Strengthening Vanuatu’s voice at UN Climate Talks - Vanuatu’s Government and civil society are working together in Warsaw to ramp up pressure for stronger international climate action
A 16-strong delegation from Vanuatu is at the United Nations Climate Conference in Warsaw this week, where countries are continuing negotiations towards a new global climate agreement.
In a first for Vanuatu, and building on established collaboration between government and civil society, the delegation includes three civil society representatives from the Vanuatu Climate Action Network (VCAN).
Honorable Thomas Laken, Minister for Climate Change, met last week with Kelly Dent, who is leading the Oxfam International team in Warsaw. “Vanuatu is obviously deeply concerned about the positions that the Australian Government is taking here at the negotiations,” Honorable Laken remarked. “We appreciate Oxfam’s efforts to encourage the Australian Government to adopt stronger emissions reduction targets and to continue to help communities build resilience to climate impacts,” said Minister Laken.
The Minister thanked the member organizations of the Vanuatu Climate Action Network for their support to Vanuatu in building resilience to climate change and advocating for effective global solutions.
Oxfam’s Shirley Laban is the convener of the Vanuatu Climate Action Network and one of seven women who are part of the official Vanuatu delegation.
“We feel the best way for governments to understand climate change is to hear directly from those affected by its impacts. That’s why we’re here in Warsaw – to speak up for our people and help strengthen Vanuatu’s position in the negotiations,” said Ms Laban.
Shirley is joined by Dr Andrina K L Thomas, Vanuatu’s Country Director for Live and Learn Environmental Education, who is there to focus particularly on the impacts of climate change on women, and Mala Silas of CARE International, representing Vanuatu’s youth.
“Climate change exacerbates existing inequalities, and its impacts are felt disproportionately by women,” says Dr Thomas. “At the same time, when it comes to the solutions, Vanuatu women have important knowledge and experience to contribute and it is vital that our voices are heard in these halls.”
“Vanuatu has contributed almost nothing to the causes of climate change. But along with other Pacific islands we stand to suffer the most. As a young person I am here to demand that the rich, polluting countries take stronger action so that there is a brighter future for my generation,” said Ms Silas.
Vanuatu people know more than most about extreme weather and other natural hazards. But climate change has brought with it a host of new threats: more powerful storms, shifting rainfall patterns and rising seas are hurting livelihoods and making it harder to grow food.
Unless rich countries step up action, climate change threatens to unwind many of the hard-won development gains of the last decades, putting prosperity, security and health beyond the reach on many.
At the same time, confronting the realities of a warming world can help people build stronger, healthier communities and be better equipped to face the challenges of both today and tomorrow.
The Vanuatu Climate Action network is part of the Vanuatu NGO Climate Change Adaptation Program which is a collaborative effort by Oxfam, Save the Children, CARE, Red Cross, GIZ and the Vanuatu Rural Development Training Centres Association, supported by Australian Aid. Their work is directly supporting women, men and children on nine islands across four Provinces to become more resilient in the face of future shocks, stresses and uncertainty as a result of climate change. Lessons from the program are used to help shape national policies and action on climate change and disaster preparedness.
“Besides supporting communities to meet their basic needs, for example through more resilient agricultural techniques, the program aims among other things to harness traditional knowledge and enable communities, especially women and youth, to have a louder voice in the policies and decisions that affect their lives,” says Ms Laban.
“Adapting to climate change is not just about building seawalls. It’s about learning as a community to cope with many new threats to our livelihoods, health, and way of life. If solutions are to work for communities, they must be developed by communities. In particular, we need to listen to those who are most vulnerable.”
Before coming to Warsaw, Shirley, Andrina and Mala spent several months preparing with the Vanuatu delegation and developing the positions they would take to the negotiations as part of a collaborative project between the Vanuatu Government and the Vanuatu Climate Action Network.
For further information:
Please contact Florence Iautu, Communications Officer, Vanuatu Delegation to COP19: florence.unfccc@gmail.com