Wao

Our Mission

Wao Aotearoa's aim is to educate, inspire and enable New Zealand communities to accelerate towards a regenerative, fair and carbon-zero future.

About

We are living in a decade of massive change spurred on by the reality of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, and a shift in economic paradigms is required. This brings many challenges but also opportunities.

To adapt to this new reality, we have to change the way that we govern, work and behave. With this in mind, Wao Aotearoa was founded in 2016, to deliver climate action events and educational programs to accelerate climate action across New Zealand and the globe. It is a community approach to tackling climate change, recognising that we can all make positive changes - whether big or small - and together accelerate action.

Our Mission

• To increase the speed at which communities can become low emissions 21st Century communities.
  
• To mainstream sustainability to foster thriving, diverse & interconnected environments, communities and businesses.
  
• To advocate and raise awareness of climate justice, bio-sphere & environmental rights.
  
• To increase community cohesion through establishment of partnership and collaboration networks.
  

Wao Summit & Events

Each year we hold a Summit in Wānaka & Queenstown which focuses on sector-driven change. This is held over a week at the end of October and includes talks, workshops, tours and community events. It is an all-inclusive event aimed to inspire, educate and enable all people towards a sustainable, regenerative future.

Other events are held throughout the year, such as the annual Autumn Harvest Festival which is a celebration of local food and avoiding food waste, Biketober: a month-long celebration of all things bicycle, the Wao Film Festival (held in May), and our Green Drinks held around town every two months. They are an opportunity for the community to connect with both important sustainability topics and also each other.

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Our Programmes

Wao creates pathways for action to happen.

Our programmes are designed to fast track climate action in our community and are led by nationally and internationally recognised leaders in their fields.

The Climate Action Initiative is a three-month programme that enables local businesses, organisations and schools to understand and calculate their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and take steps to reduce them.

The Better Building Working Group is composed of architects, builders, tradies, developers, suppliers and mental health experts, focused on better building, zero waste, and mental health and wellbeing.

The Food Resilience Programme is to establish a district-wide baseline for Food Resilience in the community and help transition to a more resilient system.

Get SMART (Sustainable Modes of Active and Resourceful Travel) is about tackling climate change by changing the way we move. This means more biking, walking and collective transport options.

Generation Wao supports the youth side of Wao, with events throughout the year targeted around issues such as mental health and community engagement.

How We Work

We take a systems-based approach to understand how communities work and which levers need to be pulled or pushed to enable this transition to a regenerative future.

To put parameters around what a regenerative future looks like, we are inspired by a number of frameworks which interpret how this complex system works including Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and John Fullerton’s Regenerative Economics and guided by Te Tiriti o Waitangi and our shared values as a nation.

One of the most effective levers we use is by working with key groups such as youth or the business community. These include the food and fibre, building and wellbeing sectors. We facilitate and connect those working in these ecosystems, help them develop a vision and strategy, and work towards mapping out how to reach that vision.

Finally, our focus is on building partnerships and collaboration. Forming connections are essential to creating an effective system.

Registered Charitable Trust

Wao Aotearoa is a registered charitable trust under the name One New Zealand Charitable Trust (Charities Registration # CC57182). We are based in Wanaka New Zealand.

Support action

Help accelerate our communities towards a low emissions, thriving, regenerative future. Get involved, donate as an individual or join our incredible team of businesses sponsoring our work.