Pacific Island groups come together to fight climate change
The fourth Pacific Ocean Pacific Climate Change Conference (POPCCC) was held in Sāmoa in May, with the aim to raise awareness about specific challenges faced by Pacific islands as a result of climate change, which Pacific leaders have identified to be the single greatest threat to the security and livelihoods of Pacific people.
Jointly organised by Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, the National University of Samoa (NUS), the Pacific Climate Change Centre (PCCC), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the conference was attended by a number of Te Herenga Waka academics along with the Assistant Vice-Chancellor Pasifika, Associate Professor Hon. Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban.
Academics, politicians, researchers, people from faith communities, activists, and those from the private sector and public service all came together to collaborate and contribute to this important cause.
“The highlight was the spirit of coming together,” says Dame Winnie. “If you have all the countries in the region standing together it has more impact. What’s important is the voices of each of the Pacific groups. Each of the Pacific voices is strong—they’re strong because they come together.”
The conference was hosted by the National University of Samoa in Apia, and featured an array of workshops, including some run by Te Herenga Waka academics from across disciplines: Professor James Renwick, Professor Alberto Costi, Professor Robyn Phipps, and Professor Tim Naish, as well as PhD student Ryan Simpson.
“This conference is a celebration of the fact that New Zealand is of the Pacific and no one is immune from climate change and what’s happening to our oceans. It’s also about the importance of building relationships across the Pacific,” Dame Winnie says.
The POPCCC provides a platform to promote sustainable solutions and innovations for mitigating and adapting to climate change in the Pacific region, as well as to advocate for global climate action and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It also facilitates knowledge sharing and collaboration among experts, policy-makers, researchers, and community leaders, as well as a pathway for research and articles.
The conference was attended by a diverse group of people including Sāmoa’s Prime Minister, Hon. Fiame Dr. Naomi Mataafa, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni, and Miss Pacific Islands and Miss Samoa, Moemoana Safa’atoa Schwenke, who is a climate activist and amplified the younger voice during the discussions.
“Bringing the different groups of people together from academic through to grass roots is what it’s all about,” says Dame Winnie. “The hospitality of the National University of Samoa was amazing, they showed such generosity of spirit.”
Alberto Costi, Professor of Law at Te Herenga Waka, said that the POPCCC exists to encourage meaningful conversations and come up with solutions to counter the impacts of climate change.
“Obviously there were times during our discussions this week where the scenario was doom and gloom, which we cannot deny, but what I find encouraging, as it was also highlighted by Prime Minister Fiame of Sāmoa, as well as Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku of Tonga, is that there is still hope,” he said. “This gives meaning to the work we are doing, and we look forward to continuing this in the coming years.”
The next POPCCC will be held in the Solomon Islands in 2026.