NZ Herald| COP 25: Māori leader calls out global climate change summit for treating indigenous peoples like ‘tokens’

EXCERPT: As scores of adult reporters crowded around Danish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg, a group of indigenous leaders were shoved to the side by security as they tried to get into their office. At that moment, at the Conference of the Parties (COP) 25 climate-change summit in Madrid, the hypocrisy and privilege of it all hit home for Kera Sherwood-O’Regan, of Kāi Tahu.

“Since we’ve been here, our indigenous women have been harassed, pushed off stage from speaking opportunities, and been shoved around,” she said.

“Where is the security support for our indigenous people?”

The 25th United Nations climate-change conference, which ended this week, has been widely condemned for its lack of ambition in curbing greenhouse gas emissions to avoid catastrophic climate impacts, and failing to reach agreement on carbon markets and carbon trading.
Full story by Michael Neilson on the NZ Herald here.

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Kera Sherwood-O'Regan

Kāi Tahu in Tāmaki Makaurau • Indigenous • Keyboard & Wellness Warrior • Wearer of too many pōtae (hats) • Passionate about protecting the rights of Papatūānuku and all her people • Chronically ill but I don’t let it get to me… much • Founder of Fibromyalgia Aotearoa New Zealand • I’ll be a doctor one day.

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