Climate Action Week Marlborough 2026

Climate Action Week Marlborough 2026 - Agenda

Dates: Monday 23rd February - Friday 27th February 2026

Theme: Leading by Doing: Local Businesses, Local Solutions, Collective Action

Each day features:

1. Morning: Local Business Story Sessions (Curated stories for our business community to get inspired with raw, honest and authentic stories)

2. Midday: Action Design Workshops (Crafting Plans & Solutions)

3. Afternoon: Immersion Experiences and Hands-On Field Visits (Applied Learning & Practical Support)

Monday 23rd February 2026 - Risk and Resilience 

Hosted at Marlborough Library (Te Tahu o Waipuna) - 15 High St, Blenheim

9:00am - 9:15am - Arrival at The Library

9:15am - 10:00am - Business Community Story Telling and Connectivity, lead by Catherine van der Meulen 

10am - 10:30 - Bev Doole, editor, writer and project manager

Future Food Systems & Local Resilience for Marlborough

Bev Doole is a seasoned environmental communications specialist with a long history of championing sustainable land use, community wellbeing and climate resilience across Marlborough. As a writer, editor and project co-ordinator she has spent years telling the stories of local innovators, growers, and businesses making a positive environmental impact. Her deep personal connection to the region (she grew up on a Tua Marina property producing fruit and vegetables for sale) gives her a first-hand perspective on Marlborough’s potential as a vibrant, diversified food bowl.

In her session, Bev will explore how Marlborough can strengthen its future food system by:

- diversifying land use to reduce economic and climate risk

- increasing local fruit and vegetable production to enhance regional self-sufficiency

- building community-level food resilience

- supporting growers, small producers and landowners to thrive

- enabling regenerative, productive land-use models that serve both people and planet

Bev invites Marlborough to imagine a future where our region is known not only for world-class wine, but for a resilient, low-emissions local food system that feeds and sustains our communities for generations to come.

10:30 - 11:00 - Michelle Barry, Co-Founder of Nature Point and Director of Natural Capital Developments.

At Nature Point, they believe that restoring nature is one of the most powerful ways to create long-term value and resilience—for landowners, communities, and the planet. They partner with farmers and property owners to develop regenerative land use projects that build soil health, increase biodiversity, and generate verified carbon and natural capital outcomes. The approach blends local knowledge with advanced measurement technology to create projects that are both environmentally credible and economically rewarding.

This year they have launched a pilot measuring soil organic carbon (SOC) on over 1,500 hectares across 8 farms using satellite technology, a first in New Zealand. The pilot included two vineyards in Marlborough. 

The pilot shows that accurate, high-resolution SOC measurement can give farmers:

• Clear, science-backed insights into soil health and improved environmental outcomes.

• Greater confidence in land-use decisions.

• A pathway to participate in soil carbon credits as markets develop.

With Marlborough’s vineyards as a backbone of regional economy and identity, Michelle will highlight the urgency and opportunity: restoring and enhancing soil carbon isn’t just good ecology — it’s sound business sense. She invites the region’s growers, landowners, and decision-makers to consider how soil health + carbon resilience + regenerative viticulture can secure both the land and the livelihood of future generations.

11:00am - 11:30am - Morning Tea, Meaningful refuelling
Pause, connect, and refuel with a thoughtfully curated morning tea by Sander and the team at Kaiaka. Every dish tells a story of place and purpose — showcasing locally grown ingredients, seasonal produce, and regenerative food practices that nourish both people and planet. This isn’t just a tea break; it’s a taste of Marlborough’s future — one where kai becomes a vehicle for connection, conversation, and climate action.

11:30 - 1:00pm - Workshop: Design Thinking for Climate Action

Hosted by: Kim George, UX Consultant | Tech & Innovation Marlborough, Human-Centred Designer

Kim George is a human-centred designer specialising in design thinking, innovation and behaviour change to tackle complex climate challenges. With experience working across carbon management software, electricity systems, agritech and emerging technology, Kim brings a practical, people-focused lens to climate adaptation and impact.

In this interactive workshop, Kim will guide participants through design thinking frameworks and rapid design sprintsthat move climate challenges from problem to prototype — quickly, collaboratively and with real-world relevance. The focus is highly practical: participants won’t just explore ideas, they will leave with tangible plans and prototype solutions they can begin testing immediately within their organisations and communities.

Using the Electrify Marlborough challenge as a starting live case study, the session will explore a real regional problem: How do we generate, store and share energy locally to build long-term resilience? From there, participants will apply the same methods to their own organisational or regional challenges.

Through a series of short design sprints, participants will:

• Define climate challenges through a human-centred lens
• Apply design-led innovation frameworks to complex systems
• Rapidly ideate, prototype and align opportunities to solutions
• Develop practical action plans they can test straight away
• Take away tools they can reuse to run future design sprints with their teams

1:00 – 1:30 pm | Lunch: A Meaningful Meal by Kaiaka
Enjoy a nourishing, climate-conscious, waste free lunch curated by Sander and the team at Kaiaka — a celebration of Marlborough’s land, people, and produce. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared to reflect sustainable sourcing, seasonal abundance, and connection to place. More than a meal, this is an invitation to connect, share stories, and experience how good food can enable resilience and community.

1:45pm - 2:45pm | Immersion Experience

Location: Rānui Solar Farm - lead by Rick Osbourne (28 Cob Cottage Road, Blenheim)

Rick Osborne’s newest venture, under the Flight Group, is pushing Marlborough’s renewable frontier with the Rānui Solar Farm near Blenheim. What began as an unproductive vineyard is being transformed into a powerhouse of clean energy—over 20,600 solar panels spread across 14 hectares, projected to generate up to 12.6 MW of electricity (enough to power roughly 5,000 homes) and cover about 16% of Blenheim’s daytime demand. 

Designed with resilience in mind, the array is built on piles deep enough to withstand seismic shifts, and is engineered to plug directly into existing infrastructure, reducing transmission costs. 

This bold move puts Flight at the heart of a climate-positive future—turning underused land into energy assets, while demonstrating how regionally rooted enterprises can lead in decarbonising Aotearoa.

3:00pm - 4pm | Immersion Experience

Location: Wineworks - lead by Anthony Barnes (26 Liverpool Street, Riverlands)

Step inside the heart of sustainable winemaking with our WineWorks Immersion.
At this session, participants will explore how WineWorks has transformed its bottling operations into New Zealand’s only net-carbon-zero facility, achieving a 45% reduction in baseline emissions while increasing output.

You’ll see how smart energy decisions – like partnering with Meridian for low-carbon electricity, upgrading to LED lighting, automating the monitoring of high-use machinery to reveal hidden patterns and opportunities for efficiency, and phasing out CO₂ gas in favour of nitrogen blanketing – have reshaped the facility’s footprint.

We’ll also unpack the challenges and opportunities of Scope 3 emissions – from packaging and transport to the wider vineyard and supply chain – and how WineWorks is working to pull those upstream impacts into their carbon story.

Join us to see how energy, innovation, and ambition come together in practice, and how a mid-sized industrial operation can lead the way in climate action.

Tuesday 24th February 2026 - Circular economy & waste

Hosted at the Blenheim Club, 92 High St, Blenheim

8:30am - 9:15am - Arrival at the Blenheim Club for Tea and Coffee

9:15am - 10:00am - Story 1: Compost as a Climate Solution for Agriculture & Horticulture hosted by Victoria Henry, WM New Zealand

Reducing Synthetic Fertiliser Through Circular Compost Solutions
This session will explore how compost produced from organic waste is being used across agricultural and horticultural systems to reduce reliance on synthetic fertilisers while improving soil health and productivity. Drawing on real-world examples from vineyards, orchards, and other growing systems, WM New Zealand will share how compost supports soil carbon, improves water retention, and strengthens plant resilience. The story highlights how closing the loop on organic waste can deliver practical climate benefits — lowering emissions, reducing input costs, and supporting more resilient food and fibre production systems.

10am - 10:30 - Story 2: Damian Martin – Bioeconomy Science Institute

As a group leader at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, Damian Martin works at the interface of science and industry relevance, helping translate cutting-edge research into real-world outcomes for Aotearoa’s food and fibre sectors.

With a career spanning commercial wine production, science leadership and industry engagement, Damian brings a systems-level perspective to the challenge of building circular, low-emissions and future-ready production systems. In recent times his group’s work has explored how biological innovation can unlock new value from existing resources, reduce waste, and strengthen resilience across supply chains.

At Climate Action Week Marlborough, Damian will share insights from bio-economy research exploring novel valorisation pathways for Marlborough’s key organic waste streams, including the role of emerging technologies and biological systems in supporting emissions reduction and productivity gains. His session will highlight how science-led innovation can help transform waste into value, reduce risk, and accelerate the transition toward a more regenerative and resilient bioeconomy — with relevance for wine, agriculture and beyond.

10:30 - 11:00 | Story 2: Closing the Loop in Viticulture
Dr. Seth Laurenson – Sustainability Research, Bragato Research Institute

Dr. Seth Laurenson will share insights from Bragato Research Institute’s sustainability research, exploring how the wine sector can move toward a more circular, low-waste production system. His session will examine opportunities to reduce waste, reuse by-products, and design vineyard and winery systems that keep materials and nutrients in circulation.

Drawing on applied research and real-world trials, Seth will highlight how circular approaches can reduce emissions, lower input costs, and improve environmental performance across the wine value chain — from vineyard to winery. This story will connect scientific research with practical action, showing how innovation in waste reduction, resource efficiency, and system design can support a more resilient and future-ready wine industry.

11:00am - 11:30am - Morning Tea, Meaningful refuelling
Pause, connect, and refuel with a thoughtfully curated morning tea by Sander and the team at Kaiaka. Every dish tells a story of place and purpose — showcasing locally grown ingredients, seasonal produce, and regenerative food practices that nourish both people and planet. This isn’t just a tea break; it’s a taste of Marlborough’s future — one where kai becomes a vehicle for connection, conversation, and climate action.

11:30 - 1:00pm - Interactive Workshop

Sydney Straver: &Bloom Sustainability & ESG

Join us for a dynamic and interactive workshop designed to support businesses across the region to navigate the evolving world of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). Whether you’re new to ESG or looking to refine your approach, this session will provide practical insights, real-world applications, and hands-on exercises to deepen your understanding.

The workshop will cover:

Understanding ESG

• Explore core concepts, leading frameworks, and case studies demonstrating ESG’s increasing significance in business and investment.

The Why Behind ESG

• Examine the key forces shaping ESG, including materiality, stakeholder expectations, and regulatory developments.

Breakout Session: Double Materiality in Action

• Engage in an interactive exercise where participants will analyse a hypothetical scenario, assess financial and impact materiality, and discuss prioritisation strategies.

1:00 – 1:30 pm | Lunch: A Meaningful Meal by Kaiaka
Enjoy a nourishing, climate-conscious, waste free lunch curated by Sander and the team at Kaiaka — a celebration of Marlborough’s land, people, and produce. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared to reflect sustainable sourcing, seasonal abundance, and connection to place. More than a meal, this is an invitation to connect, share stories, and experience how good food can enable resilience and community.

1:30 - 4pm - Immersion Experiences 

Location 1: Carbonscape - hosted by Daria Surovtseva (12 Liverpool Street, Riverlands, Blenheim)

"Carbonscape's ultimate goal is to unlock the power of carbon. We do this by converting low-value, renewable and waste carbon materials into a key battery component; that's the battery which can power your watch, laptop, power tool, EV, or even your house after the sun is down. Carbonscape took a courageous deep dive and is now firmly on the way to commercialising the world's first bio-graphite anode.
Our hosted "Immersion Experience" will include a tour of our pilot plant in Riverlands, where we will take you on a journey from forestry waste to a highly specialised commodity."

Wednesday 25th February 2026 - Nature and Biodiversity 

The continual transition to climate positivity

Yealand’s Cellar Door, 534 Seaview Road, Seddon

8:30am - 9:15am - Arrival at Yealand’s Cellar Door, Seddon for Tea and Coffee

9:15am - 10:00am - Story 1 - Wendy Sullivan, Project Coordinator at Wairau Nature Network

As Project Coordinator of the Wairau Nature Network, Wendy Sullivan is helping to weave together communities, ecosystems, and shared purpose across the Wairau Catchment. The Network’s vision is to create an interconnected ecological corridor where native wildlife can thrive, and people work in sync with nature to restore what has been lost.
Through education, mapping, and hands-on restoration, the initiative aims to increase native vegetation cover to 15%, connect isolated habitats, and build resilience to climate impacts. Wendy will share how collective action — from backyard plantings to catchment-scale partnerships — is enriching biodiversity and inspiring a new generation of kaitiaki.

10:00 - 10:30 - Story 2 | Supernatural: Homes of well-being and performance

Matthew Hay and Magda Garbarczyk, Fineline Architecture

Sharing the low-carbon architecture initiatives Fineline Architecture are involved in, which uses bio-based materials and embeds nature-based solutions at their core to deliver a different type of construction outcome — one that is focused on the wellbeing of occupants, builders, manufacturers, and ultimately the wider community.

“We see this as part of the step-change and transitional process that the construction industry must go through in order to deliver buildings that are ready for the next 100 years and the challenges those times will bring.”

10:30am - 11am - Story 3- Community Partnerships & Local Circular Solutions, Charlotte Cotter, WM New Zealand

Supporting Communities Through Circular Partnerships
This session will focus on WM New Zealand's work alongside local communities, environmental groups, councils, and smaller organisations to enable circular, place-based solutions. Through partnerships that support composting facilities, donate compost for restoration projects, and share technical expertise, WM is helping communities turn waste into a resource that delivers environmental and social benefit. The story highlights how collaboration, shared infrastructure, and community-led initiatives can strengthen regional resilience, restore landscapes, and create long-term value beyond traditional waste services.

11:00am - 11:30am - Morning Tea, Meaningful refuelling
Pause, connect, and refuel with a thoughtfully curated morning tea by Sander and the team at Kaiaka. Every dish tells a story of place and purpose — showcasing locally grown ingredients, seasonal produce, and regenerative food practices that nourish both people and planet. This isn’t just a tea break; it’s a taste of Marlborough’s future — one where kai becomes a vehicle for connection, conversation, and climate action.

11:30 - 1:00pm - Interactive Workshop aligned to Nature - Based Solutions - lead by Boffa Miskell, Dr Anne Cunningham - Engagement Specialist, supported by Amanda Anthony - Landscape Architect and Liz Gavin - Landscape Planning Expert.

Anne brings over 30 years’ experience designing and facilitating public participation across urban and rural planning, landscape architecture, and place-based governance. Working within multi-disciplinary teams, she specialises in embedding fit-for-purpose engagement — from collaborative governance and strategy workshops to creative, human-centred approaches that meet people where they are. Her work spans complex contexts including climate adaptation and mode shift, and she is deeply passionate about supporting empowered communities to shape resilient, people-centred places across Marlborough and Aotearoa.

In this interactive workshop, Exploring Nature-Based Solutions for Marlborough, Anne will guide participants through practical exercises that demonstrate how to appropriately engage communities in meaningful and just ways that support implementation.  Using scenarios relating to climate related impacts and nature-based solutions, the workshop will explore how to facilitate engagement with stakeholders in a way that delivers multiple co-benefits — from biodiversity enhancement and cultural value to community wellbeing and long-term cost effectiveness. Together, participants will explore how to have hard conversations with communities affected by climate impacts, enabling them to thrive in the face of change.

1:00 – 1:30 pm | Lunch: A Meaningful Meal by Kaiaka
Enjoy a nourishing, climate-conscious, waste free lunch curated by Sander and the team at Kaiaka — a celebration of Marlborough’s land, people, and produce. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared to reflect sustainable sourcing, seasonal abundance, and connection to place. More than a meal, this is an invitation to connect, share stories, and experience how good food can enable resilience and community.

1:30 - 2:00pm - Yealands Journey Story of Impact

2:15pm - 4pm - Immersion Experience at Yealands (Corner of Seaview and Reserve Roads Seddon, Marlborough)

“The continual transition to climate positivity” - hosted by Andree Piddington

At Yealands Seaview, the continual transition to climate positivity is more than a vision—it’s a living practice. From pioneering renewable energy solutions to smart irrigation that safeguards precious water resources, Yealands is reshaping what resilience looks like in the wine industry. Wastewater is treated as a resource, not a burden, feeding cycles of reuse and regeneration. Alongside this, a deep commitment to biodiversity is woven through the Seaview landscape, restoring balance to the whenua and creating thriving habitats for native species. Together, these efforts demonstrate how energy, water, and nature can be harmonised to chart a path towards a truly climate-positive future.

Thursday 26th February 2026 - Aligning human and ecological systems

Hosted at: The Blenheim Club, 92 High St, Blenheim

8:30am - 9:15am - Arrival at The Blenheim Club for Tea and Coffee

9:15am - 10:00am - Story 1 - Edwin Massey, New Zealand Winegrowers

Edwin Massey will present the key findings from New Zealand Winegrowers’ 2025 Wine Sustainability & Greenhouse Gas Report, offering a clear snapshot of how the industry is tracking on its journey toward Net Zero 2050. The report shows strong momentum, with 98% of vineyard area and 90% of wine production certified under Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ), alongside growing adoption of energy efficiency, lightweight glass, solar power, and waste reduction initiatives.
Edwin will unpack where progress is being made — and where the biggest challenges remain — particularly around packaging and transport emissions, which continue to dominate the industry’s footprint. His session will highlight how robust data, certification, and continuous improvement across climate, water, soil, and waste are shaping a resilient, future-focused wine sector.

10am - 10:30 - Story 2

Deborah Early - Founder, The Art of Awareness | Risk, Resilience & Adaptation Advisor

Ka mua, ka muri — Looking back to move forward

Deborah Early, PhD works at the intersection of risk, resilience and place-based adaptation, bringing over 30 years’ experience across science, culture, environment and community wellbeing. Based in Marlborough, she supports organisations to better understand climate-related risks and respond through locally grounded, people-centred approaches.

An active contributor to the region’s innovation and conservation communities, Deborah weaves professional insight with lived experience to help connect past knowledge with future resilience. Her session invites reflection and participation, exploring how understanding where we come from can guide how we adapt and move forward together.

10:30 - 11:00 - Story 2 - Neil Mullholland, NZ Nature Fund

Restoring Auckland Island, Maukahuka

Neil Mulholland brings deep expertise in nature-restoration strategy and environmental investment to the stage of Climate Action Week Marlborough 2026. Representing the NZ Nature Fund, Neil will share the bold vision behind the Auckland Island / Maukahuka project — a 46,000-hectare wilderness where over 500 native species (100 found nowhere else) can thrive once pests are eradicated. 

Through this story, he will illuminate how one of the world’s largest pest-eradication efforts is also about building resilience for climate, ocean health and intergenerational biodiversity. Participants will walk away with insights into how restoration at this scale aligns with regional resilience strategies in Aotearoa — and how business, community and land-owners here in Te Tauihu can apply the same principles of bold, one-shot investment, collaborative partnerships and permanent pay-off.

11:00am - 11:30am - Morning Tea, Meaningful refuelling
Pause, connect, and refuel with a thoughtfully curated morning tea by Sander and the team at Kaiaka. Every dish tells a story of place and purpose — showcasing locally grown ingredients, seasonal produce, and regenerative food practices that nourish both people and planet. This isn’t just a tea break; it’s a taste of Marlborough’s future — one where kai becomes a vehicle for connection, conversation, and climate action.

11:30 – 1:00 pm | Interactive Workshop - Suzy Giles – Sustainable Narratives that Stick

Suzy Giles is a sustainability communications specialist and founder of Giles Global, helping organisations craft authentic narratives and avoid greenwashing. As Chief Examiner for the PR Institute of New Zealand and Chair of the UNDP Climate Communications Task Force, she’s passionate about empowering communicators to lead with integrity. In this interactive workshop, Suzy will share practical tools to build a unifying sustainability story your whole team can use to articulate impact and drive meaningful change.

1:00 – 1:30 pm | Lunch: A Meaningful Meal by Kaiaka
Enjoy a nourishing, climate-conscious, waste free lunch curated by Sander and the team at Kaiaka — a celebration of Marlborough’s land, people, and produce. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared to reflect sustainable sourcing, seasonal abundance, and connection to place. More than a meal, this is an invitation to connect, share stories, and experience how good food can enable resilience and community.

1:30 - 4pm | Immersion Experience, Dominion Salt (Grassmere) - lead by Renee Jens and James Johnstone (Lake Grassmere & South Island Refinery Kaparu Road, Marlborough)

At Dominion Salt’s Grassmere site, the transition toward stronger Environmental Social and Governance practices is grounded in both place and purpose. This session explores how they are adapting to climate impacts, rethinking energy use, and embedding environmental guardianship across operations—while showcasing case studies from both Lake Grassmere and the Mt Whanganui sites. As a trusted supplier to the pharmaceutical and food industries, including some of our local favourites like Proper Crisps and Makana, Dominion Salt demonstrates how essential industries can lead the way in creating a deeper impact for regional communities.

5 - 6pm - Green Drinks hosted by Colin Stobie at Small Town Winery (2 Horton St, Blenheim)

6:15pm - 7:00pm - Rangitāne o Wairau Short Film hosted by Keelan Walker, at Marlborough Library - Te Kahu o Waipuna

7:15pm - 9:30pm - Continue Green Drinks hosted at Small Town Winery

N.B Drinks for Green Drinks can be purchased on site at Small Town Winery and the Short Film hosted at the Library is FREE to join. Please register on the ticket link.

Friday 27th February 2026 - Climate leadership from over the hill, Hosted in Nelson

Location: Ports Nelson, Training & Development Centre, 8 Vickerman Street, Port Nelson

8:30am - 9:00am - Arrival at Ports Nelson for Tea, Coffee and Connectivity

9:00am - 10:30am - Ports of Nelson Climate Resilience Journey, hosted by Shannon Holroyd and Dr Daniel Crossett (Cawthron Institute)

Step inside one of the region’s most critical infrastructure hubs and discover how Ports Nelson is embedding sustainability and climate resilience into everyday operations.

Led by Environmental Manager Shannon Holroyd, this immersion will share how the port is reducing emissions, advancing low-carbon technologies, and shaping sector-wide change — from securing Toitū certification and developing Scope 3 guidance for New Zealand ports, to introducing hybrid-electric machinery and transitioning diesel assets.

Participants will also explore nature-based initiatives such as the Living Filters project, using Greenshell™ mussels to help remediate sediment and heavy metals in Nelson Haven, and the Restore the Meadows programme, supporting the regeneration of seagrass ecosystems.

This session offers a practical look at how science, infrastructure and innovation can work together to build a resilient blue economy and protect the health of the harbour for generations to come.

Dr Daniel Crossett – Cawthron Institute
Advancing Marine Monitoring through Science and Partnership

Dr Daniel Crossett will share how collaborative research between Cawthron Institute, Port Nelson, MacLab and the Sustainable Seas programme is using emerging tools such as environmental DNA (eDNA) to better understand and protect our coastal ecosystems. Part of a global shift in marine monitoring, this work supports to detect environmental change, inform restoration efforts and support resilient, science-led management of Nelson’s marine environment and blue economy.

10:30am - 11:00am - Morning Tea

A Meaningful Morning tea by Nourish Catering
Enjoy a nourishing, climate-conscious, minimal waste free morning tea curated by Chante and the team at Nourish— a celebration of Nelson's land, people, and produce. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared to reflect sustainable sourcing, seasonal abundance, and connection to place. More than a meal, this is an invitation to connect, share stories, and experience how good food can enable resilience and community.

11:00am - 11:30am

New Zealand Labour Party - MP. Damien O'Connor

• We are pleased to welcome MP Damien O'Connor to the Climate Action Week Marlborough 2026 event in Nelson, bringing a national perspective to the region’s climate resilience and economic future.

  Currently serving as Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee, and Party Spokesperson for Trade, Regional Development and Land Information, Damien brings extensive experience in aligning regional priorities with national policy, international trade dynamics and sustainable land use.

  He will reflect on how New Zealand’s regions — particularly the Top of the South — can strengthen productivity while responding to climate pressures, support resilient infrastructure and land systems, and unlock opportunities through innovation, trade and regional development.

  Damien’s contribution will support to connect local action with national direction, offering insight into how policy, industry and communities can work together to ensure our regions remain prosperous, connected and future-ready.

11:30am - 12:30pm - Interactive Regional Discussion

“Regional strategies to achieve 1.5 degree intergenerational strategy for Top of the South Climate Resilience” 

Including leaders from

• Nelson City Council - Daniela Raminez

  Fresh from attending the World Local Mayor Summit in Rio de Janeiro and the COP30 in Belem, Brazil, Daniela will share key insights on how global climate agreements translate into action at the local level. She will explore the role of “sub-national” and councils and communities in driving equitable, resilient, and nature-positive transitions — and what Marlborough, Te Tauihu and Whakatū can learn from global best practice in adaptation and decarbonisation.

  Have a listen to this podcast in the lead up to CAW2026

• Businesses for Climate Action / Mission Zero - Marta Karlik-Neale
  Marta is deeply passionate about the environment and the natural systems that sustain our communities and economies. As a Climate Change adviser and Trustee of Businesses for Climate Action (Mission Zero), Marta has spent her career helping organisations understand their dependencies on nature — and the impacts their activities have on biodiversity, ecosystems, and long-term resilience.
  Her work spans environmental audits, decarbonisation initiatives, and climate risk reduction strategies, always focused on enabling organisations to act in their own enlightened self-interest. Marta believes Nelson has a unique opportunity to become a model for true sustainability, and in this session she will explore how regions can meaningfully progress toward net zero while protecting the natural systems that underpin wellbeing and prosperity.

• Dr Barbara Lewando – Senior Climate Change Policy Advisor, Tasman District Council

  Dr Barbara Lewando is Senior Climate Change Policy Advisor at Tasman District Council, translating national climate policy into practical local action that strengthens resilience, reduces emissions, and supports long-term sustainable regional development through collaboration.

  At Climate Action Week Marlborough, Barbara will share insights into how local government can enable meaningful climate action through clear policy direction, collaboration with communities and industry, and place-based solutions that strengthen resilience while supporting regional prosperity.

• Swap One - Nelson Tasman Climate Forum/ Mission Zero - Jim Sinner

  Swap One is a simple yet powerful idea: encouraging commuters to replace just one high-carbon trip each week—like driving alone in a private car—with a low-carbon option such as cycling, walking, public transport, or carpooling. Jim Sinner will share insights from the first months of this initiative, including how businesses, organisations, and individuals are getting involved, and the real impact these small changes can have when multiplied across a community. He will also explore how Marlborough can take part in Swap One, building momentum toward more sustainable, climate-positive commuting.

• Anna Berthelsen, Marine Ecologist - Cawthron Institute

  Anna Berthelsen is a marine ecologist in Cawthron Institute’s Restoration Ecology Team, focused on developing practical, science-based tools to restore coastal ecosystems as powerful nature-based solutions. Her work centres on coastal wetlands such as seagrass meadows and salt marshes, which play critical roles in supporting biodiversity, improving water quality, and contributing to climate mitigation and adaptation.

  At Climate Action Week Marlborough 2026, Anna will share examples from Cawthron’s cutting-edge research, including the Restore the Meadows programme, to demonstrate how applied science — combined with community engagement — is supporting to rebuild resilient coastal ecosystems. Anna will explore how restoring nature can reduce climate risk while delivering long-term benefits for coastal communities, industries and the wider environment.

• Dave Taylor, Business Development Leader - Kūmānu

  Dave Taylor is a specialist in navigating the intersection of industry productivity and environmental resilience, with over 15 years’ experience working across New Zealand’s primary industries, science, and regulatory systems. As Business Development Leader at Kūmānu, Dave leads strategic initiatives that support regional resilience through an integrated one-team approach across landscapes, water, and environment. His career includes a decade as a Senior Marine Scientist at the Cawthron Institute, grounding his work in strong scientific understanding alongside practical delivery.

  At Climate Action Week Marlborough 2026, Dave will explore how Big Nature Thinking can help businesses move beyond compliance toward collaborative, nature-positive outcomes. Drawing on real-world examples, he will share how partnerships between industry, regulators, iwi and communities can reduce systemic friction, unlock investment in nature, and ensure coastal and land-based economies — and the ecosystems they depend on — thrive for generations to come.

12:30pm – 1:00 pm | Lunch: A Meaningful Meal by Nourish Catering
Enjoy a nourishing, climate-conscious, minimal waste free lunch curated by Chante and the team at Nourish— a celebration of Nelson's land, people, and produce. Each dish is thoughtfully prepared to reflect sustainable sourcing, seasonal abundance, and connection to place. More than a meal, this is an invitation to connect, share stories, and experience how good food can enable resilience and community.

1:15pm - 2:30pm - Cawthron “Restore the Meadows” Seagrass Restoration Immersion Experience.

Hosted by Anna Berthelsen, Cawthron Institute

Step into one of Aotearoa’s most exciting nature-based restoration initiatives with Cawthron Institute’s "Restore the Meadows" seagrass restoration programme. This immersion experience explores how restoring seagrass meadows — vital coastal ecosystems — can strengthen biodiversity, improve water quality, store carbon, and build resilience in the face of climate change.

Participants will learn how Cawthron scientists are working alongside iwi, councils, industry and community partners to regenerate seagrass habitats, drawing on cutting-edge marine science, mātauranga Māori, and hands-on restoration techniques. The session will highlight why seagrass matters — as a nursery for marine life, a natural carbon sink, and a protector of our coastlines — and what successful restoration looks like in practice.

This immersion offers a powerful example of how science-led, place-based action can restore nature while delivering long-term benefits for communities and the blue economy.

2:45pm - 4:00pm - Boffa Miskell Immersion Experience - Te Pā Harakeke, hosted by Thomas Guthrie and Lance Roozenburg (Hounsell Circle, Tahunanui, Nelson)

Step into the award-winning transformation of Te Pā Harakeke, the revitalised park at Tahunanui that re-imagines coastal resilience.

Previously known as “Modellers Pond”, the site now integrates tidal flows in a natural play space, through constructed wetlands and other interactive design features in response to rising sea levels and stormwater challenges. 

During this engaging experience, you’ll learn how a design rooted in nature turns vulnerability into vitality. Explore how our region can apply a nature-based approach to climate resilience in housing, farms, infrastructure, and community spaces.

Thanks to Tony Bowater and the team at Bowater Toyota for sharing their mini van and Electric Vehicles for Climate Action Week while we are in Nelson on Friday 27th February.

AND then we take ACTION.

Join us in February to join the collective learning journey and ensure that we keep the climate, nature and environmental discussions at the forefront of our hearts, minds, agendas and actions.

Climate Action Marlborough has had the support of Yealands Estate Wines from its inception and we are super grateful to have their support for Climate Action Week Marlborough 2026. They are committed to influencing the Marlborough business community, driving collaboration that impacts climate resilience, education, health and wellbeing of a thriving region and growing our regions expertise.

Foundational Partner:

Bronze Sponsor: