Climate Change in the Pacific Region: Challenges and Solutions

Overview of Presentation Impacts of climate change in the Pacific Case Studies The Way Forward: solutions and options for PICs

Impacts of Climate Change: Global Evidence According to the latest report from the respected Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it is "unequivocal" that Earth's climate is warming "as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global mean sea level."

SOPAC Impacts of Climate Change in the Pacific  Deterioration in coastal conditions, for example through erosion of beaches and coral bleaching, which is expected to affect local resources, e.g., fisheries, and reduce the value of these destinations for tourism. Sea-level rise is expected to exacerbate inundation, storm surge, erosion and other coastal hazards, thus threatening vital infrastructure, settlements and facilities that support the livelihood of island communities.

Impacts of Climate Change in the Pacific  Climate change is projected by the mid-century to reduce water resources in many small islands in the Pacific, to the point where they become insufficient to meet demand during low rainfall periods.  Contamination of fresh water with salt water

Impacts of Climate Change in the Pacific Coral bleaching - corals reefs, important for local fish stocks will suffer increasingly from bleaching Mangrove forests under threat According to a 2006 UNEP report some of the region’s islands could lose half of their mangroves by 2100 with climate being one of the factors.

Impacts of Climate Change in the Pacific Health risks - such as an increase in vector and water borne diseases caused by warmer temperatures. changing food systems and living conditions tuna - the principal economic resource of the Pacific

Impacts of Climate Change in the Pacific Shifting rainfall patterns causing prolonged droughts in some areas and excessive rainfall in others, including increase in frequency and intensity of cyclones. A recent World Bank report states that Kiribati could experience flooding by rising sea waters of up to 80 per cent of the land mass in some areas. A World Bank-funded 2000 study found that in the absence of adaptation, up to % of land areas in North Tarawa, and % of areas in South Tarawa could be inundated by 2050 due to sea level rise and storm surge

Impacts of Climate Change in the Pacific According to a recent report by the Australian Labor Party, Our Drowning Neighbours, deaths from weather related disasters have already increased in the region by 21% since the mid 1970s. Cyclone wind speeds are also predicted to increase by 10-20% over the next few years. And the projected increase in the power of tropical storms is compounded by the increased number of tropical storms that has occurred over the last 30 years.

King Tides Lash Kiribati A family climbs to safety when their house is hit by a king tide in Betio, on the South Pacific island of Kiribati, in February, Waves peaked at 2.87 metres.

Resettlement – the beginning of climate refugees in the Pacific The Carteret Islands (Papua New Guinea) and Tuvalu are likely to be the first nations to be evacuated due to climate change, but Kiribati, the Marshall Islands and many other parts of the Pacific may also have to face this catastrophe. Final analysis - a number of PICs will have to be resettled because of flooding or areas being made uninhabitable because of their salt contamination

Case Study: Tuvalu The threat of sea level rise may bring complete disaster to the 11,000 Tuvaluans currently residing on nine extremely low-lying coral atolls with its entire population having to relocate to other countries over the next few decades. Assistant Secretary for Foreign Affairs in Tuvalu, Paani Laupepa made it clear that “we feel threatened, our whole culture would have to be transplanted”

The Case of Tegua, Vanuatu A small community living in the Pacific island chain of Vanuatu has become one of first to be formally moved as a result of climate change. The community has been relocated higher into the interior of Tegua Island after their coastal homes were repeatedly swamped by storm surges and waves.

The Carterets The Carterets are six small islands that surround an atoll about 25 kilometres wide. The islands are approximately one metre above high tide and made of sand. Citizens on the Carteret Islands in Papua New Guinea are also currently being moved because of concerns for sea-level rise. The community’s health has been affected as they lose access to fresh water, and advancing salt-water is destroying gardens.

The Way Forward There is a responsibility for churches in industrialised nations to take the first steps to move the world away from climate change but to also assist church communities in vulnerable island countries and nations in dealing with the current and expected impacts.

UNFCCC Obligations Australia and New Zealand, as wealthy industrialised nations in the Pacific, have a moral and ethical obligation to assist their Pacific neighbours. Industrialised Nations, in particular Australia and New Zealand also have international obligations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to assist Pacific island countries and other developing nations “that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in meeting the costs of adaptation to those adverse effects” and to “formulate and implement national and, where appropriate, regional mitigation and adaptation programs”.

Proposed Actions for Pacific Churches Continue to lobby the industrial nations on their lack of concerted action and pressure them to reduce greenhouse emissions migration foreshore stabilisation, resettlement and decentralisation to adapt to the impacts of climate and sea-level changes. protecting fresh water sources from salt-water contamination adapting to land losses and dealing with coastal infrastructure impacted by erosion.

Options for the PICs the most important thing to do is to reduce greenhouse emissions assistance in developing and moving to renewable energy renewable energy could play a significant role in addressing mitigation but also many of the other issues related to energy use and demand in the Pacific. Pacific nations will need assistance to undertake and deliver many of these options in terms of planning and the associated policy implications.

Conclusion NO THEORETICAL DISCUSSIONS QUESTION OF LIFE AND DEATH HOW FAR CAN WE ADAPT TO NEW WEATHER CONDITIONS? DO WE STILL HAVE A CHOICE WHERE TO LIVE? SLOW EVACUATION PROCESS FOR TUVALU.

OUR PACIFIC CALL TO THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT Let us embrace our Mutual Vulnerability Let us embrace our Accountability to Each Other Make real our commitment to Ecumenical solidarity

Individually we are a drop, together we are an ocean" Ryunosuke Satoro