RESPONSE is working in partnership with local and regional organizations that seek to integrate communities and social organization with earth systems. Contact us if you have a partner proposal.

ACTIVITIES IN AOTEAROA-NEW ZEALAND AND THE PACIFIC

CURRENT PROJECTS

• Ongoing projects following the Te Au o Te Moana - Across Oceania meeting held in January include:
  • • Dissemination of the contributions through publication of an edited collection of the presentations.
    • A Pacific network for environmental education, with a prospective meeting to be held in New Zealand in 2009.
    • Work with opportunities for collaboration on governance and management in the region. For example, a forum on Leadership and Collaboration with Indigenous groups from Alaska.
    • An ongoing network working in responsible governance. The broad area of water is to continue, but to be inclusive of governance in fields that correspond with professional commitments of participants.
    • We are working to convene a group in Fiji to build involvement in the Local Management of Marine Areas (LMMA) network and deepen the sharing of knowledge and experience between Pacific groups.
    • Film documentation was made of all the presentations and local water environments. Intention to proceed with a documentary on Responsibility in Governance with reference to Water.
    • Responsibility as a framework for conflict resolution.
    • Renewable energy water conservation initiatives. Two projects for follow through are:
      • Manufacture and installation of solar energy systems.
      • Investigation of systems of household water storage. In Samoa and New Zealand water supply and electricity to households are through government and municipal systems. Household water tanks would reduce extraction from rivers and provide backup in times of crises, such as more intense weather patterns of drought and cyclones.
• We are supporting a Pacific Indigenous and Inter-religious dialogue for Peace and Ethical Governance, in Samoa; hosted by Afeafe o Vaetoefaga.
• In partnership with the Human Rights Commission we host public
  forums on - Indigenous Knowledge, Law and Custom in the South Pacific
  in the context of Human Rights and Responsibilities - Environmental
  Sustainability - Human Rights and Responsibilities.
• We are involved in teaching and research on an ethics of Responsibility in a post-graduate Management course.
• We are also meeting with Australian and Aboriginal counterparts.
  There are plans for a water policy project and youth and elders exchange for environmental responsibility.

PREVIOUS PROJECTS

• We have made an editorial contribution to publication of a book on Pacific Inter-religious Dialogue for Peace and Ethical Governance and have also contributed to a book on Responsibility with international contributors, published in 2007.
• A water seminar was held in early 2007 at Hirangi Marae, Turangi, led by Natural Science philosopher, Calum Coats, who lives in Australia.