Session Description
The Aashukan Declaration 2017 emerged from a gathering of Indigenous representatives from around the world who shared stories of their origins, identities, and experiences with impact assessment. The Declaration articulated a set of principles for how impact assessment should be managed on Indigenous lands. The Declaration established that "Indigenous Peoples' Rights are the foundation upon which all discussions must be initiated" and affirmed the Indigenous right to say yes or no to development. It called for relationships based on humility, respect, reciprocity, and sustained engagement; processes founded on Indigenous worldviews; and outcomes oriented towards mutual benefit and the prevention of harm.
In the spirit of the conference theme and location, this session will reflect on a decade of progress since the Aashukan Declaration, in an Aotearoa New Zealand setting. We will ask: What tools have emerged to give practical effect to these principles? And what remains to be done?
Aotearoa New Zealand has become a living laboratory for Indigenous-led impact assessment. Three distinct but complementary tools (Mauri Model, Takiwā, Mana Review AI) have emerged from iwi Māori practitioners, each operationalising the Aashukan Declaration's principles in different ways. Using case studies, this session shares how these tools have been applied in impact assessment processes in Aotearoa New Zealand. We will also reflect on the past and future of Māori-led IA in Aotearoa, and the transformative potential of new tools to support community empowerment and Indigenous self-determination, and improve assessment outcomes.
Session Summary
The session explores the transformative potential of tools developed by iwi Māori practitioners for use in impact assessment and planning in Aotearoa New Zealand, and considers what the next decade of Māori-led impact assessment might hold.
Additional Information
This session will have three papers from Māori practitioners presenting three specific tools used to support iwi Māori in IA processes. A fourth paper in the session will be a reflection on progress in the last 10 years, to then look forward to future opportunities.
Proposed By
Indigenous Peoples Section
Session Chair
Dyanna Jolly
Lincoln University - Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki
New Zealand
Session Co-chair
Te Kīpa Kēpa Morgan
Mahi Maioro Professionals Ltd
New Zealand