Speaking from a wintry German residence, former Garin College student Nate Wilbourne is warmed to be one step closer to a prestigious New Zealand gong.
He’s one of 10 Young New Zealander of the Year semi-finalists and the first person from Nelson Tasman to reach the penultimate round of the awards which recognise Kiwi youth bursting with potential to build a bright future for Aotearoa.
The Zoomer on a quest to better the environment for young generations is currently based in southern Germany where he has been studying at Robert Bosch United World College since August 2024 after picking up a $120,000 scholarship five months prior.
The school is a platform for young future leaders with an environmental sustainability pivot, a field 16-year-old Nate is enamoured with, and his graduation is set for May 2026.
Nate was “pretty blown away” to learn of his Young New Zealander of the Year nomination in December.
“It’s obviously a pretty big achievement for me knowing that my work is recognised at this level and that it is actually making a difference to the community,” he says.
“I’ve had a passion and a curiosity for nature and the outdoors, and then as I learned more about how humans have negatively-impacted our environment over many decades, I thought it’s up to my generation to make a difference.
“So, in 2024, I developed a passion for wanting to do something for the environment, and wanting to do better than those that came before me, while at the same time ensuring that my generation can have a sustainable future.
“What comes with that is how can we protect our young people’s well-being and create this future that every young person in New Zealand deserves.”
Nate’s activism for environmental and social change in Aotearoa includes spearheading a 50,000-person protest in Auckland in June 2024 which opposed the government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill.
The contentious bill, which passed into legislation in mid-December, allows the government to accelerate the consent process for major infrastructure projects.
Critics of the bill believed some of those projects posed environmental risks, including the likes of mining permits.
Nate has also volunteered with Forest & Bird, helping to translocate pakahā fluttering shearwater chicks to the Wharariki Ecosanctuary at Cape Farewell and boost other shorebird numbers in the area.
He is the brainchild of GEN-Z Aotearoa which educates and empowers youth to grasp issues like climate action and social justice through social media and grassroots activism.
Nate also delivered an inspirational speech titled ‘The Importance of Connecting Youth to Nature’ at TEDx Nelson and travelled the country in May and June last year as a National Young Leaders Day keynote speaker to inspire rangatahi to create change.
His citation reads that his mahi epitomises the Māori whakataukī (proverb), “Mahia te mahi, hei painga mo te iwi” – “Work for the benefit of the people.”
The finalists for Young New Zealander of the Year will be revealed on 26 February.
