Nate Wilbourne (born 17 March 2008) is a New Zealand environmentalist, youth, and climate justice activist.[1] He has worked for environmental organisations, working on both regional and national levels. Wilbourne is recognised for his contribution to his local community as a conservationist.[2][3][4] He was a semi-finalist for the 2025 Young New Zealander of the Year award.[5]
Wilbourne lives in Nelson, and was born on 17 March 2008.[2] He grew up in the suburb of Brightwater, where he attended the local primary school.[6]
At 12 years old, he transitioned to a plant-based diet after learning that farming was responsible for nearly half of New Zealand’s gas emissions each year.[4]
Wilbourne is the founder of 'Gen-Z Aotearoa'[7] a youth-led organisation who "use the power of social media to drive positive change."[8]
In 2022, Wilbourne was a speaker at TEDxNelson[9] and gave a TEDx talk titled 'The Power Of Connecting Young People To Nature'.[10] In 2024, Wilbourne was invited to speak at the Youth Environmental Education Congress (YEEC) as part of the World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) in Abu Dhabi on, from 29 January to 2 February, on "Intergenerational Action for Biodiversity."[11]
In 2023 and 2024, Wilbourne took part in the translocation of 198 fluttering shearwater chicks to the Wharariki Ecosanctuary, a predator-proof fenced sanctuary established by HealthPost Nature Trust at the northern-most point of the South Island. The translocation was part of a three-year plan to translocate a total of 250 fluttering shearwater chicks to the sanctuary.[16][17][18][19][20] His conservation work also includes helping boost the number of kororā (little penguins) and tītī (sooty shearwaters) in the area.
At 13 years old, Wilbourne became involved with Forest & Bird Youth. To get young people involved in conservation within his region, he set up a 'Youth Hub.' There is now up to 40 youth supporting the hub.[21][22][23][4]
Wilbourne at a Climate Protest, 2023
Wilbourne has worked with School Strike 4 Climate New Zealand and is a current spokesperson.[24] He organised his local climate strike in March 2023, which mobilised local students and handed an open letter to Nelson Mayor Nick Smith.[25][26][27] Wilbourne was mentioned in RNZ's story: 'Climate Strikes: Thousands march around New Zealand to demand action'.[26]
Wilbourne is an advocate for sustainable urban development in his home city of Nelson, promoting climate resilience through initiatives that integrate Mātauranga Māori, affordable housing, and green spaces.[30] He has also supported expanding cycleway infrastructure to create more sustainable transport options in his community. [31] On constitutional issues, he has criticized the ACT Party’s proposed Treaty Principles Bill, arguing that it seeks to redefine the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and accusing ACT of exploiting "Pākehā fear and misunderstanding of Te Tiriti."[32] Additionally, he has voiced support for lowering the voting age to 16, contending that doing so would enhance youth political participation.[33]
He first gained political attention as a representative in New Zealand’s Youth Parliament, where he emerged as a vocal advocate for environmental protection and youth political engagement. He delivered a speech criticizing the government’s environmental policies, which he framed as a "war on nature," while also raising concerns about censorship after Youth MPs were instructed to avoid direct criticism of ministers in their speeches.[34][35] Political commentators, including The Spinoff, suggested he could emerge as a future leader in progressive politics.[36]
Awards and recognition
Impact Award 2023 – Climate category semi-finalist[37]
Keep New Zealand Beautiful 2023 – Young Legend Award[38][39]
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