CLIMATE CHANGE & THE PACIFIC

JUA RSE S O UTR C E F O RF S C HAO O L SC F R O MT S T H E E D M U N D R I C E C E N T R E W W W . E R C . O R G . A U

Guide for Teachers & THE Climate change is having a major impact on the islands PACIFIC and population of the vast Pacific Ocean, with its more This resource contains: than 7,500 islands and 9.2 million people being affected A Guide for Teachers in a number of ways. An information sheet and answers to Frequently The changing climate has resulted in rising sea levels, Asked Questions dying coral reefs, increases in temperatures, changing Cross-curricular rainfall patterns and more intense cyclones and storms, activities among other effects. As many islands are small and only a few metres above they are prone to flooding and salt water inundation, contaminating soil and drinking water. Most communities depend on fishing as a major component of their diet and as sea temperatures changes then fishing becomes more problematic.

These are just a few examples of the issues confronting the communities of the Pacific Ocean at the present time.

Goals Introducing the material

The Fact Sheet (FAQ) and Learning Objective: Have the students brainstorm questions should assist the topic Climate Change and students to: To provide a means of the Pacific Ocean using the Understand the geography ascertaining how much prior following questions (or others and the communities of knowledge the students have of your choosing) and write the Pacific Ocean on climate change and the their answers on the board. Pacific Ocean: Acquire knowledge of What do you know about climate change and its the Pacific Ocean? Watch the videos ‘ impact on the Pacific Who lives there and what SOS’ (4 minutes) Ocean and the people who are their lives like? live there What is climate change? www.youtube.com/watch? Develop informed opinions What is its impact on v=LYuHisUrsNE on the impact of climate islands in the Pacific change and responses to Ocean? it www.youtube.com/watch? v=Z5wRA6AipH4 JUST FACTS - CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE PACIFIC FACT SHEET

The islands have limited Introduction Impacts of climate To the north and east of natural and human change in the Pacific resources to cope with Australia lies the Pacific Many of the Pacific island emergencies and changing Ocean, a vast region at the countries are extremely weather patterns. Climate forefront of human induced vulnerable to climate change change is already climate change. There are because of a combination of impacting on fisheries; this over 7,500 islands in the factors. Pacific, with approximately will have a major effect on 300 inhabited. The 22 The islands are often small the island’s economies. countries and territories of and not very high above the Pacific have a combined sea level. For example, on Specific Examples population of 9.2 million. the highest point In Kiribati, it is estimated a above sea level is about 5 1m rise in sea level will Pacific island countries have a metres. inundate over 12% of the unique combination of The islands are spread land. geographical, biological, across vast distances With people moving from cultural and economic which make it difficult to the outer islands to larger characteristics. Over coordinate responses to atolls, population pressures thousands of years, its the problems of climate increase. Tarawa, the peoples have developed change. capital of Kiribati, is cultures closely connected to The farming land, overpopulated and poor the land and sea. The rich settlements, tourism and sewage is tainting the water diversity of the forests and transport are often supply and spreading ocean have provided concentrated in the disease. abundant food, medicines, coastal areas that would With a 2 degree temperature building materials and fibres be affected by rising sea rise, for daily life as well as levels. intensities in the north-west inspiration for cultural Many of the islands are Pacific are expected to stories, music and art. prone to natural disasters increase by 12-15% and such as cyclones. Although average rainfall to decrease Traditionally Pacific islanders cyclones may become less by 12-28%. were subsistence farmers and frequent their intensity Inshore fishing, the fisher folk, but their fragile will increase, causing mainstay of the local environments are greater damage. economy, is under threat increasingly threatened by The islands have fragile from even slight rises in population growth, environments that may be water temperature. commercial interests and unable to cope with the In 2013, the Marshall Islands especially climate change. impacts of climate change. declared a national Coral polyps are very emergency after a number Climate change is not an sensitive to temperature of severe caused intangible or far removed change and there is by climate change. Over future threat. It is impacting concern that many of the 6,000 people were affected on the Pacific countries and Pacific’s coral reefs will and were surviving on less territories right now. die. than one litre of water a day. Climate models show that However, much more needs This leads to increasing a 10% reduction in to be done. For example, damage, climate change and average rainfall by 2050 is allowing Pacific islanders to wasteful consumption. It likely to correspond to a come to Australia for seasonal leads to a throwaway culture 20% reduction in the size work to provide their families that negatively impacts on of freshwater lens on with remittance income but the poorest communities. Tarawa Atoll, Kiribati. also return home would be of Here is the link between the great benefit; as would cry of the poor and the cry of allowing migration on special the earth. Responses visas to enable them to return Pacific island countries have to their families and friends The environmental problem been: over the long term. is part of a much larger Fighting for action that will problem – the failure to reduce the emissions of recognise the truth that we greenhouse gases. A manifesto for a new are all, everyone and Implementing policies to earth and new humanity everything, interconnected. adapt to the changing Pope Francis has issued an climate. encyclical, ‘Laudato Si – On Relocating citizens away Care of Our Common Home’. from the problem areas.

They have formed the Pacific It is an ‘appeal for a new Islands Framework for Action dialogue about the future of on Climate Change, and also our planet where everyone is have created the South included in the conversation Pacific Sea Level and Climate because the environmental Monitoring Project to collect challenge we are undergoing, data and develop measures and its human roots, concern to alleviate the impact of and affects us all”. (LS 14) climate change, as well as many projects in their own The document highlights the countries. interconnectedness and interdependence of all Australia’s aid programs, creation and how humanity directed at the vulnerable has been damaging the earth atolls, have combined by a technology and increased training and economics not based on education opportunities with moral values. adaptation funding. JUST FACTS - CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE PACIFIC FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is global warming What are the Pacific As sea temperatures and what is climate Island countries in the rise, what will happen? change? western Pacific? Higher sea levels as water Global warming refers to the Papua New Guinea; Solomon expands when it heats up rise of average surface and Islands; Vanuatu; Fiji; Samoa; and ice melts ocean temperatures on Earth. Tonga; Niue; Tuvalu; Cook Stronger storms and An overwhelming scientific Islands; French Polynesia; cyclones consensus agrees that global Kiribati; Tokelau; New Fishing may suffer as fish warming is primarily caused Caledonia; Marshall Islands; and the small creatures on by the human use of fossil Nauru; Federated States of which they feed move to fuels, which releases carbon Micronesia; Palau. cooler waters and new dioxide and other greenhouse species invade gases into the air. Climate Weather patterns will change refers to the changes What are the main change in the climate caused by activities and Coral reefs, which protect global warming. occupations? many atolls and harbour The majority of people live a fish, may die as coral subsistence life, growing their polyps are very sensitive to How big is the Pacific own food and keeping temperature change Ocean? livestock in their village. It is the largest of the oceans, Fishing plays a very important Why is a covering a third of the Earth’s role, and fish is an important problem? surface. Its area is 161.8 part of their diet. There are Many islands are small and million square kilometres, some commercial activities are only a few metres and extends from the Arctic on the main islands and above sea level with a Ocean in the north to the tourism is very important. fragile environment Southern Ocean in the south Coastal villages will be and is bounded by Australia How is climate change flooded, lose land or have and Asia in the west and the it become too salty for Americas in the east. It impacting the Pacific? Rising sea levels growing crops compromises about 46% of Increases in temperatures Sea water may the world’s surface water. both on land and in the contaminate limited oceans supplies of fresh water How many people call Changing ocean currents Storms will have a greater the Pacific Ocean home? Changing rainfall patterns impact on coastal There are over 7,500 islands Dying of coral reefs communities in the Pacific Ocean and More intense cyclones and Many people will have to approximately 300 are more damaging storm move to other larger inhabited. The 22 countries surges islands or higher ground or and territories have a Loss of local economies emigrate to other combined population of 9.2 Coastal erosion countries, such as New million. Increased occurrence of Zealand and Australia droughts JUST FACTS - CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE PACIFIC RESEARCH QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS

Learning objectives: 5. Select an issue affecting a 8. Explain and illustrate by To research and study the Pacific island country, such as examples the following words impact of climate change on the biodiversity, climate change, and/or concepts: Pacific Ocean and on the fishing, logging, tourism or deforestation, degradation, peoples and communities of the development and consider how coral bleaching, ecotourism, Pacific and to come to an the lifestyle of people here in environmentally displaced understanding of measures to Australia might contribute to people, exclusive economic assist and alleviate the impact this issue. zone, marine sanctuary, of climate change. (a) How can people in Australia , salt water change their behaviour to contamination, sustainability, Questions contribute to achieving better sustainable tourism outcomes for Pacific islanders? 1. Explain how climate change (b) Create a fact sheet to ·9. Watch the video of Tinaai impacts on agriculture, coastal educate your family, friends and and Vasiti from Kiribati: systems, ecosystems and water others in your community to www.youtube.co.//watch? for Pacific islands. educate them about these v=LYuHisUrsNE issues. 2. Imagine that you are a (a) What important issues are fisherman or farmer on a Pacific 6. Choose one of the raised in the video? island. Explain how climate environmental issues in the (b) What is your response? change has affected your life Pacific and write a poem or and livelihood. song to express your feelings Thinking More Deeply about the issue. 3. (a) What is the importance of 10. A futures wheel is a coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean? 7. (a) In a small group, choose a diagram that shows the future (b) How are they formed and Pacific island community and consequences of an event or what impact is climate change collect a variety of images of the trend. The direct (first-order) having on them? environment and living consequences are in the first conditions in the country. circle and the indirect 4. Form a small group and each (b) Sort the images into two (second-order and third- choose one of the following: groups to present two order) consequences are in marine biologist, farmer, contrasting views – one that the outer circles. Construct a doctor, government official, shows the benefits of living in futures wheel that predicts fisherman, tourism operator, the country and one that shows the consequences of climate mother and emergency aid the drawbacks of living there. change for Pacific islands. worker. Talk about how you feel (c) Which group of images do about climate change, how it is you think is the most realistic? 11. The Pacific islands have affecting your life and what you (d) Find out if solutions can be been called “the canaries in would like to see done. found to address the negative the coalmine”(The Pacific features depicted in the second Ecologist). Explain how you group of images without think Pacific Island people threatening the positive feel about this term? features depicted in the first group of images. 12. A report by Australian 14. Examine the information government officials in 2006 available on sustainable warned of a flood of tourism and forestry. In small environmentally displaced groups discuss the impact of people across the Asia-Pacific these activities on the culture, region. Do you think Australia environment and economy of and other developed nations Pacific island states. Or you should accept those who are may choose one particular deemed to be country to examine. environmentally displaced? Justify your views. Fact Sheets and other information may be found at 13. According to the the following sites: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), ‘small Pacific Climate Change island states account for less Science: than 1% of global greenhouse www.pacificclimatechange gas emissions but are among science.org the most vulnerable of all locations to the potential Pacific Calling Partnership: adverse effects of climate www.erc.org.au/pcp change and sea level rise.’ Consider your response to Kiribati Climate Action this statement. Network: (a) What role might Australia www.kirican.wordpress.com play in supporting strategies to reduce Pacific Island Climate Action emissions? Network: (b) What is the Federal www.pacificclimateaction government’s current policy network.wordpress.com on this issue? (c) Write a letter to the editor The first climate refugees? of a newspaper to express Contesting global narratives your views on this matter. of climate change in Tuvalu Your letter should cover the http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/vie effects of climate change on wcontent.cgi? the small island states and article=8119&context=scipap the responsibilities of people ers in Australia.