Big picture Did you know that 44 nations could disappear under the sea within your lifetime? Pacific Islanders face a desperate need for climate action.
What to know Back in 2017, I had the privilege to attend as a student observer at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) International Conference of the Parties (COP 23) in Bonn, Germany.
The most striking presentation involved a group of representatives of the SIDS (small island developing states). The Pacific Climate Warriors spoke about the urgency of their daily and ever-present struggle against climate change.
A 2008 UN report found that the response of island nations to climate change is largely project-based, ad hoc, and heavily dependent on external resources. Australia and New Zealand have contributed financial support to adaptation efforts.
Bottom line For Pacific Islanders, climate action is more than just a school project, it is an existential threat.
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