A new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has painted a stark picture of the growing impacts of climate change across the South-West Pacific, with record-breaking temperatures, rising sea levels, more intense rainfall and widespread marine heatwaves threatening communities, ecosystems and critical infrastructure throughout the region, including Aotearoa.
The findings highlight a climate system changing at an accelerating pace, with Pacific nations among the most exposed despite contributing only a small fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions. Coastal communities, food production, freshwater supplies and biodiversity are all under increasing pressure as extreme weather events become more frequent and severe.
Professor Sandy Morrison (Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Whakaue), from the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies at the University of Waikato, says the report is another reminder that climate change is no longer a future challenge but a present-day reality demanding urgent action.
For Aotearoa, the implications extend beyond rising temperatures. More frequent heavy rainfall events increase the risk of flooding, slips and infrastructure damage, while rising sea levels threaten coastal settlements, marae and culturally significant sites. Marine heatwaves are also placing additional stress on fisheries and ocean ecosystems that many Māori communities rely on for food security, cultural practices and economic wellbeing.
Across the wider Pacific, the challenges are even greater. Many island nations face increasing coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies and growing threats to homes, livelihoods and cultural heritage. The report reinforces the need for coordinated regional responses that recognise the shared environmental challenges facing Pacific peoples.
Professor Morrison believes Indigenous communities must play a much stronger role in shaping climate adaptation and resilience strategies. Māori and other Indigenous peoples have generations of environmental knowledge grounded in close relationships with whenua, moana and natural ecosystems, offering practical approaches to living sustainably with changing environmental conditions.
Rather than treating Indigenous knowledge as separate from science, there is growing recognition that combining mātauranga Māori with scientific research produces more comprehensive and locally relevant climate solutions. This collaborative approach is helping communities better understand environmental change while developing adaptation strategies that reflect both cultural values and scientific evidence.
Examples are already emerging across Aotearoa and the Pacific, where iwi, hapū and Indigenous communities are working alongside researchers to restore wetlands, strengthen coastal ecosystems, monitor environmental change and improve long-term planning for climate resilience. These partnerships are contributing to stronger decision-making while ensuring local knowledge is incorporated into environmental management.
Professor Morrison says Indigenous knowledge offers perspectives that extend beyond technical responses to climate change. It emphasises intergenerational responsibility, environmental stewardship and the interconnected relationship between people and nature. These principles encourage long-term thinking rather than short-term solutions, ensuring decisions made today consider the wellbeing of future generations.
As governments continue developing climate adaptation policies, the WMO report highlights the importance of ensuring Indigenous voices are not simply consulted but actively involved in designing and leading responses. Recognising mātauranga Māori alongside scientific knowledge offers an opportunity to build stronger, more resilient communities capable of responding to the increasingly complex challenges of a changing climate.
With the South-West Pacific experiencing some of the fastest environmental changes on the planet, the report reinforces that effective climate action will require collaboration across governments, scientists, communities and Indigenous leaders if the region is to successfully adapt to the challenges ahead.
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