“Climate has changed, Climate will continue to change and Climate simply demands change.”

Clive Hawigen - SPREP

Apia, Samoa - “Climate has changed, Climate will continue to change and Climate simply demands change.”

 

This was emphasised by Dr Michael Taylor, University of West Indies, during the “Lessons for Future Action Conference” held at the Tanoa Tusitala hotel in Apia, Samoa.

Dr Taylor gave a presentation titled “Community perceptions of and responses to climate change and risk” emphasising the importance of science climate change messages.

Dr Michael Taylor

He asked: “what science is needed or must be provided to facilitate information building and awareness building?”

“Any science that enables critical evaluation of the core climate change message is important”.

In his presentation, Dr Taylor outlined the mandate, data priorities, methods and agenda, explaining the importance of historical climate change data, future or projected data and sector relevant data.

“This data is important in measuring patterns of historical variability, new patterns of variability and also linked to the climate sensitive sectors. “

Mr Taylor also pointed out that doing science in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) for SIDS is also a challenge.

JeRome Temengil

JeRome Temengil, climate change coordinator for the Government of Palau, said it is a challenge to communicate science as science itself.

He added that most island communities don’t have names for such terms like climate change but if translated into their own language then the concept of climate change would be understood by the general public.

He said when communicating science we have to talk in a language that is understood by the general public because the science of climate change can be made difficult with the complex jargons and scientific terms that makes it hard for people to grasp the concept. Mr Temengil pointed out the importance of having indigenous knowledge as part of science communication as well because indigenous knowledge could come up with the right answers to address issues such as climate change.