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Climate Resilience Motion 20

Here is the Climate Resilience resolution of General Synod - Te Hīnota Whānui 2018, which calls on all Pihopatanga and Dioceses to take action to mitigate climate change and build climate resilience.

Rod Oram, Isaac Beach & Fe'iloakitau Tevi  |  19 Jun 2019

Motion 20

A Framework to Enhance Resilience to Climate Change and Disasters – 2025

Mover:  Mr Isaac Beach              Seconder: Mr Fe'iloakitau Tevi

That this General Synod / Te Hinota Whanui 2018:

Noting the development of a framework called Taking Climate Action into our Hands and acknowledging the direction from the 2016 General Synod/ Te Hinota Whanui that identified climate change as a significant threat, and

That in response, the youth of the 3T Church developed this framework to guide the Anglican Church in strengthening resilience and building on the many good initiatives that are already being implemented;

Recognises that Maori, Pasefika and indigenous knowledge incorporates and manifests unique and powerful understandings of humanity’s relationship to God’s creation and offers solutions to the human-made challenges we face with Climate Change. These solutions include technological, theological, philosophical components expressed in examples such as Archbishop Winston Halapua’s Moana Theology, through to the Waitangi Tribunal Report Wai 262 Ko Aotearoa Tenei/This is New Zealand the latter of which articulates matauranga Maori concepts including whanaungatanaga, kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga.

Notes the gratitude of the Diocese of Polynesia and the youth of the 3T Church for the resources to develop a diocesan strategy on climate resilience.  This strategy was adopted at the last Diocesan Synod in April 2018.

Acknowledges the immense contribution to date of the Anglican Missions Board in accompanying the youth in the development of this Diocesan climate resilience strategy;

Noting the deep appreciation and common sense of purpose by the members of the 2018 Oceania Anglican FONO to roll out this training for them as well;

Acknowledging that we hold the wellbeing of our world in our hands and are called to be responsible stewards in caring for God’s creation;

Noting that we as a church, play a particularly important role in community life, which extends to being a ‘first-responder’ following natural disasters. Increasingly, churches are focusing on disaster preparedness, risk reduction and building resilience;

Recognizing the actions we need to take to build climate resilience in our Church include:

1. Climate Vulnerability/Resilience mapping - Engage in assessing parish/community levels of climate resilience through Community Integrated Vulnerability Assessment (CIVA) and Geographical Information System (GIS).

2. Develop CIVA QGIS training plan for Tikanga Maori (2019) and Tikanga Pakeha (2020) ensuring that the Strategy is fit for purpose, complements existing training programmes and will fit with existing church strategic structures. It is noted that the richness and the value of the Strategy depends on collaboration, consensus and the togetherness of the community 

3. Future-proof assets - The 3T Church has human resources (including ministers and congregations), physical resources (including churches and schools) and extensive networks. Get church assets ready for the impacts of climate change, make climate-smart investments, and prepare for effective recovery and reconstruction.

4. Plan - Develop simple and clear disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation plans for churches across the 3T Church to be ready to provide early warning, respond and recover well from natural disasters including taking care of people’s emotional needs.

5. Plan – rolling out the CIVA/QGIS training to other members of the Anglican FONO in 2018 – 2019

6. Recruit champions – Establish ‘champions’ or ‘ambassadors’ for climate resilience, with a particular focus on young people.

Rejoicing in the creativity and power of people working,

1. Tasks each Diocese and Hui Amorangi to demonstrate its commitment to this urgency by:

(i) Creating a strategy for, and resourcing of, local and regional responses to climate change based on the principles above adapted as adopted to reflect local circumstances, and 

(ii) Approving these strategies at their synods in 2018 or 2019

2. Requests GSTHW create a new role of Climate Commissioner to help further this work, and to appoint a group to scope and define this role and budget to support it, with a significant proportion of the role and resource based in the Diocese of Polynesia, recognizing its people are on the front line of climate change.

(i) The Climate Commissioner works with dioceses and hui amorangi to weave their plans into a multi-faceted Climate Change Action Plan for the Province to be submitted to GSTHW 2020.

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