Tāmaki Makaurau is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. Our communities bring different languages, cultural practices, experiences and ways of understanding sustainability.

But access to climate action is not always equal.

For people who are new to Aotearoa, speak English as an additional language, or are not connected to established environmental networks, information about climate change, waste reduction, sustainable transport, emergency preparedness and Council programmes can be difficult to find, understand or act upon.

Climate action will be stronger when all Aucklanders can participate.

Community organisations can help make climate action more inclusive too.

• Talk to your communities about the climate and sustainability issues affecting them.

• Share examples of where a policy, process or communication approach has made climate action easier — or harder.

• Help people understand opportunities to participate in consultations and speak directly with decision-makers.

• Bring community voices into CCAN so that our collective advocacy reflects the diversity of Tāmaki Makaurau.

Climate action works best when everyone can see a place for themselves in it.

More than 31% of Auckland's population identified with Asian ethnicities in the 2023 Census, alongside significant Pacific, Māori, Middle Eastern, Latin American, African and other communities.

Auckland Council has identified a need for greater engagement with ethnic communities around climate action and sustainability, including culturally and linguistically appropriate information and opportunities to participate.

Community organisations, faith groups, cultural associations, libraries and trusted community leaders can play an important role in connecting people with climate information and practical opportunities for action.

Simply translating information is not enough. Effective engagement means working with communities, understanding how they receive information, building relationships and creating opportunities for people to participate in ways that are relevant to their everyday lives.

Central and local government can make climate action more inclusive by:

• working with trusted ethnic, migrant, faith and community organisations when designing and delivering climate programmes

• providing important climate, sustainability and resilience information in appropriate languages and accessible formats

• funding community-led climate education and engagement, rather than relying only on centralised communication campaigns

• recognising cultural knowledge, practices and existing sustainable behaviours within different communities

• making consultation and decision-making processes easier for communities that have traditionally been under-represented

• ensuring that climate initiatives are designed with communities, rather than simply delivered to them

• building long-term relationships with community organisations instead of engaging only when consultation is required.

• How will you make sure Auckland's ethnic and migrant communities are meaningfully included in climate decision-making?

• Will you support funding for community organisations to provide culturally appropriate and multilingual climate education?

• How will you ensure information about waste, transport, energy, emergency preparedness and other climate programmes reaches people who do not primarily receive information through mainstream channels?

• How will you involve trusted community organisations when new climate initiatives are designed, rather than only asking communities for feedback once decisions have largely been made?

• How will you measure whether climate programmes are reaching Auckland's diverse communities?

Where to ask these questions?

Ask these questions and more, at electorate meet-the-candidates events, party policy launches and debates, or send them directly to candidates and parties via email or social media.