Emily Bailey believes living a simpler lifestyle is something humanity will need to get to grips with if it wants to seriously fight back against climate change.

As part of the Living on the Edge series, reporter Deena Coster explores a Māori perspective on climate change.

Taranaki woman Emily Bailey believes climate change is a Treaty of Waitangi issue.

The environmentalist thinks the issue presents a direct threat to Māori and she's not the only one.

STUFF Traditional food sources for tangata whenua like seafood could be threatened by climate change.

Last year, a statement of claim was lodged with the Waitangi Tribunal by the Mataatua District Maori Council.

The claim, made on behalf of all tangata whenua, asserts the Government had failed to fulfil its Treaty of Waitangi obligations to protect Māori land and property.

As a result, it said Māori will suffer serious consequences.

SIMON O'CONNOR/STUFF The impact of climate change on Māori is a worry for Emily Bailey, and others she talks with on a regular basis.

In particular, the claim pointed to the "devastating" impact on the Māori economy as well as social and cultural practices. Water scarcity, the impact on Māori agribusiness and the million-dollar forestry venture were all highlighted as being at risk.

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​A recent government report, from the Climate Change Adaptation Technical Advisory Group, also identified New Zealand's indigenous population as being vulnerable to the fall-out caused by climate change, in that it presents a risk to marae, cultural heritage sites and food gathering sources.

To date, Bailey said central government's response to the growing problem has been "shameful".

She said the country's decision makers have delayed making any major moves on the issue or been realistic about what is needed to cut emissions.

"The only solution is changing how we live," she said.

Climate change is an issue being spoken at during hui and gatherings Bailey attended around the Taranaki region.

"People are worried," she said.

One of the primary concerns is the impact warmer ocean temperatures will have on shellfish stocks.

"We're going to lose our kaimoana if we're not careful."

Another is the increased risk of flooding and drought, resulting from weather changes.

"It's just getting more extreme and unpredictable," she said.

Bailey, a keen gardener, said she nearly lost all her seeds last year and crops like potatoes had fallen prey to fungus.

"It's just getting really, really hard to grow food and collect food."

Marae on low-lying areas, like Oakura Pā, could also be under threat with rising sea levels and the impact of coastal erosion.

"Often, more importantly, a lot of urupā (burial grounds) are on the coast," she said, including those belonging to Te Ātiawa and Taranaki iwi.

This fact is stressful, Bailey said, and with the legacy of land confiscation still keenly felt by Taranaki Māori, creating new places to bury their dead were already limited.

Bailey works with the Para Kore or Zero Waste movement and sits on the Taranaki Regional Council's policy and planning committee as an iwi representative.

She said one of the recent wins at the regional council was getting an agreement to promote and encourage measures to mitigate the effects of climate change, albeit within the restrictions placed on local authorities under the Resource Management Act.

"There is a consensus that clearly we have to do something."

She said there were increasing numbers of people who were "on board" with the message and the number of people who denied the role humans played in climate change was almost non-existent.

The focus was now on how to deal with it, she said. For Bailey, this included a need for a change in consumer behaviour.

"We have to be happy with less, but nobody likes saying that."