Niue, the Rock of Polynesia to learn from climate change adaptation conference

By Mona Ainu’u – Broadcasting Corporation of Niue

Closing Bulletin, June 20011, Apia Samoa -  Niue Island sits in the Pacific Ocean on the biggest upraised Coral in the world, but it’s the smallest nation in comparison to those countries that attended the “Lessons Learn for Future Action” climate change adaptation conference in Samoa this month.

Rossylin Pulehetoa from the Climate Change office in Niue is not overwhelmed by this comparison she has been making the most of the meeting considering all information as constructive and imperative to the development of Niue’s climate change adaptation work.

“The conference is very informative and educational,” said Pulehetoa.

“I have liked hearing the experiences from the Caribbean countries, the NGO perspective as well and also other pacific island countries and I find it very useful and wouldn’t mind using some of those activities or projects that is happening in their countries to be adapted for Niue.”

Niue is experiencing similar problems when it comes to adapting to climate change as other countries across the region.  Pulehetoa is also finding these challenges are being responded to in similar ways as other Pacific islands countries and territories.

 “Maybe the adaptation challenges are different in some regards, but overall the issues are the same and the understanding as well especially in trying to target the community, those are the very core people that we need to get the message out on climate change right down to the grassroots level”.

Niue has carried out numerous climate change awareness activities, such as community workshops, music videos, talent quest for women and song quest for men, as well as competitions for posters, poems and billboards.  With all the awareness and information available in Niue, there is now a need for more action and on-the-ground work on climate change adaptation.

“I think there are too many procedural processes and there are new terms and methods and ways on how to tackle climate change, but when you get down to it, its new terms and methods for tackling basically the same thing.  We need to see more action.”

Less climate change talk - more action needed

By Mona Ainu’u – Broadcasting Corporation of Niue

Closing Bulletin, June 20011, Apia Samoa - The climate change predicament facing the Pacific low-lying island states is a crisis that communities hope will be addressed with effective adaptation plans, and less talking.  The call for action was raised by several different people attending the “Lessons for Future Action’ meeting on climate change adaptation in Samoa this month.

 “There are too many procedures and not enough actions, there are too many adaptation and task forces for this and that, and actions are not being taken.  Communities are tired they need answers right away,” said Singeo Franz of the National Emergency Management office of Palau.

Claire Aniterea of the CAN Kiribati network and Caritas, also said she feels there are still too many procedural processes and not enough action.

“As an NGO we want to see more action with our own environment on how to adapt to the changes, but it’s also good to documents things that have being done and also need both talk, document, but important to do something about it.”

Alongside this are other issues in each country which they feel needs to be addressed to help improve Kiribati and Palau adapt to the climate change impacts better.

For Palau, the examples of different government ministries working together to address climate change has been an eye opener.  Franz explained he has spent time at the meeting learning from Tonga and the Federated States of Micronesia as these countries have merged the teams focusing on climate change and disaster risk management for effective response.

“I was trying to get information on how they did it, and for that their leaders agree to merge into one, as for Palau we’d like to be united like that, and because climate change can cause disasters, and that’s where we come in”.

In Kiribati sharing the climate change message with the whole population is one of the issues to be addressed believes Aniterea who works with communities and has learnt that the science needs to be communicated to all in a way everyone understands.

“We need to bring the science background in a simple way so the people get the message, if we try to explain climate change with graphs and all, then it is not effective for my people.  We need to make the science so they understand.

Both Aniterea and Franz attended the Lessons for Future Action meeting on climate change adaptation in Samoa.

Lessons for Future Action Conference 23-26 May 2011, Samoa

The four day conference has brought together practitioners, policy makers and researchers from the Pacific, the Caribbean, and the West Indian Ocean to examine how lessons learned today can inform climate change adaptation and future disaster risk management in Small Island Developing States.

The following information is coverage of presentations publicized from the first three days of the conference.

Click on the highlight text to view the presentations.

1. Information and Awareness Raising

Chair: Roger McLean, IPCC Lead Coordinating Author, Small Islands

Topics of presentations:

- Awareness raising – understanding the risk

-  Community perceptions of and responses to climate change and risk

- Baseline data needs – what we need to attribute climate change

- Underpinning science and modeling tools

- Communicating the science

Baseline Data Needs For Climate Change Attribution Studies, Leonard Nurse.

What Science is needed or must be provided to facilitate Information and Awareness Building? Michael Taylor.

Information and awareness raising, Paul Hopler

2. National Planning and Policy Frameworks

Chair: David Sheppard, Director of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme [SPREP]

Topics of presentations:

International and regional frameworks, national policy and planning frameworks
 - Do national policy and planning frameworks meet emerging   needs?

 - Developing nationally relevant policy frameworks for CCA and  DRR

 - What role does CCA and DRR play in core policy development?

DRR and CCA synergies and opportunities at the national level

- What have we learned from joint national planning?

The social and economic value of CCA and DDR at the national and local level

National Initiatives for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction, Albert Williams

National Planning and Policy Framework: Lessons from the Caribbean, presented by Ken Leslie

CCA and DRR IN SIDs Lessons for Future Action Conference, Netatua Pelesikoti

Social and economic values of CCA and DRR Making informed choices at national, sectoral and local levels, Padma Lal

Joint National Action on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management, Sione Fulvai

3. Community Based Responses to CCA and DRR

Chair: Frank Wickham, Solomon Islands

Topics of presentations:

Application of demand driven and bottom up experience and planning

Sustainable development and building resilience for DRR and CCA (including adaptive capacity and traditional responses)

DDR and CCA synergies and opportunities at the local level (including lessons learned from joint national planning)

Linking national planning to local and sub-national levels

-          Scaling up to national, regional and global support

-       Sustainability considerations of CCA and DRR

Sustainable Development and Building Resilience for DRR and CCA, Sione Faka’osi

Exemplars of Resilience, Monifa Fiu

Linking national planning to local and sub-national levels Scaling up to national, regional, and global support, Indi Mclymont-Lafayette

Strengthening Adaptive Capacity in Choiseul, Solomon Islands, Robyn James

 4. Strategies and On-Ground Options

Chair: Leonard Nurse, IPCC Lead Editor for SIDS

Topics of presentations:

What works on the ground

-  Effective adaptation options – what’s the best way to provide support?

 - Sectoral approaches to risk management

 - Adaptation/Renewable energy                    opportunities

 -  Actual experiences with CCA and DRR – challenges and opportunities

What combination of CCA and DRR deliver the most benefits?  (public/private partnerships, those that integrate DRR, CCA and economic development, community involvement)

Pacific Conference of Churches on Climate Change Adaptation and Risk Reduction, Rev. Ikani Taliai Tolu

Lessons learn, and progress to date,  Simpson Abraham

Climate Change Strategies, In-water Options, Melanie McField

The Energy Sector as Generator of Financial Resources to support Adaptation and the Foundation of Sustainable Development: Innovation, Pipe Dreams or Madness, Al Binger

5. Capacity Development

Chair: Edward Green, Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

Topics of presentations:

What is capacity development and how is it best developed?

Regional responses and needs of the smallest countries

Developing business plans and project proposals

Accessing resources

Lessons for Future Action Conference, Franklin McDonald

Capacity Development for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction, Claire Bernard

Observations on change, disruption, and challenges, Frank Wickham

Climate Change Resilience, Oxfam/Care

Regional Response and Needs of Small Islands, Leonard Nurse

6.  Lessons for Future Action

Chair: Rob Kay,  Coastal Zone Management (Australia)

Presentation: summary of outcomes - Lessons for futureaction, Jo Mummery

Statement of the Pacific Conference of Churches on Climate Change and Resettlement

11 April 2011- PACNEWS

“God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth‘” (Genesis 1:28 NRSV).

The Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) stands in solidarity with those who have, are, and will undergo the process of resettlement whereby people are being forced to leave their homeland.

Climate change will result in the loss of life, land, and liberty. It is our prophetic responsibility to comprehensively address issues confronting the realities of resettlement as a consequence of climate change.

Reaffirming the Pacific church leaders’ Moana Declaration in 2009, we make the following call:

We call upon church communities in the Pacific:

- To be proactive in regards to the seriousness of climate change by seeking to implement adaptation and mitigation initiatives

- To advocate against the injustices brought about by climate change and call on all political leaders and governments to take immediate action in consultation with all communities

- To increase awareness of climate change and its severity within religious bodies and communities

-To provide hope to those most affected by climate change by offering accompaniment, advice, and resource assistance where practical

- To encourage ecological stewardship and responsible, locally appropriate sustainability practices

- To reflect upon and challenge our embedded theologies in regards to climate change, the need for our shared accompaniment and responsibility towards creation

We call upon industrialised countries:

- To ensure that an equitable, ambitious and legally binding post-Kyoto climate deal is secured in Durban, South Africa (COP 17)

- To grasp the reality that 20% of the global population exploits 80% of the world’s resources and that the Pacific region is responsible for 0.006% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions

- To support the establishment of an international convention that specifically addresses the unique situation of “forced climate migrants”

- To allocate equitable and just financing for the purposes of adaptation and mitigation programs in most vulnerable countries and communities

- To embody a spirit of accountability and interconnectivity in regards to international climate change referendums

- To acknowledge the close link between the fight against poverty and the struggle for climate justice in their strategic and practical approaches

- To reflect on the impact of their policies as well as the lifestyles of their people on both the climate and on vulnerable and poor people

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48)

The PCC believes that failure to act would result in further loss and irreparable devastation to all of creation. PCC understands that this is an issue of ecological justice because people who have contributed the least suffer the most. Inaction is unjust.

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8)

For further enquiries, please contact: 

Mr Fe’iloakitau Tevi

General Secretary

Pacific Conference of Churches

Tel: (679) 3311 277

Email: tevi@pcc.org.fj