Climate Justice Statement
Statement
By Pacific Youth and RTT Pacific
The UN Secretary-General described the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report to be a “code red for humanity”. Addressing the threat of exceeding the maximum threshold of 1.5° C, he called on government leaders, business, and civil society to establish a united front for the benefit of all- especially those in frontline communities who continue to suffer the most from the current climate crisis.
Frontline communities within the Pacific region continue to grapple with the twin existential threats of nuclear contamination and climate change. The Runit Dome on Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands is a clear example of this as rising sea levels pose a significant threat to its structure. High amounts of radioactive leakage from this dome may have devastating impacts on the health of our people, land, ocean, and the pacific fisheries supply chain that is heavily relied upon by our Pacific Island communities. The toxic nuclear legacy that has been left behind in the Pacific has yet to be addressed and compensated for.
Unity in the Pacific is imperative in ensuring the protection and security of our natural environment. Pacific youth voices must continue to be amplified and allowed ample opportunity to provide fresh, unique perspectives on the climate crisis and ways of achieving nuclear justice.
We, as Pacific Youth and members of RTT Pacific:
Recognize the long term humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear testing that exists within the Pacific. The overall assistance provided by nations responsible for conducting nuclear tests is insufficient to compensate for the ongoing disasters in the Pacific countries of the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, and French Polynesia. We stress the urgency of these nations to take accountability and provide the adequate compensation that these Pacific countries are entitled to.
Take into account the loss and damage inflicted by the climate crisis which is fuelled by high polluting countries and industries. Loss and damage in the Pacific Islands is inclusive of economic losses such as loss of food, infrastructure, and revenue and non-economic losses such as culture and identity which are intrinsically tied to the land in which Pacific people reside. We stress the importance of providing technical, financial, and capacity-building support to Pacific states in addressing loss and damage.
Recommend that wealthy countries increase their funding to small islands developing states in the Pacific, particularly for adaptation, given their increasing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. It is concerning that despite their vulnerability to climate change, small island developing states including those in the Pacific receive relatively little climate finance and even then, the majority of that climate finance comes in the form of loans and other non-grant instruments that need to be repaid - saddling countries already steeped with debt with even more debt. It has also been noted that despite the call of Pacific island leaders to the contrary, the international community continues to prioritise climate financing to the Pacific on mitigation as opposed to adaptation - ignoring the immediate needs of Pacific island communities to adapt.
Emphasize the importance of empowering Pacific youth organizations. It is crucial to encourage youth leadership and participation in the Pacific by amplifying the voices of young people and providing a platform for youth in the international policy forum. The young people of the Pacific have unique insights into the social and cultural contexts of Pacific states, equipping them with the knowledge necessary to develop comprehensive and informed responses to contemporary regional challenges catered to work within the Pacific context.
Call for the inclusion of indigenous customary practices in climate adaptation policies and programs. Pacific states continue to experience the extreme catastrophic impacts of the climate crisis though they contribute little to its effects. From time immemorial, the people of the Pacific have been at the forefront of local sustainability practices which have been woven into the fabrics of their cultures and traditions. Indigenous knowledge and initiatives are vital within the local, national and international spheres to provide for better strategies in addressing nuclear and climate related issues.
Draw attention to the fact that the impacts of climate change are felt differently at community level but also by different members of communities. Climate financing needs to recognise the importance of both local solutions and local leadership where, importantly, the former is informed by a people-centred approach to creating and developing localised solutions. Climate financing must also recognise the ways that climate change impacts women, people with disabilities, indigenous people, people of diverse sexual orientations and young people differently and therefore the need for an approach that recognises the rights of people and their intersecting identities.
Urge Pacific Island States to support the universalization of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as a step towards achieving nuclear justice. The radioactive waste that has been produced by the testing of nuclear weapons in the Pacific must serve as a reminder of the existential threat we face as we continue to be forced to adapt to environmental catastrophes.
Note with great concern the threats that human induced climate change poses on our fundamental human rights including our right to health, water and sanitation, food, and life. Considering the recent recognition made by the Human Rights council on the right to a healthy environment, we call for the collaboration and cooperation of countries to support efforts in addressing the environmental crisis to provide for a stronger protection of this right.
As representatives of Reverse the Trend Pacific, we will continue the fight for nuclear and climate justice.
We are pleased that the Sustainable Ocean Alliance Pacific Hub has endorsed the statement.