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  • The Earth is a dynamic system – a combination of interrelated, interacting parts that form a collective entity.

    From a scientific point of view, the Earth system has four central components known as subsystems – the hydrosphere, geosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. These subsystems are interconnected by processes and cycles that – over time – intermittently store, transform and/or transfer matter and energy throughout the whole Earth system.

    Rights: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Kevin W. Miller (GST)

    Earth is a complex interrelated system

    The Earth system contains a diverse and complex mix of processes, cycles and systems that interact with each other.

    Earth’s subsystems are dynamic – changes in one part of a subsystem can cause effects in other parts of that subsystem and/or other subsystems. For example, rising atmospheric temperatures are causing glaciers to melt and retreat. Some of the cascading effects of glacier loss include:

    • sea level rise – increasing coastal erosion and impacts from storm surges
    • displacement of plants and animals that have adapted to a cold environment
    • reduced river flows, groundwater depletion and other downstream effects.

    Cascading impacts

    Our climate, our biodiversity, our future is an interactive storymap that uses a collection of stories arranged to show the interconnection of ki uta ki tai – mountains to the sea – which illustrate how the climate is changing, how it impacts our indigenous biodiversity and what is being done to help. This activity helps educators deepen student engagement with the storymap.

    Humans are part of the Earth system

    Humans interact with these systems – we depend on them to meet our needs. We have created technologies to enable us to control natural systems, which has had positive outcomes such as reliable water supplies, increased food production and energy generation. But humans have also exploited natural resources, sometimes pushing the limits of sustainability and the ability for species or ecosystems to regenerate. Our actions are altering Earth’s systems – with serious consequences – as evidenced by changes in Earth’s atmosphere and climate.

    Rights: Crown copyright ©, CC BY 4.0

    Climate change creates additional pressures

    The interconnected nature of the environment means the impacts of our changing climate are cascading through ecosystems – compounding other pressures from human activities. This places additional pressures on the environment, our livelihoods, our culture and our wellbeing.

    Download this image as a PDF.

    Source: Ministry for the Environment, Stats NZ, and data providers, and licensed by the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.

    Māori perspectives and holistic views

    Our understanding of the Earth system is informed by science and indigenous knowledge built over generations of observation and inference. The Māori world view is holistic – it acknowledges the intrinsic connection between the atmosphere, climate and the entire environmental system, including the interdependencies between people and their environment.

    The holistic and reciprocal connection between Māori and the natural world is formed through shared whakapapa (genealogy). The creation and ongoing balance of the natural world is interconnected through this web of kinship, and responsibility to care is reflected in pūrākau where these relationships shape connection to the environment.

    Our atmosphere and climate 2023

    A Māori perspective of the natural world recognises that non-human parts of the environment have mauri and are considered tupuna and taonga, with inherent rights, value and agency. When we put pressure on our atmosphere and climate, we shift the mauri of that part of the ecosystem. It becomes unbalanced, in turn putting pressure on all other systems in te taiao, including people and communities.

    Explore further Māori insight – māramatanga Māori – related to climate and Earth systems.

    Cumulative effects of human practices

    Climate change is just one of the many ways in which humans have upset the balance of the Earth system. We’ve altered the land through deforestation. We’ve modified it to make our lives safer and more comfortable, and this has impacts on freshwater and marine ecosystems. Rubbish and poorly designed landfills have polluted the land, water and atmosphere. Introduced predators have an impact on native birds, plants and other animals. Impacts from the changing climate are compounding these pressures.

    We face a huge challenge but already know many solutions. We can draw strength by embracing the wisdom of our ancestors and holding their legacy close. ‘Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua: we walk backwards into the future with our eyes fixed on our past’. By working collaboratively, acknowledging the past and embracing innovative and transformative ways of thinking, we can walk into the future with a greater understanding of how to accept the wero (challenge) that is climate change.

    Our atmosphere and climate 2023

    Systems thinking to achieve solutions

    There’s a long list of impacts that human actions have had on te taiao. Fortunately, we have found solutions to fix a lot of these problems. It’s taken generations to create the issues, and it will take time and dedicated action to turn them around.

    Rights: Joern.scherzer, CC BY 4.0

    Electric car charging station

    The New Zealand Government and private companies are establishing significant infrastructure to support the use of electric vehicles.

    Road transport is one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gases in Aotearoa. Transitioning away from fossil fuels helps to reduce emissions.

    Systems thinking is a holistic approach to problem solving. It requires us to look at the big picture and understand how environmental systems are intertwined with social, cultural, economic and political systems. Systems thinking allows for diverse perspectives and creativity. Such integrative and holistic approaches can help provide a more complete picture as shown within te ao Māori.

    The environmental report Our atmosphere and climate 2023 notes holistic approaches will be particularly useful in understanding the state of the climate and all its links to ecosystems, habitats and species in the wider environment. Having the right information helps everyone take meaningful action to achieve solutions.

    Related content

    Explore further Māori insight – māramatanga Māori – related to climate and Earth systems.

    Earth systems and connections:

    Professional development resources:

    Climate change resource curations:

    • Our atmosphere and climate – introduction curates a suite of resources developed in collaboration with the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ. Resources highlight climate connections and implications for Aotearoa and for Māori. They have a strong focus on evidence and data.
    • Our atmosphere and climate 2020 – a collection focusing on the 2020 report.
    • Climate change – a collection with a focus on the science of climate change and associated socio-scientific issues, including melting ice and sea-level rise.
    • Climate change (HoS) supports the House of Science Climate Change resource kit but it is also useful for anyone exploring what is climate change, ocean acidification, sea and land water, how climate change affects Māori, the Earth’s interacting systems and ideas to tackle these wicked problems in the classroom.

    Useful links

    Stats NZ and the Ministry for the Environment report on the state of different aspects of the environment every 6 months and the environment as a whole every 3 years. Find their reports here.

    Acknowledgement

    This resource has been produced with the support of the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ. © Crown copyright.

    Rights: Crown copyright

    Our atmosphere and climate 2023

    The Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ produce New Zealand’s Environmental Reporting Series. Our atmosphere and climate 2023 focuses on climate change, with an emphasis on the effects of climate change on biodiversity and ecosystems.

      Published 11 October 2023, Updated 15 February 2024 Referencing Hub articles

        A Māori perspective of the natural world recognises that non-human parts of the environment have mauri and are considered tūpuna and taonga with inherent rights, value and agency. These manifestations of parts of the environment into ancestral beings, deities or atua are prevalent in Māori cosmology and retold through pūrākau. The holistic and reciprocal connection between Māori and the natural world is formed through shared whakapapa. The creation and ongoing balance of the natural world is interconnected through this web of kinship, and responsibility to care is reflected in pūrākau where these relationships shape connection to the environment.

        Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

        The whakapapa of space

        The whakapapa in Māori cosmology is retold through origin stories showing connections of mankind to the celestial realms. The connection shown here is from Tūhoe.

        Background night sky image, Mike Watts, CC BY-SA 2.0

        Ngā tohu o te taiao

        Māori developed a detailed knowledge of biophysical indicators or tohu by observing and interacting closely with their local environments. The developed tohu are location-specific cultural and environmental indicators of the natural world. The use of tohu is based on connection through whakapapa, and the intertwined past and future of te ao Māori allows tohu to be used by kaitiaki or local practitioners to signal, monitor and forecast trends in the state or health of te taiao and taonga species over time.

        Tohu are supported through ancestral memories and passed down through kōrero tuku iho, karakia, pūrākau, whakataukī and waiata. The waiata Tīhore mai te rangi by Hirini Melbourne is asking Tāwhirimātea to stop the rain, clear the dark clouds and let the sunshine in and contains a warning about the consequences of failing to prepare and seek shelter. Many Māori traditions of monitoring weather patterns and extreme events through oral communication are thought to provide records and warn of dangers.

        Tohu are a fundamental expression of kaitiakitanga or active guardianship and are based on survival and recognising that, to survive, one must pay attention to the natural signs and signals thoughtfully so as to manage the future of our mahinga kai and ourselves.

        Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

        Climate or atmospheric tohu

        Māori developed detailed knowledge of tohu that enabled them to monitor and forecast trends in the health of the taiao and taonga species.

        Climate or atmospheric tohu can be divided into four categories: tātai arorangi (celestial phenomena), huarere (weather), āhuarangi (climate) and wāhanga-o-te-tau (seasonal changes).

        Maramataka

        For centuries, climate shaped and informed maramataka (the Māori lunar calendar), where marae were established and where and when kai was collected. The maramataka helps to monitor seasonal changes, weather and migratory patterns of birds and fish as well as enabling the accurate tracking of rituals and other important matters. Many hapū and iwi have developed their own rohe-specific maramataka through centuries of detailed observations as a predictive tool for scheduling activities critical to the continued success of hapū and iwi such as fishing, gathering kaimoana and planting and harvesting food.

        Rights: Crown copyright 2018

        Maramataka – the Māori calendar

        The lunar calendar is used for observing changes to te taiao.

        Illustration by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, from Listening to the Land, 2018 Level 3 Connected journal Cracking the Code published by the Ministry of Education, New Zealand.

        Ahurea tuakiri and whakapapa are positioned geographically and will be affected by the impacts of climate change. Climate impacts such as sea-level rise will displace Māori from tūrangawaewae, which will disrupt the rohe-specific transmission of te reo Māori and tikanga. As iwi, whānau and hapū are forced to relocate from their tūrangawaewae, opportunities to activate kaitiakitanga and actively manage resources and important sites will diminish. To maintain intergenerational mātauranga and tikanga practices, many Māori will have to adapt and plan the relocation of marae or culturally significant sites such as urupā.

        Related content

        Investigate more mātauranga Māori of tohu o te taiao – biophysical indicators of weather and climate.

        This article explores the maramataka in greater detail.

        Read about why climate change matters to Māori in this article.

        Meet kairangahau Māori Milly Grant-Mackie. Milly is interested in sea-level rise using methodologies guided by kaupapa Māori and science.

        Watch this video to learn more about Māori cosmological origins about connection to the whenua.

        Read more about the ocean and Earth’s systems and cycles.

        Acknowledgement

        This māramatanga Māori article has been produced alongside the resource Earth systems and climate change, a collaboration with the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ. © Crown copyright.

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