Tēnā koutou katoa. I’d like to begin by specifically acknowledging: Tessa Vincent, Kiwis in Climate Convenor; John Lang, Kiwis in Climate Founder; Izzy Fenwick, Executive Director, Climate Foundation NZ; Roderick Carr, formerly Chair of the Climate Change Commission; Malcolm Johns, CEO, Genesis NZ; Rohan MacMahon, Partner, Climate Venture Capital Fund.
On behalf of my wife, the Governor-General, it is my pleasure to welcome you all to Government House Auckland for the launch of Kiwis in Climate. Dame Cindy asked me to pass on her very warmest greetings and best wishes to everyone gathered here this evening, and to congratulate all those involved in bringing this important publication to life.
Today, we celebrate not only the launch of this book, but also the many people – including those in this room – who are helping New Zealand to navigate the defining challenge of our time.
Climate change is often spoken of in vast, global terms. This book reminds us that the story of climate action is deeply human. It is the story of individuals – scientists, researchers, advocates, innovators, and community organisers – who are each contributing their insight and energy to the shared task of protecting our planet.
In such a way, Kiwis in Climate performs an important act of recognition – shining a light on those who are quietly, persistently, and creatively working to deepen our understanding of the environment, and to shape the choices that will define our collective future.
Just last week, in his message for Commonwealth Day, His Majesty Charles III reflected on the importance of cooperation among nations and communities in caring for our planet. He said: ‘The stewardship of Nature, the protection of oceans and forests, and the pursuit of prosperity secured in harmony with the natural world are duties we owe not only to one another, but to generations yet unborn.’
The work represented in this book embodies that spirit. While grounded in a shared New Zealand context and understanding, the research and ideas of those featured here contribute to a much wider, and increasingly critical, global conversation.
Books such as this also remind us that while science provides us with insights and understanding, it is stories that shape our convictions. They transform issues from those of the mind, to those of the heart.
Australian writer Richard Flanagan, in his recent work Question 7, reflects profoundly on humanity’s enduring challenge: our ability to imagine the lasting consequences of what we do, and to confront the moral-ethical questions such knowledge poses. That challenge lies at the heart of the climate question.
The individuals whose work is captured in Kiwis in Climate are addressing that very challenge, and in doing so, are helping all of us – whether businesspeople, leaders, or citizens – to a deeper understanding of the choices before us, and what those choices might mean for our children and grandchildren, and generations into the future.
On behalf of the Governor-General, I once again congratulate everyone involved in bringing this book to life – its editors, contributors, supporters, and the many people whose work it honours.
May Kiwis in Climate inspire readers across New Zealand and beyond, and may it remind us that the future of our environment will be shaped, ultimately, by the spirit of creativity, selflessness, and foresight we honour here today.
Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.