Indigenous transnational environmental justice: the case of Aotearoa

Whitehead, J ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7755-6889 and Doornbos, E ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2410-4830, 2026. Indigenous transnational environmental justice: the case of Aotearoa. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 15 (1), pp. 69-82. ISSN 2202-7998

Preview

Text 2584547_Doornbos.pdf - Published version Download (569kB) | Preview

Abstract

The recent signing of He Whakaputanga Moana (2024; The Declaration for the Ocean) marks a watershed moment in cetacean protectionism and Indigenous rights across the Pacific. This treaty provides cetaceans, including sperm whales and Hector's dolphins, legal personhood and creates new ways to safeguard these culturally important animals. It represents one of the first examples of contemporary Indigenous transnational autonomy across the Pacific, and demonstrates that many communities are reinstating control of their traditional lands and waters. This article reimagines contemporary environmental policy through the treaty, specifically focusing on Aotearoa’s Māori communities, and critically examines its wider impacts. The discussion highlights He Whakaputanga Moana's key role in fostering species justice, despite significant challenges enforcing the treaty and protecting marine mammals. Moreover, the authors argue this agreement represents a burgeoning and crucial space for Indigenous governance in the region, and promotes innovative environmental responses that focus on cultural relativism.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy
Creators:	Whitehead, J. and Doornbos, E.
Publisher:	Queensland University of Technology
Date:	2 March 2026
Volume:	15
Number:	1
ISSN:	2202-7998
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.5204/ijcjsd.4186 DOI 2584547 Other
Rights:	© The Author/s 2026. Except where otherwise noted, content in this journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). As an open access journal, articles are free to use with proper attribution.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Laura Borcherds
Date Added:	04 Mar 2026 10:34
Last Modified:	04 Mar 2026 10:34
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/55357

Actions (login required)

Edit View

Statistics

Views

Downloads