“If there’s no seat at the table, take a folding chair. If there’s no chair, sit on the floor, rally outside, and make your voice heard.”
These were the reflections of the Regional Pacific Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Hub Technical Advisor Vanda Fa’asoa-Chan Ting after the International Women’s Day Panel for the Hub earlier this week.
“It was really great to hear of the ladies’ experiences in the climate change space and how they’ve broken the bias through their work over the years,” Fa’asoa-Chan Ting said.
International Women’s Day at the Regional Pacific NDC Hub spurred an intentional discussion amongst women and climate leaders in the story of Pacific Women and the Journey of Creating Space and Progress in the Climate Arena, one folding chair at a time.
Studies show that stronger gender equality corresponds to increased climate resilience. The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th assessment report warns us that “the world faces unavoidable multiple climate hazards over the next two decades with global warming of 1.5°C. Even temporarily exceeding this warming level will result in additional severe impacts, some of which will be irreversible”.
Addressing gender inequality is crucial in fighting this climate crisis.
Senior Technical Advisor with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Christine Fung said it was important to keep the conversation going on these issues because while progress will be made in some areas, new challenges and obstacles would also arise.
“The discussions underline that we cannot tackle climate change and resilient development if gender inequality and bias still exists. NDCs ultimately aim to tackle climate change and to put us on a pathway to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. If we do not address gender inequality, we will most certainly not achieve what NDCs intend and climate resilient development” Fung said.
Four amazing Pacific women shared their experiences and knowledge on how gender equality is critical in addressing the current climate crisis:
- Ms. Noelene Nabulivou - Executive Director, DIVA for Equality, Fiji and Convenor, Women Defend Commons Network
- Ms. Ulamila Kurai-Wragg –PhD candidate at the University of Canterbury with her thesis focussing on gender in the Fijian and Cook Island culture
- Ms. Toiata Uili - Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Samoa Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment – Renewable Energy Division
- Ms. Vanda Faasoa Chan-Ting - Technical adviser for the Regional Pacific NDC Hub, based with SPREP, Samoa.
The speakers discussed the issues that our Pacific women are facing in this climate crisis and the advancements made in the Pacific and challenges that still need to be overcome. Issues discussed included:
- Basic needs (clean water, healthy food, shelter) of vulnerable women are right now being ravaged by current extreme weather events. Community outreach and local, national and regional networks plays a critical role in empowering women. Creating a community of learning, sharing and on-the-ground support is necessary.
- Pacific Island countries need to have a ‘national gender and climate change focal point’ under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Currently no Pacific Island state has nominated a gender focal point.
- Youth and young women are now more actively involved in the UNFCCC COP meetings. Pacific women climate leaders can offer mentorship and support to these emerging climate warriors
- The cultural norms that contribute to women’s vulnerabilities needs to change and change will need to come from within the systems
- Wider awareness and education on what gender really means, re-assessing the typically assigned roles given to males and females and breaking existing stereotypes, is needed if we are to fight this climate crisis together
- Having a regional data/information hub on gender and climate change will be valuable in promoting and fighting for gender and climate change issues and advancing in breaking biases in this area.
The discussions were enriched by the diverse experiences shared by the speakers who come from civil society, non-governmental, government, regional, academic and media backgrounds.
Faasoa-Chan Ting commented that, “Everyone’s contribution through their efforts all count towards their country’s NDC which collectively speak volumes of the monumental effort from our Pacific people to do what we can in order to stay within 1.50C, be it through academia, community work, national or regional work.”
The event was organised by the Regional Pacific NDC Hub: https://pacificndc.org/
