Youth fighting climate change: the way forward

Climate change is one of the most concerning issues of our time. As a young Pacific Islander, looking and sensing the effects of climate change now and fore sighting the future makes me unhappy and I am sure many other are too.

There is no doubt that climate change is contributing towards the increasing severity and frequency of natural disasters in the Pacific. People in the Pacific have accepted the fact that climate change is real and it will directly shape our lives; whether the effects are natural, social or economic.

350.org founder Bill Mackibben with Journalism student at the University of the South Pacific.                                                                     Picture: Mereoni Mili

Not only is the region vulnerable to natural disasters, there are many health problems associated with it, which puts the society at risk. Severe tropical cyclone Winston, the strongest cyclone to make landfall in Fiji on 20th February 2016 and the second in the world recorded history clearly indicates that climate change is reality to those who do not accept it as truth.

In the Pacific, climate change  is already having an impact on people’s lives ‘making life harder than it already is. These changes includes sea level rise, from food security to relocation, increase health problems and many others. Despite being the least responsible, the Pacific Islands are facing its adverse effects with some island like Kiribati at the risk of submerging.

Island Nation of Kiribati affected by climate change.                                                     Source: Flickr

Climate change is a global issue and overcoming it is a huge challenge. Therefore a global effort is necessary, however it is only best to start in our own local communities, country and the region. For this to happen, youths play a very huge roles in learning about the immerse effect of climate change is to our mother land and also in disseminating information of it effects to others.

Climate change potentially represents a major threat to the health and socio-economic stability of youth—particularly in developing countries, where 80% of young people live. [United Nations Joint Framework Initiative on Children, Youth and Climate Change, 2010]

According to the United Nations Secretary- General’s Envoy on Youth, majority of the population in many countries constitute of youths who have an increasingly strong social and environmental awareness, which is powerful in transforming our societies towards low carbon and climate resilient future.  While the motivating factor to fight climate change might not have change, the global society is now definitely more complex and interconnected than it was decades ago.  Mitigating the effects of climate change won’t be easy, therefore the society need to change the way we live our lives and use our resources wisely.

Young people play a key role in addressing climate change and sustainability .You are never too young to start fight climate change or being concern about something that affects us all and our future generations. One important step is following COP 23 and other successful international negotiations to empower young people by convening and educating students on the drastic effect of climate change to the Pacific.

. “We are the first generation that can end poverty. We are also the last generation that can slow global warming before it is too late.” – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, 2015.

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Yes, the weather patterns is changing- Let’s do something about it

Climate change poses a great threat to sustainable development and to the very survival of the Pacific Island region and societies.

Our leaders are concerned that due to the effects of climate change, there is also threat to the economic, social and environment, not forgetting our culture and traditions.

A local, regional and international approach is taken by the Pacific Islands in addressing climate change. Taking actions to manage risks from climate impacts, protect communities and strengthen resilience of the economy is the top priority of all PICs. Climate change adaptation is actions taken at all levels to help communities and ecosystems cope with changing climate condition.

According to the Framework to Resilient Development in the Pacific 2017-2030, an Integrated Approach to Address Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management (FRDP), identifies three inter related goals that need to be actively pursued by all stakeholders, working in partnership, in order to enhance resilience to disasters and climate change in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty.

The three goals are:

1. Strengthened integrated adaptation and risk reduction to enhance resilience to climate change and disaster.
2. Low- carbon development
3. Strengthened disaster preparedness, response and recovery

Click on this link: http://www.forumsec.org/resources/uploads/embeds/file/Annex%201%20-%20Framework%20for%20Resilient%20Development%20in%20the%20Pacific.pdf  if you wish to know the goals in detail.

As climate change is the reason why there are frequent natural disasters, actions should be taken at all levels. As stated in the FRDP, building resilience should involve all stakeholders from different sectors, organisation types and governance levels and it all starts with empowering individual within the society to respond to disaster and climate change should be everyone responsibility. In order to build resilience in the Pacific, active engagement of all Pacific Island Countries is a key priority.

In an interview with Fiji’s Director of Natural Disaster Risk Management Office, Sunia Ratulevu, said Fiji is moving away from acting after a disaster has occurred and putting an effort into building a more resilient community from the drastic change of weather patterns.

“A few years back the Natural Disaster Risk Management Office mainly focuses on response to disasters, but we, the government have moved away from the reactive phrase, now we are in the preparedness and mitigation. We look at the Disaster in in totality not only during responses.”

– Sunia Ratulevu ( Director National Disaster Risk Management Office, Fiji)

Climate change is increasing the risk of weather- related disaster in the Pacific, especially with sea level rise, floods, cyclones and others.

In light of this, the government and Disaster risk management office in Fiji are reaching out and conducting community disaster risk management training around remote villages, especially the vulnerable communities about how they can protect themselves from natural disasters.

One such project is the Wainibokasi River Bank Protection at Nabitu village in Tailevu, locate in the Eastern part of Fiji.

NDMO Wainibokasi River Bank Protection Project in Nabitu village in Tailevu.                            Photo: Mereoni Mili

 

The project was to help the village from frequent flooding due to sea level rise. A total of 75 families and 400 people benefitted from this project, which completed early this year (2017).

The river bank protection structure is 130m long made of stone masonry with a, gabion structure bank protection wall, and concrete filing.

Lorima Rabure, 63, who has been living in the village all his life years, said that the villagers are happy that they are finally living in a protected and safe community.

Speaking in Fijian (Fiji’s Native language) he said:

“Before this project, water use to come in to the village during high tide, and when it floods we have to move to higher grounds since this place was like an ocean. Our vegetation was also destroyed.  The villagers are proud that we are protected, that there is no soil erosion and no flooding like the one we experience before. We want this protection project for the future generation so that they have land for plantation and building their homes.”

For more stories and information on the effects of climate change in the Pacific and the adaptation methods taken check out UNDP’s Contribution to Causes, Humans & Nature, titled Climate Change in the Pacific: Reducing vulnerability of island coasts.

 

 

 

Youth making a move on climate change in the Pacific

Climate change creates elevated levels of uncertainty about our future and the youths in the Pacific are making it their priority to address this most concerning issue of our time.

Young people in the Pacific are increasingly aware of the challenges and opportunity that is necessary transition to low carbon growth entails, and many are joining the global dialogue on solutions, getting involved and taking actions.

The growing concern about climate change comes against the backdrop of a worrying rise in the vulnerability to natural disasters.  This growing vulnerability is intimately tied to:

• development patterns
• environmentally unsound practices,
• global environmental changes
• population growth
• and many others

These trends in extreme events and additional uncertainties associated with climate change which increases the risk and make the challenge of reducing them more crucial yet at the same time more challenging.

According to the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change, article 6 states that the solutions to climate change are also the paths to a safer, healthier, and cleaner and a more prosperous future for all. To see this and to understand what needs to be done requires a sharp and sustained focus on education, training and public awareness in all countries and at all levels of government, society and enterprise.

There is quite a large number of youth activist in the Pacific, who put their heart and soul in addressing the issue that matters to them the most and this include climate activist. The impact of climate change is serious and is a threat to all Pacific Island nations.

350.Org Pacific , is one of the many youth led grassroots network working with communities to fight climate change from the Pacific Islands. 350. Org Pacific works with 15 other Pacific Nations to address the vulnerability of the islands to climate change while showcasing the strength and reliance as a nation. The campaign 350.org was founded by Bill Mackibben with the aim to highlight climate change and its effects around the globe.

According to a report by International Federation of Red Cross,” in the Solomon Islands, over 70 youth gathered for a national youth forum on climate change. Participants learnt about the problems and then the skills to deal with them, such as mapping community strengths and weaknesses to identify flood preparedness projects, and interviewing elders to understand changes in seasons.”

Youths in the Pacific are not sitting back and waiting for the leaders to speak at the international stage but are taking responsibility of their future and the generation to come

Pacific Island leaders talks global action on climate change

Pacific Island leaders have often been on the forefront of international discussions on climate change, diligently urging the develop countries and main contributors to reduce their emissions and to agree to targets and protocols, in order to reduce the effects of climate change.

We read about it online, the daily newspaper and talk about it will our mates about the steps our leader are taking towards this issue, but what I question is; can our Pacific Island leaders convince other world leaders to listen and act.

“Fighting Climate Change is not a choice for today’s politicians; it is a necessity (and a responsibility). It is not a question of ‘if’, but of ‘how’. It is a question of putting my country or your country first. It’s a question of putting the planet first- we need to make the Paris Agreement a reality, for the sake of the generations to come.”

-Miguel Arias Canete (European Commissioner for Climate Action)

Climate change and its diverse effects is a major challenge for people, governments and ecology around the world, but for the Pacific, the scenario has led to the urgency of the matter.  The nations and territories of the Pacific Islands contribute the least to global warming, but are suffering massively from its effects.

The COP23 is a world event with many different geographical concerns. The Pacific states reasonably expect other world leaders to understand the effects of climate change or to at least slow its pace.  Fiji is co-hosting the United Nations World Oceans Conference with Sweden, in New York in June this year and will also play the role of Presidency of COP23.  Fiji is taking this key commitment on behalf of other Pacific Island countries and will seek to ensure that the climate action truly changes the lives of those affected.

Prime Minister Josaia V. Bainimarama of Fiji addresses the 2015 general debate of the General Assembly’s seventieth session.  Photo: UN

The Pacific is experiencing  sea-level rise  of more than three times that of the world average, which is a threat to nations whose land of low- lying coral ,for instance island nations such as Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu  are likely to lose their inhabitable land. The atolls will become impossible locations for human beings as freshwater and agricultural soils are taken over by salt of the ocean. This is one of the many serious issues Tuvalu is facing due to climate change.

The urgency of climate change in the Pacific Island is more that many other parts of the world and therefore, under these challenging environmental circumstances, small island states and their political representatives have risen to be forceful speakers on the global climate change scene, with specific expectations for COP23.

Pacific Island leaders with former President of US Barack Obama in Paris 2015  pushing their case on carbon emission and protecting the Pacific from rising sea level.    Photo: UN

According to the Fiji Sun on Tuesday (10/5/17), the European Union and its Member States are playing their part in implementing the Paris Agreement, both in terms of domestic policy development and in commitment to global solidarity.  It is important to negotiate and bring special awareness and consciousness at the global level and the leaders of Small Island Developing States knows this very well, considering the vulnerability to climate change.

Pacific Island leaders have time and again explained that climate change is the single most concerning and threatening issues faced by our people.  It is affecting the societies livelihood, security and well-being and on-going global effort is necessary for the betterment of the future generation.

Why climate literacy matters in the Pacific?

Climate change information is everywhere.

We learn about it in schools, attended forums and seminars and have seen several documentary, posters and pictures of its effects, globally and in our very own homes. With the increase frequency and intensity of natural disaster in the Pacific, climate change is the topic of discussion at home, work, schools and university.

It is imperative to educate one another on climate change and the effects it has on our lives and homes. Climate change is happening and while there are many who take it to heart in addressing it, there are also many who may have a fair idea but do not know what it actually means and its impacts on their daily lives. Not everyone can fully understand the climate system, however in order to be prepared for the impacts, it is key that one has some background knowledge.

Climate change is one the most concerning issues in the Pacific. With islands like Kiribati under threat of submerging and villages relocating, the urgency of addressing this issues should be everyone’s responsibility. There is loss of culture and tradition as a result of these consequences. It is essential that the society not only understand what climate change is, but also know the impacts, and approaches to adaptation.

Island Nation of Kiribati affected by climate change.                Photo: Flickr

Climate science literacy matters, because in order to fully understand humans influence on climate and climate’s influence on the people and the society. Being climate literate means understanding the essential principals of earth’s climate systems. A climate change literate person can communicate about the issue of climate change in a meaningful way and be able to make informed and responsible decisions with regards to actions that may affect the climate.

Climate change will bring economic and environmental challenges as well as opportunities, and citizens who have an understanding of climate science will be better in informed to respond to both. The Pacific needs citizens especially youths and students to understands the climate system to be able to disseminate the correct information to the public. Word of mouth is when information from passed person to person through oral communications, which is an effective in getting the message across, especially in the Pacific Islands. Therefore, it is deemed important that not only is the public well informed about climate change and its consequences, but the researchers should be presented in a way that is easily understood and interpreted.

Scientific research has shown that human activity is one of the many reasons why climate change is the most concerning issue of our time. These activities include burning of fossils fuel, deforesting large area of land which has had a profound influence on earth’s climate.

Youths are the targeted audience when it comes to educating the public on climate change. Youth around the Pacific have also engaged in advocating on climate change. According to the United Nations Youth report, in response to the growing number of engaged youth organisations in the intergovernmental climate change process, in 2009, the UNFCCC extended a constituency status to admitted youth NGOs allowing them to receive official information, participate in meetings, request speaking slots and receive logistic support at UNFCCC conference.

350.org Pacific fighting for climate change .                           source: 350.org  facebook

Young people in the Pacific are aware of the challenges and opportunities that climate change has brought about, and many are the global dialogue on solution, getting involved and taking actions.

As youth in the Pacific work determine the future, of not only themselves but the upcoming generation by acting on climate change, their actions inspires us all. The work taken by young people are essential component of raising political ambition to reach a new universal agreement on climate change.