On Dec 3, a panel of researchers and activists launched ‘Te Mana o te Moana: the State of the Climate in the Pacific 2020′ – a Greenpeace Australia Pacific report on the impact of climate change on Pacific Island Countries.
‘Te Mana o te Moana: the State of the Climate in the Pacific 2020′ is Greenpeace’s landmark report exploring how climate change has impacted Pacific Island Countries; who is responsible; and what is needed to ensure that the people of the Pacific emerge stronger from the climate crisis.
WHEN: 3 December, 5.30pm-7pm AEST
At this online event, the experts behind the report provided the latest analysis of how the world is progressing on the aims of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and hear the stories of Pacific island people on the front lines of the fight for their communities and the planet. While the top 15 emitters produce over 70% of all global annual emissions, the 14 Pacific Island Countries who have ratified the UNFCCC produce just 0.14%. Despite this, the top 15 emitters’ commitments under the Paris Agreement remain grossly insufficient: the report finds that countries responsible for 65% of all global annual emissions have combined emission reduction targets that would lock in over 2 degrees of heating, while their current policies would lead to a catastrophic 2.1-3.9 degrees of heating.
The islands of the Pacific are some of the most vulnerable areas on earth to the impacts of climate change, and have already suffered serious harm from rising sea levels, intensifying cyclones, and the degradation of the fisheries and fresh water resources they need to live. Despite this, the Pacific story is one of resilience amid crisis. The solutions are being found in both age-old traditions and modern technology, and give cause for hope if we act in time.
Speakers
Auimatagi Joseph Moeono-Kolio is from Falefa and Malie, Samoa and is Greenpeace’s Head of Pacific. He has been a passionate advocate for climate action and a proponent of indigenous knowledge and cultures of the Pacific as conduits for understanding the causes and solutions to the climate crisis. A sought-after speaker, he has worked with Pacific governments since 2018 in global climate negotiations and was appointed by Pope Francis as an auditor (advisor) in 2018. He has since worked with the Vatican to highlight the position of Pacific countries and advocate for more robust commitments to the Paris Agreement. He was also an adviser to the New Zealand Government’s interim climate committee, the precursor to the Climate Commission. Joe is also a member of the Pacific Climate Warriors, having co-founded its Wellington branch in 2018 and has continued to build coalitions between governments and civil society to drive climate campaigns in the Pacific and internationally.
Genevieve Jivais from Suva, Fiji, a youth advocate for stronger action on the climate crisis. She is the coordinator for the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network (PICAN), the Pacific regional node of CAN International. She has graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Politics, and has completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomacy and International Affairs from the University of the South Pacific. She is also a member of 350 Fiji and the Pacific Climate Warriors, and has participated in Peace Boat’s Ocean and Climate Youth Ambassador Program.
Dr Nikola Casule is Greenpeace’s Head of Research and Investigations, having joined Greenpeace as a Climate and Energy Campaigner in early 2014. He has been instrumental in successful campaigns on the Renewable Energy Target, protecting the Great Barrier Reef, Adani, stopping drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight, and pushing the Commonwealth Bank to commit to ruling out new lending to coal mines. He previously worked as a university lecturer and researcher in the United Kingdom and Australia and has taught at the University of Oxford, Sydney University and the ANU. He holds a D.Phil. from the University of Oxford and a BA (Honours I) degree from Macquarie University.
David Ritter is the CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific. Prior to joining Greenpeace, David worked for ten years as a lawyer and academic. His most recent book is The Coal Truth: The Fight to Stop Adani, Defeat the Big Polluters and Reclaim our Democracy. In addition to his work at Greenpeace, David holds honorary appointments at Sydney University and the University of Western Australia. He lives in Sydney with his wife and two daughters.
Susan Park (Chair) is Professor of Global Governance at the University of Sydney. She focuses on how state and non-state actors use formal and informal influence to make the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) greener and more accountable. She is a Senior Research Fellow of the ESG, an affiliated Faculty member of the Munk School’s Environmental Governance Lab at the University of Toronto, an External Associate of the Centre for the Study of Globalisation and Regionalisation at Warwick University, and a research affiliate of the Sydney Environment Institute at the University of Sydney. Susan is the Research Lead on The Global Shift to Renewables and Environmental Disasters and Just Governance.