Indigenous Rangatahi Champion Pacific Interests at COP31 Global Climate Summit

A group of young Kiwi activists are bringing the voices of Pacific and Indigenous communities to the global stage as COP31 kicks off in Antalya, Türkiye. Among the estimated 80,000 attendees at this year's annual climate summit are Ataria MacDonald, Aigagalefili Fepulea'i-Tapua'i, and Aditi Tiwari, who are attending as civil society delegates to advocate for those facing the direct consequences of environmental change. Ataria MacDonald, a 26-year-old aquaculture project manager for Ngāti Manuhiri, is representing her iwi alongside two other rangatahi and chief executive Nicola Rata-MacDonald. MacDonald told RNZ that her focus is on highlighting local environmental stressors that are exacerbated by climate change, such as the increased sedimentation in the Hauraki Gulf (Tīkapa Moana) and Mahurangi Harbour. She noted that extreme rainfall events are worsening coastal erosion, which in turn threatens the livelihoods of community oyster farmers and the health of the iwi’s cultural practices. In addition to local concerns, MacDonald is working to strengthen a collective Indigenous network. She explained that groups from Australia and the Pacific region are attending COP31 together to connect at a regional level within the massive global context. This collaboration aims to address common threats, such as warming ocean temperatures and the spread of invasive species like Caulerpa seaweed, which pose existential risks to marine health. Aigagalefili Fepulea'i-Tapua'i, the 23-year-old executive director of the Aotearoa Climate Action Network, joined MacDonald in emphasizing the importance of Pacific solidarity. Fepulea'i-Tapua'i, who founded the youth group 4 Tha Kulture, intends to push for meaningful climate finance and ensure the human impact of climate change remains central to formal negotiations. While Caretaker Climate Minister Simon Watts is also attending, these young leaders are focused on ensuring the government’s commitments to the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target translates into tangible action for the Pacific region.