Climate change challenges to the cultural identity and sovereignty of Pacific Atoll Nations

Climate Frontlines

The matter of cultural identity and sovereignty and how to maintain it is becoming an increasing concern for Pacific Island nations in the face of advancing climate change. While this is true for most if not all the Large Ocean States (commonly referred to as Small Ocean States) of the region, atoll nations are facing these challenges in a critical way and with great urgency. Current scientific information and predictions about the pace and impacts of climate change indicate that there will be limitations to resilience and adaptation measures in response to such impacts as rising sea levels, extreme weather events and ocean warming and acidification. For Pacific peoples, any notion of sovereignty must acknowledge the reality that their sense of identity includes intimate and complex physical, spiritual and social connections to their natural environment, and how this shapes their unique history. These intrinsic factors must be recognised, respected and included in any efforts to address challenges to maintaining cultural identity and sovereignty in the face of climate change. The particular physical vulnerability of Pacific Island atoll nations – the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu - makes this especially true for them. The questions arise: How are the impacts of climate change already challenging the complex cultural identity and sovereignty issues of these nations? What strategies are being put in place to address them – by communities, local and national governments, civil society organisations, the wider Blue Pacific community, regional and international partners? How are atoll communities being affected by the uncertainties about their future? If increasing impacts of climate change make local adaption impossible and a significant proportion of a nation’s population is forced to move, what do they stand to lose (culturally, socially, spiritually, economically, politically)? What rights need to be protected and what assurance and guarantees are needed from the international community? How can people’s political autonomy and sovereign identity continue to be maintained and exercised in another location? FoEA Climate Frontlines, in partnership with the Climate Change Network of the Pacific Islands Council of Qld Inc (PICQ), organised two online forums to begin exploring the topic on 19 October and 9 November 2020. The videos are available at foe.org.au/cr141_frontlines.Some of these sessions have formed the basis of articles for this edition of Chain Reaction. These were followed up by two-half day webinars on the afternoon of 22nd and morning of 23rd July 2021, aiming to sharpen the insights from the forums and generate a sharing of ideas and constructive discussion that recognised the depth and breadth of the challenges and began to open up collaborative pathways to address them. Adding to strong voices from the Pacific, offering a range of political, academic, UN-related, church and community organisation perspectives, the webinars included input from Warraber man Kabay Tamu, one of the Torres Strait 8 who have lodged a complaint with the UN Human Rights Council about the Australian government’s inaction. Also included were two Australia-based academics focusing on avenues for strengthening international human rights and other relevant legal instruments for addressing the critical climate change challenges faced by atoll nations. Some of these sessions have formed the basis of articles for this edition of Chain Reaction. Watch recordings of some of the presentations at foe.org.au/cr141_frontlines. Watch now

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