APANZ is a member organisation of the Aotearoa Climate and Health Council.
Here is their latest Newsletter for your interest.
We have started the year with heartache for the people, whānau, communities and landscapes hurt by the recent storms.
Nā koutou i tangi, nā tatau katoa
When you cry, your tears are shed by us all
In our home lives, advocacy and work lives as health professionals, we are attune to needs of people we love and care for, whānau, and communities, while also understanding the broader context of climate change. Holding these needs and realities can be enormously demanding, bringing emotions of frustration and grief.
If you are struggling and need support, we are here. Please get in touch. If you have thoughts too about how we can better care for and provide support for you and other members in future, please get in touch.
There is a lot coming up. That’s partly why we’re sending out this pānui early. However, we also wanted to connect with you after the storms to say we’re here.
Noho ora mai rā,
Summer
Upcoming opportunities:
- Nominations for OraTaiao Board open until 12 Feb
The nomination form can be found here.
Nominations must be sent to Secretary Romelli Rodriguez-Jolly by Thurs 12 Feb.
The positions of Treasurer and Early Career/Student representative, specifically, will be open as well as general Executive Board members. We are also seeking a Co-convenor to work alongside Summer.
Each candidate will be required to nominate themselves and have this nomination seconded by an Executive Board Member. If you’d like to know more, please get in touch.
Confirmation of the Executive Board will be made at a Special General Meeting (SGM) on Thurs 26 Feb.
- Aotearoa Bike Challenge has begun. Join the OraTaiao team.
Aotearoa Bike Challenge 2026 banner.
The challenge runs from 1 to 28 Feb 2026, it’s free to take part and you can win some great prizes.
Everyone is welcome to join – whether you haven’t been on a bike in years or you already ride. Ride anywhere, anytime and we earn points for every km and day we ride, and for every person we encourage to ride too.
For more info and to register, head to our team’s page here.
- Online Members’ Workshops in February
Our members’ survey last year showed us that you’re keen to write letters to the editor and opinion pieces this election year. These are powerful advocacy tools, which we want to support you as much as we can to use (Remember our goal of 100 Letters to the Editor from members in 2026!).
To get you going or to hone your skills, we’re putting on two online workshops this month. Hope you can make it. Put them in your calendars now and we will send out Zoom links closer to the time. No registration needed.
7pm Mon 16 Feb: Get your letter to the editor published. Every. Time.
For those who missed this workshop in Dec last year, we are putting it on again. We will also record it this time to share with those who can’t make it.
7pm Mon 23 Feb: Writing and publishing an opinion piece in our main newspapers.
Opinion pieces can be dominated by people who steer the public discourse away from acting collectively and rapidly on climate change and health. If you don’t write an opinion piece, who will be driving public discourse this election year?
Get everything you need to know about writing and publishing an opinion piece (aka an op ed) in this workshop.
OraTaiao’s opinion piece on Pae Ora Act change, published last year.
Latest on OraTaiao mahi
Kaitiaki Hauora | Together for Public Health campaign launched
Kaitiaki Hauora is a national alliance bringing together health workers, Māori health leadership, unions, patient advocates, and community organisations with a shared interest in the future of publicly funded healthcare in Aotearoa.
Its shared focus is on three core issues: adequate and sustained funding for public healthcare, honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi in how health services are designed and delivered, and ensuring publicly funded healthcare remains accessible to everyone.
OraTaiao is proud to be part of Kaitiaki Hauora at this pivotal time. Our members survey indicated that the state of public healthcare system was a priority, along with the Pae Ora Act (preventative and equitable health services), the Paris Agreement and energy/coal. A strong public healthcare system is a critical demonstration of collective action and an ethic of equitable care for all, foundations that are essential across all sectors to combat climate change.
Please follow Kaitiaki Hauora on LinkedIn, Facebook and sign up to receive the newsletter on the website for upcoming opportunities to take action.
Kaitiaki Hauora | Together for Public Health team at launch day for the campaign, 20 Jan 2026.
Global Community Organising and Advocacy for Climate and Health programme begins
OraTaiao has been selected for the Global COACH programme run by Harvard University, an eight-month long fellowship that supports groups from around the world working on climate and health to be as effective as possible in their advocacy. OraTaiao was chosen to join a cohort of ten teams, out of nearly 700 other applications.
The support Global COACH provides is based on years of scholarship and practice in work for positive change on health and other issues around the world (including civil rights, workers rights) led by Marshall Ganz. Ganz’s book, ‘People power change: Organizing for Democratic Renewal’, has already been very valuable. Global COACH includes a fully-funded week-long workshop in Greece (where Harvard has local teaching and accommodation facilities).
People power change: Organizing for democratic renewal by Marshall Ganz book cover.
OraTaiao is sending Convenor Summer Wright, Executive Board member Steve Grimson, and Coordinator Marnie Prickett to attend the workshop. To make the most of this opportunity, the group has organised to meet with a number of Europe and UK-based climate and health organisations, including Healthcare Without Harm and UK Health Alliance for Climate Change. The group will provide a detailed report back to Members and the Executive Board to make sure we share as much as we can about what is learned and the ideas gathered.
Opportunities and events
Not too late to join Climate Health series at Otago’s Public Health Summer School | Online Mon 9 & 10 Feb 2026
Are you interested in climate change and health? Do you work in health or environment related fields, areas that impact the climate such as food, energy and transport or areas that need to respond to climate change (e.g. local government, health sector, infrastructure sector)? Would you like to learn practical skills to support your sector responding to climate change?
OraTaiao members will see familiar faces among the teaching team.
- Foundations of climate change and health – 9 Feb (Online, half-day am)
- Introduction to sustainable healthcare – 9 Feb (Online, half-day pm)
- Climate health and healing – 10 Feb (Online, half-day am)
Resource management reform submissions due in 4:30pm 13 Feb
Major and harmful changes to resource management law have been announced. Submissions on the Acts to replace the Resource Management Act 1991 are open until 4:30pm 13 February 2026. You can make your submission through parliament’s website.
The Environmental Defense Society (EDS) recorded their webinar on these reforms and has said it will published a submission template soon.
Melanie Nelson spoke to resource management expert Tina Porou (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Porou) on her podcast ‘Coherent’ about the porposed changes.
These may be a helpful places to start getting your head around what these changes mean for Aotearoa and beginning your submission.
When you’re ready to make your submission, head here.
Emergency Management Bill (No 2) submissions close 11:59pm 15 February
Submissions on the Emergency Management Bill were due to close on 3 February but, due to recent storm events, they are now open until 15 February.
The Disability Rights Commissioner reminds us to ensure we call for disabled people to be explicitly included in emergency planning and responses. There is more commentary on the Bill on the Human Rights Commission website, which may help with submission writing.
Registrations open for NZ Climate Litigation Conference 27 March 2026
This conference will feature senior judges, academics, leading practitioners, and scientists from Aotearoa and around the world, for discussion and debate on the most interesting and important issues in climate litigation.
This will be of interest to lawyers, company directors, sustainability professionals, students, and anyone working on or interested in climate change issues.
Resources
Beyond the narrow lens: the power of an interdisciplinary approach to climate and health research and training
A recent Lancet article argues “to effectively tackle the health impacts of climate change, we argue that integrating climate into medical and public health education is insufficient; rather, we call for an integration of climate and health into a wider variety of disciplines”. Read the full article here.
Bring climate conversations to your workplace or community with Climate Club Aotearoa
Climate Club Aotearoa has developed workshops for community groups, local government and public sector groups, corporate groups, and school and university students.
Karaka berries in Pōneke, Jan 2026. You might be interested in this wonderful article about the cultural and ecological significance of karaka.
Please take care of yourself and if you have something to share in the next pānui, please get in touch.
Marnie, OraTaiao Coordinator
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