NUWAO, which stands for Nature-based Urban design for Wellbeing and Adaptation in Oceania, is a brand dedicated to developing nature-based urban design solutions rooted in Indigenous knowledge. With a focus on climate change adaptation and individual and community wellbeing, NUWAO aims to make a positive impact in various contexts across Aotearoa and Oceania. Led by Te Wānanga Aronui O Tāmaki Makau Rau (AUT) in Auckland and Te Herenga Waka Victoria University (VUW) in Wellington, NUWAO's team is spread across both main islands of Aotearoa and locations in the Pacific.

By working with five urban Oceania communities, NUWAO strives to forefront Indigenous knowledge and nature-based solutions in urban design to simultaneously increase human and ecological wellbeing in response to climate change. This brand is driven by the urgency to address the detrimental impacts of climate change and urbanization on ecosystems and vulnerable communities in Aotearoa and the Pacific islands. With funding until 2024 through a Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Grant, NUWAO is committed to co-designing urban strategies that prioritize Indigenous ecological knowledge and nature-based solutions