New Zealand's Greens pit teen activist against Ardern for election

Marty MELVILLE / AFP

A young climate change activist is set to take on New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the general election in September.

Luke Wijohn, who turns 18 next week, will be representing the Greens party. 

"I'm running for the Greens because we are the only ones with the policy to provide New Zealand with thriving communities free of the climate crisis and poverty," he wrote on social media.

If he wins Auckland's Mount Albert, Wijohn would become New Zealand's youngest ever MP overthrowing James Stuart-Wortley, who was 20 when he was elected.