Effects of climate change devastating for islands

David Sheppard





 
From December 7 to 19, one of the largest ever United Nations gatherings took place in Copenhagen to discuss climate change: The 15th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 15).
  The number says it all: 119 world leaders, over 12,000 delegates, over 5,000 media registered, and an economic impact that was forecast to be up to US$65 million.
  Clearly, countries around the world have recognised the importance of climate change as a matter of major environmental, social and economic significance.
  Expectations were high.  In the lead-up to the conference, the United Nations launched a campaign which coined the word “Hopenhagen” with the slogan ‘when people lead, leaders follow’.
  For the Pacific islands, “Hopenhagen” was more than a fancy play on words—it embodied our goal to build a better future and a more sustainable way of life for Pacific people.
  Climate change is an issue that will dramatically affect the lives of Pacific islanders in this century—all Pacific countries are already experiencing the impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, more extreme and frequent weather events, ocean acidification and coral bleaching.
  Delegates from the Pacific were hoping for concrete and positive results from the Climate Change Conference. 
  Armed with optimism and the strong belief in humanity to do the right thing, the Pacific, along with fellow members of the Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS), targeted efforts towards an outcome from the conference that would guarantee the long-term survival of our islands.
  For our region, ‘Hopenhagen’ was a reminder to world leaders that real people around the world were putting our hope in them to achieve an outcome from the meeting that would protect our livelihoods, well-being and ensure our very survival.
 
  Moral issue
  In particular, Pacific countries called for a binding deal to limit global average surface temperature increases well below 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and called for the long term stabilisation of atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations at well below 350 parts per million.
  This stance from our region is outlined in the AOSIS declaration on climate change which was presented to world leaders at the United Nations Summit on Climate Change in September 2009.
  While other nations may be concerned about the financial implications of climate change, the Pacific islands countries had a clear message in Copenhagen that climate change is also a moral issue.
  Although the word ‘survival’ may be strewn throughout this column more than once, it is a word not taken lightly.
  The implications that climate change impacts now bring upon us in the Pacific region are from greenhouse gas emissions a hundred years ago.
  Pacific people have to cope with saltwater intrusion in their drinking water and root crops, coastal erosion has already seen a community move location in Vanuatu, and Pacific health is also on the radar with vector-borne diseases likely to become an increasing threat to our communities.
  The Pacific region fully understood that the battle at Copenhagen to secure our survival was going to be a tough one and we needed as much support as possible as we negotiated with the rest of the world.
  Eight Pacific Heads of State attended to send a clear message about the importance of climate change for the Pacific. All Pacific islands countries in attendance had large delegations, and all were actively involved throughout the conference to ensure the Pacific voice was heard.
  Our delegations stressed the urgency of the problem and the need for immediate action.
  We emphasised the environmental and cultural impacts that dangerous levels of climate change would have on the lives of Pacific people.
  We noted these impacts would undermine our cultural identities and the strong ties of the peoples of the Pacific to their land and sea.
 
  Survival of Pacific peoples
  There were many efforts to spread the message. Tuvalu, whose low-lying atolls could make it one of the first nations in the world to be wiped out by rising sea levels, had a booth at the conference and Kiribati, facing the likelihood of having to relocate its people, staged a large side event while Pacific people including many Pacific leaders spoke forcefully at various press conferences over the two weeks.
  Tuvalu, supported by many other Pacific countries was prominent in making strong and effective messages to the conference regarding the importance of climate change.
  The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) had a team of six on the ground in Copenhagen to support and to facilitate input from our Pacific islands members countries to the conference.
  We placed particular emphasis on providing technical guidance and advice to delegations, and on communicating the message of the importance of climate change.
  SPREP also led a team of six reporters at the conference that provided daily reports for television, radio and print, to ensure the Pacific voice was heard loud and clear. All news related to the conference is available at www.climatepasifika.blogspot.com
  We greatly appreciate the support from the numerous Pacific media organisations who utilised this news service.
  This enabled the people of our region to stay well-informed, while islands delegations were working tirelessly in the plenary rooms trying to negotiate a deal to protect the culture, livelihoods and survival of Pacific peoples.
  In some cases, members of Pacific delegations negotiated for over 50 hours straight, maintaining the strong message that climate change is a moral issue; the biggest threat to our way of life.
  So what was the outcome from Copenhagen?
  The meeting did not ‘seal a deal’ or ‘adopt’ a legally binding agreement with clear and strong targets.
  Rather, it ‘took note’ of a Copenhagen Accord, and established a procedure whereby countries can accede to it.
  Countries that sign on to the Copenhagen Accord will be acting on its promise that “we shall, recognising the scientific view that the increase in global temperature should be below 2 degrees Celsius, on the basis of equity and in the context of sustainable development, enhance our long-term cooperative action to combat climate change”.
  To do this, industrialised countries will individually or jointly commit to implement economy-wide emission targets from 2020, to be quantified and listed in the Accord before the end of January 2010.
  However, due to the possibility that these pledges may be insufficient to keep to the 2 degrees or less commitment, a review of the Accord will be undertaken by 2015.
  This fell a long way short of the hopes of Pacific countries.
  Many were very disappointed with the outcome from Copenhagen. However, we should not give up.
  We should recognise the conference as a step along a path, even though it is neither as ambitious nor as effective an outcome as that for which we were pushing so hard.
  It is important to note that many countries have pledged support to help the most vulnerable countries, especially the small island states, to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
  To this end, the Accord establishes the Copenhagen Green Climate Fund, to support immediate action on climate change in particular relating to adaptation and mitigation.
  Collective commitments by developed countries over the next three years are expected to reach US$20 billion.
  For long-term finance, developed countries agreed to support a goal of jointly mobilising US$100 billion a year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries.
  These targets must be honoured and targeted to support the efforts of Pacific countries to preserve our identities and our ways of life in the face of climate change.
  Increased financial allocation is welcome, but it must translate to tangible and practical actions on the ground that will assist Pacific islands countries.
  Projects and activities must start happening to help people prepare for and adapt to climate change impacts.
  While the funding numbers look impressive, we must ask “will it be enough?” as the effects of climate change are forecast to have a devastating impact on the Pacific way of life.
  As we start 2010, we must persevere for the year ahead. Our endeavours for a strong and effective climate change stance to protect our Pacific people must and will continue.
 
• David Sheppard is the director of SPREP and is based in Apia, Samoa