A Ngāpuhi leader who said he would take the government to court over inaction on climate change has filed court papers.
Mike Smith filed papers to the High Court in Wellington on Thursday.
Smith is seeking a declaration from the Crown that it will half greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade and eliminate them by 2050.
He hopes to be in court within a fortnight.
"One of the things we're not looking for is compensation. So, unlike a lot of historical claims where Māori have claimed for resources that have been illegally taken from us and require restitution, this is not about money. This is about action.
"We want the courts is to instruct the government to take more action to protect our communities. We're in danger, this is an emergency."