From Whakapapa to AI: Māori Knowledge Nurturing a Sustainable Water Future

Water is the heart of our planet, crucial to our health, food security, energy sustainability, and societal resilience. Yet, our global water resources are under unprecedented pressure from climate change, pollution, and overuse. The urgency for sustainable water management must be balanced. Indigenous communities have long understood the importance of living in harmony with nature and have developed sophisticated systems for managing water resources grounded in respect for the environment and future generations.

In New Zealand, water is of immense cultural, spiritual, and practical significance to the Māori people. Their holistic worldview sees humans as an integral part of the natural environment, which includes water bodies. Māori consider water as a taonga (treasure), and they have a whakapapa (genealogical) relationship with it, viewing it as an ancestor that provides life and sustenance.

In the face of climate change, this traditional knowledge offers us invaluable insights. The Māori understanding of natural cycles, weather patterns, and the interrelationships within ecosystems can help us predict and mitigate the impacts of climate change on our water resources. Their sustainable practices provide a model for how we can use and conserve water in a way that respects the environment and ensures its health for future generations.

In this digital age, advanced technologies such as AI and machine learning ML have become powerful tools in our fight against climate change. By combining these technologies with Earth observation (EO) data from satellites, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of our environment and the challenges it faces.

However, technology alone is not enough. We need to integrate this data with the rich knowledge of our indigenous communities to create more effective solutions. This is where the Indigenous Peoples Advisory Group (IPAG) of the Green Climate Fund plays a crucial role.

The IPAG ensures that indigenous peoples are not just passive recipients of climate actions but active participants in their design and implementation. They provide advice on GCF-financed activities affecting Indigenous Peoples, review the implementation and monitoring of the IP Policy, and offer guidance to the Board as needed. Their work ensures that Indigenous Peoples benefit from GCF activities in a culturally appropriate manner and are protected from any harm or adverse effects.

By integrating indigenous knowledge with advanced technologies and EO data, we can develop more effective strategies for water management and climate resilience. This approach respects our cultural heritage, leverages the wisdom of our ancestors, and uses the best tools that modern science has to offer.

In this way, we can ensure a sustainable future for all - one where we live in harmony with nature, respect our cultural diversity, and use our resources wisely. This is the vision that guides us as we work towards a climate-resilient society, and I invite all of you to join us on this journey.