but it had been put on hold to allow more consultation with iwi and to gather more information on the feasibility of a massive planting programme.

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser said he was aware of a draft proposal but said "it was ultimately not presented to the Government by iwi leaders".

The iwi working group's report said Maori communities could be disproportionately affected by climate change because of their investment in affected industries such as forestry, farming, and fishing.

The booklet included a letter from climate change iwi leadership group chair Apirana Mahuika - who died yesterday - to Mr Key.

Source: NZ Herald story by Claire Trevett and Isaac Davison. To read the full story >>