Extreme Weather Events Underline Need For Climate Action In Pacific
On World
Environment Day (June 5), the international aid organisation
says it’s the right time to reflect on what more needs to
be done to ensure communities in the Pacific can thrive in
the face of the massive challenge of climate
change. World Vision’s International Partnerships
Director, TJ Grant, says already this year the Pacific has
faced another round of devastating tropical cyclones, with
Vanuatu particularly hard-hit. “Climate change is
already devastating communities in the Pacific because it
causes food shortages, affects water supplies, and impacts
homes and livelihoods. The situation will only continue to
worsen if we don’t take action now to mitigate and adapt
to these extreme weather patterns,” he says. “We
know our Pacific neighbours are acutely vulnerable to
climate change with rising sea levels meaning land and some
homes are disappearing before their eyes. It is
heart-breaking for communities, especially when they are
then hit by destructive natural disasters, such as
cyclones.” Grant says World Vision is already
implementing a range of simple and cost-effective grassroots
initiatives to help communities combat and survive the
impact of climate change. In the Solomon Islands,
World Vision’s Project Officer, George Ganiau, says sea
level rise is forcing some villagers to move to higher
ground.
“Talking about climate change is a sad
story for us. The sea level rise in Solomon Islands is three
times faster than the global average. It will likely create
a new generation of migrants,” he says. However,
World Vision is working with communities in Solomon Islands
to help them adapt to the effects of climate change,
including a mangrove planting programme to buffer against
high tides and prevent erosion. Communities have also
been trained in “re-greening” techniques, such as Farmer
Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), a simple and
cost-effective land restoration initiative that helps to
improve the soil structure and fertility, inhibit erosion,
rehabilitate the water table, and encourage
biodiversity. A community leader from the North
Malaita region, Mr Finle, says the FMNR programme is welcome
given the impact of logging in Solomon Islands. "I am
encouraged to protect trees because we can see many areas in
our country are losing their soil fertility because of
logging and another unsustainable harvesting of trees," he
says. In Vanuatu, a country that is ranked one of the
most vulnerable to natural disasters, World Vision is
working to help communities prepare, respond and recover
from disasters. The National Director of World Vision
Vanuatu, Kendra Gates Derousseau says the climate crisis
means ensuring food security is a major
priority. She says in the aftermath of Cyclones
Judy and Kevin in March this year, a survey found 42% of
those in the hardest-hit areas did not have enough food to
eat each day. “These violent cyclones destroy crops
and vegetable gardens meaning people have no access to fresh
fruit and vegetables. Following the cyclones, nearly
two-thirds of people in the worst affected areas had not
eaten any fresh fruit or vegetables and this obviously goes
on to affect health and wellbeing,” she says. As
part of its climate change resilience work, World Vision
Vanuatu is growing and distributing seedlings and tools to
the islands of Tanna and Efate and training people to build
cyclone resilient homes. “We’re working
with communities to help them build cyclone-safe housing and
crops so that they are more able to survive and recover
quickly from any future cyclone or natural
disaster. “We’re focused on creating sustainable
housing and livelihoods, but also on developing a stronger
sense of wellbeing in our communities because these natural
disasters create psychological trauma as well as well as
material disadvantage,” she says. Grant says World
Vision New Zealand is focused on ramping up its programmes
to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the Pacific, in
particular efforts to “re-green” communities and work to
create strong and sustainable communities that can thrive in
the face of extreme weather
events. ENDS You can donate
to help World Vision’s work in the Pacific by
visiting: wvnz.org.nz/donate-pacific Media
Contact: For further information or to organise an
interview, please contact Kirsty Jones - Kirsty.jones@worldvision.org.nz
or (09) 580
7753 World
Vision New Zealand is highlighting the urgent need for more
innovative grassroots initiatives to help communities in the
Pacific mitigate and adapt to climate
change.