For 74-year-old Teaga Esekia, a chief from the Tuvalu island of Vaitupu, the ocean is a lifeblood. “Tuvaluans, they have different types of months, not like January to December,” said the elderly but agile man, who still climbs coconut trees every day. “They have their seasons according to fish and planting. We tell the time […]
Tag: Oceans
Cook Islands calls for immediate and full replenishment of Green Climate Fund at the United Nations
Cook Islands has called for immediate and full replenishment of Green Climate Fund at the United Nations. Speaking at the United Nations in New York Tuesday at the Commonwealth Minister’s Dialogue on climate change, resilience building and ocean action, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Brown said “nothing less than full replenishment of the Green Climate Fund […]
Fiji launches fund for people displaced by climate change
Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama launched in New York on Monday the world’s first relocation fund for people displaced by climate change. “Our new trust fund is undeniably one of the most effective ways that we can help our communities adapt to climate change. And it is also undeniably one of the most effective ways […]
Five Schools Trial Solutions to Reduce Plastics
Honiara, Solomon Islands — Five Honiara schools are trying for 10 weeks to replace single-use plastics in their lunch service through a new waste management initiative. Koloale, Florence Young and Emmaus schools are trialing a refundable-fee scheme, which involves lunch vendors or the school canteen serving lunches with reusable containers. Students are refunded a small […]
Forum marathon reveals tensions over climate policy
In a marathon leaders’ retreat that continued well into the night, with often heated debate, the Pacific Islands Forum has issued a joint communique and a new declaration on climate change. Throughout this week in Tuvalu, the Australian delegation has defended a series of negotiating red lines against strong pressure from island leaders, seeling more […]
Fiji PM calls for urgent need for the world to step up its response to climate threat
Pacific Islanders and climate-vulnerable people the world over will welcome our collective declarations at the end of the 50th Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu on the urgent need for the world to step up its response to the climate threat says Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimara. “There is no doubt that holding our gathering in […]
Palau tells Australia to step-up on climate
Palau has called on Australia to do more to tackle climate change, saying the Pacific’s “big brother” has an obligation to act on an issue that threatens the existence of its small island neighbours. Australia has launched a diplomatic push it calls the Pacific “step-up” to boost its influence and counter growing Chinese influence in […]
Why this Time cover is a disgrace to the climate realities of Pacific islanders
Eleven thousand. That’s approximately how many people are living in Tuvalu right now. That is exactly how many people are facing direct threats to their homes, livelihoods and identities as a result of rising sea levels, storm surges, cyclones and the other climate change-related events hitting Tuvalu on a monthly basis. Hundreds have already left […]
Pacific experiencing the realities of climate change, says expert
SUVA, 29 JULY 2019 (WANSOLWARA ONLINE NEWS) — Climate change is real and many Pacific Island countries are experiencing this reality, says climate expert Dr Jale Samuwai. Dr Samuwai became the first graduate to be awarded a PhD in climate change at The University of the South Pacific this year. Speaking at the USP graduation […]
Tuvalu bans single use plastic starting August 1
FUNAFUTI, 29 JULY 2019 (RNZ PACIFIC) — A single use plastic ban and importation levy comes into force in Tuvalu from the beginning of August to help deal with waste in the small remote islands. It’s hoped the new measures will ease pressure on an overflowing rubbish dump on Fogafale where most of the population […]