SHARM EL SHEIK, November 14 (IPS) – Taren Chilia loses school; his mother lost her job to Cyclone Pam – both survivors of increasingly extreme weather patterns caused by climate change. At COP27, the Pacific Community confirmed that loss and damage funds are needed to offset climate impacts. The only thing Taren Chilia remembers about Hurricane Pam is that it flattened his school in Vanuatu, swept away books, equipment and – well. , almost all of his dreams.
Cyclone Pam, a Category 5 hurricane, was one of the worst storms to hit the South Pacific island in 2015, displacing about 45% of its 270,000 people. It also resulted in several deaths and destruction of property, homes and crops. Human-caused climate change is warming ocean temperatures, fueling tropical storms caused by warm, humid air, scientists say.
In Vanuatu, the storm tore through the island of Efate in Shefa province, near the capital, Port Vila.
Chilia, now 20, from the village of Mele, recalls fleeing as the water rose as a storm swept through his village.
“I am at home with my father and mother, and the school is closed, everyone is at home. We couldn’t go outside, but we could hear the wind howling and thunder as my neighbors came to take us out of our house, which wasn’t safe from the storm,” said Chilia, then. is in elementary school, narrated. IPS on the edge of COP27 Summit.
On the global agenda of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the issue of loss and damage and how developing countries can be compensated for those losses. damage caused by the severe impacts of climate change. .
“As we rushed out of the house, I heard a big wave, and our village was flooded. The school has been washed away, like everything around it,” said Chilia, who was chosen to lay the first brick to rebuild the first classrooms in her village after the storm that devastated Pam.
With donations from wise men in Australia after Cyclone Pam hit, the villagers were challenged to rebuild Chilia’s school within three days, and they did.
“We used the large white tents donated by UNICEF as classrooms until we built the school. The whole village worked hard to build on the first day (ie) on Friday. The second day of the school opening ceremony, the third day the school opening ceremony. On Monday, we went back to school,” he said.
Climate justice delayed is justice denied
Chilia argues that Pacific islands like Vanuatu need to be compensated to repair and restore infrastructure lost to the effects of climate change. He said that developed nations responsible for the high carbon emissions that lead to global warming should take responsibility for their actions and pay the price.
Chilia told IPS: “I call on all countries of the world to promote climate equity for the Pacific islands by supporting (establishing) a loss and damage base at COP27 this. He explained that the Vanuatu government should seek advice from the International Court of Justice in resolving the issue of payment for losses and damages caused by climate change.
Developing countries that claim they have suffered the effects of climate change to which they have not contributed are promoting a loss and damage fund to offset climate impacts.
Espen Ronneberg, Senior Advisor, Multilateral Agreements on Climate Change for Pacific Community (SPC), said the loss and damage would continue without ambitious mitigation action and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. He says the effects of climate change are already being experienced.
“We are also looking at the future and how those impacts will worsen unless mitigation is enhanced and unless technical and financial assistance, for example, is also strengthened, ” said Ronneberg, who explains that the available resources are not suitable for – Purpose in addressing the current impacts of climate change in Pacific island nations.
“The kind of loss and damage we’re seeing right now and we’re predicting with different scenarios won’t really address those impacts. We know there’s humanitarian assistance, there’s Green Funds and Fund adaptation, but the he said.
“Loss and damage facilities are key to the Pacific Islands, but right now a lot remains unknown. We know what we don’t want. This must be resolved jointly with our development partners and everyone must be on the same page regarding loss and damage issues. We are not quite there yet.”
For Chilia, the effects of climate change are real.
“Climate change has affected me personally and affected human rights,” says Chilia. “My mother used to be a traveling saleswoman, but she returned home because a tornado destroyed her stall.”
Chilia says he is currently supporting his family.
“I’m the breadwinner of the house with seven people in my family, and I work a job in restaurants and bars just to feed my family.”
Chilia was unable to complete his high school after being forced to drop out when his mother lost her travel business. His father was unable to work after suffering from back pain. He used to work as a seasonal apple picker in Australia and New Zealand.
He said coming to COP27 was his first chance to travel, but the experience left him rich. He has learned a lot about climate change and can’t wait to tell his village about restoring lost coral reefs.
“I love to snorkel, and when I go snorkeling, I don’t see any colored reefs anymore, but we can do a lot to restore the reefs that we are working on. lost due to climate change”.
Vanuatu Island relies on coral ecosystems for economic benefits, livelihoods and coastal protection. Rising ocean temperatures have led to coral bleaching, while acidification has reduced the availability of calcium minerals in the water that corals need to grow and repair themselves.
“I had a dream – although my dream was shattered because I didn’t finish my 10th year of school and had to get a job to help support my family,” says Chilia. “But I want to draw the world’s attention to climate change,” said Chilia, who believes her active work as a member of Greenpeace Australia Thai Binh Yang will help make a difference.
Report of the United Nations Office IPS
By @IPSNewsUNBureau
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