This is the first in a series of
human interest stories by SPREP’s Nanette Woonton on Pacific women showing
leadership in the climate change field.
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| L - Ms. Anne Rasmussen, Samoa |
November, 2012, Doha, Qatar - Samoa, the Treasure
Islands, has a hidden gem in Ms. Anne Rasmussen of the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment. She is
occupying a seat at the head table at the UN Climate negotiations in Doha this
week having been requested to be a co-chair based upon eight years of
experience working for the Government of Samoa and four years in the UN climate
negotiations.
More precisely, Anne will be working with her
co-chair from Japan to chair agenda items 4a and c under the Subsidiary Body of
Implementation, drawing upon her climate change experience at both the
international and national level.
“I first attended the negotiations to support the
Samoa delegation, it wasn’t until two years ago that I took that step towards a more active role in the negotiations with the National Communications. I have also negotiated on behalf of the
Alliance of Small Island States and when it comes to work in Samoa, a large
focus for me has been the development of the Second National Communications and
carrying out the National Adaptation Program of Action.”
The National Communication is a report to be
tabled to the United Nations Framework to the Convention on Climate Change it
is an obligation as a party under the UNFCCC.
It provides a national update on all the work done in country to address
the issue of climate change, ranging from the vulnerability and adaptation assessment,
greenhouse gas inventory, the capacity building and public awareness.
Samoa has tabled its second national
communication and is now working towards raising funds to produce the third
national communication report, a nationwide consultative process.
“It’s a useful planning tool for the
country.”
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| L - R Anne Rasmussen with Dr Netatua Pelesikoti, SPREP |
Anne Rasmussen is a friendly face at the UN
Climate Change negotiations.
She’s a breath of fresh Pacific air at this
international conference that is weighed down by a ‘cloak and dagger’
atmosphere with different huddles and closed meetings taking place. Behind most of the closed doors here, many
are negotiating an international agreement that centers on billions of dollars,
lowering the levels of greenhouse gases and survival for small islands.
This young woman from Samoa has spent time in
the thick of the negotiations, despite being overwhelmed and intimidated she
has had to work up the courage every time she has made interventions and spoken
on behalf of her island home in a room with thousands of people.
She graduated from the University of the
South Pacific with an undergraduate in geography and post graduate degree in climate change,
upon returning to Samoa nine years ago, she has worked in this field ever
since. One of the most challenging parts
has been her role in the UN climate change negotiations. Samoa signed the United Nations Framework to
the Convention on Climate Change in 1992 and ratified it in 1994. It signed the Kyoto Protocol in 1998 and
ratified it in 2000. Two years after
this, Rasmussen joined the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in
Samoa beginning her career in climate change and the UN climate negotiations.
“It’s
very intimidating, very scary, you have so much in your head but when it comes
to being here in this arena and you see a lot of experienced negotiators at
this international forum, you get so intimidated you don’t want to speak out in
case you say something wrong, or you feel you don’t speak the same language
that they are speaking. It gets scary.”
“How do I overcome it? I pray a lot!”
This year Anne has taken on a
new role, she is the Global Environment Facility Consultant, a position
equivalent to that of an Acting Chief Executive Officer under the Ministry of
Natural Resources and Environment in Samoa.
She still plays an integral part in the negotiations as without realising
it Anne herself speaks the UN climate negotiation language, bantering in
acronyms and talking the ‘climate change technical talk’.
“It helps if you read up and
know your stuff, a lot of research, understanding and engaging, you are never too
old to learn! Know your stuff, step out
there and give it a go!”
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| L - R Anne Rasmussen with Ambassador Ali'ioaiga Feturi Elisaia |
Anne has mastered the skill
of being able to feel at home in the international climate change arena, as
well as maintaining her strong link with Samoa to ensure climate change action
on the ground nationally, the proof is in the second national communications
report tabled to the UNFCCC from Samoa, a document which required nationwide
consultations with many different levels of Samoa society. She pays tribute to her mentors who have
helped guide her at this level – Taulealeausumai Laavasa Malua,Tuuu Ieti
Taulealo and Ambassador Ali’ioaiga Feturi Elisaia, her fellow delegation
members at the UN Climate negotiations.
Anne Rasmussen has found her feet at this international arena.
Attending the UN climate
talks is stressful and challenging with each meeting circumstance
being unique, however Annie has remained true to herself, she has not attempted
to camouflage into the negotiations process by adopting the hard line approach
in the corridors. Nor has she shirked
responsibility and gotten lost in the thousands of people attending the
conference just cruising by. She has
maintained her Samoan sense of self; follows the negotiation thread she is
charged with, speaks out when needed and always offers a friendly smile and
sound advice to others – remaining humble this whole time.
Writing this article has
been a challenge in itself, as Anne wanted to downplay her achievements in the
climate change process, both nationally and internationally.
The best gem from this
hidden gem is the final words she imparts in this interview that
sums up how united the Pacific is at the climate negotiations, rallying
together for survival.
“Having faith in the
sovereign Lord helps me overcome my fears.
Making friends and the right kind of friends….making close friends in
this process and my faith that is what helps one survive.”
Pacific Women in Climate Change
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