Sarah L. Hemstock

A Case for Formal Education in the Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Sector for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Pacific Islands Region

The Pacific Small Island Developing States (P-SIDS) are extremely vulnerable to climate change impacts and natural hazards due to their geographical location, topography and major economic sectors (agriculture, tourism and fisheries). The sustainable development and even the mere existence of these P-SIDS are under threat. Regionally, leaders are aware of this vulnerability and many related projects have been conducted on a national and regional basis by different stakeholders. Limited availability of appropriate formal training related to climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in the region has led to: lack of locally trained people to implement and monitor projects; use of donor funds to support foreign experts; unsuccessful projects causing maladaptation or increasing vulnerability and risk. Findings from a regional needs and gap analysis indicate that formal qualifications which account for local contexts are required to build national capacity to: accurately monitor and assess impacts of climate change and natural hazards; identify solutions to reduce these risks; and plan, manage and implement risk reduction projects to reduce damage and losses. This paper makes the case for the introduction of formal and accredited qualifications in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in the technical, vocational education and training sector to support climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction in the Pacific Islands Region (PIR). The development of regionally-specific quality assured qualifications in this context is ground breaking and is the impetus for the European Union Pacific Technical Vocational Education and Training in Sustainable Energy and Climate Change Adaptation Project (EU PacTVET). Responsive and accredited regional qualifications should ensure that the interventions managed by those having these qualifications are really supporting sustainable development.

“God and Tonga Are My Inheritance!”—Climate Change Impact on Perceived Spritiuality, Adaptation and Lessons Learnt from Kanokupolu, ‘Ahau, Tukutonga, Popua and Manuka in Tongatapu, Tonga

Climate change is a significant threat to health and well-being, in particular to people’s spiritual well-being, in coastal areas and communities. This paper describes the findings of a 2013 study on impacts of climate change on people’s spiritual well-being in 5 coastal communities in Tongatapu, Tonga: Kanokupolu, ‘Ahau, Tukutonga, Popua and Manuka, using a concurrent convergence parallel triangulation design. Information was collected from a group of 460 participants aged 15–75 via self-administered questionnaire, in-depth interview (IDI), focus group discussions (FGD) and key information interviews (KII). There was a statistically significant difference between people whose spirituality was affected and those unaffected (p < 0.005). People who were worried and whose physical well-being were affected, emerged as the most strongly affected (χ2(4) = 15.780, p < 0.005). The same factor was explored qualitatively using thematic analytical strategy, and concluded that climate change had affected people’s spiritual well-being, negatively. Lessons learnt from this paper will be useful for people invested in policy practice, and pastorate serving the cause of holistic Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) in Tonga: preaching, fasting and praying to God to reverse climate change and its impacts, help State and Church to adapt more effectively and comprehensively.

Environmental and economic study for a prospective ethanol industry in Fiji

The study was performed to study the effect of producing ethanol from molasses or sugarcane juice to blend with gasoline and produce E10 fuel for the Fijian car fleet. Two cases were developed to assess the economic and environmental impacts of producing ethanol from these feedstocks and blending with imported motor spirit. It was found to offer many benefits such as Fiji can earn approximately FJ

Perspectives of artist–practitioners on the communication of climate change in the Pacific

7.2 million and save 22,730 tCO2 emissions annually with providing employment to many. The continuous increase in the importation of motor spirit demands the biofuel policy to be reviewed to encourage (E10) blending locally. Conversion of sugarcane juice to ethanol directly could sustain the current income generated from sugar and molasses exported. This sounds to be future solution to sustain the industry after the end of EU sugar quota and if the sugar price offered thereafter are not profitable.

The Potential of Sugarcane Bioenergy in Fiji

Purpose The study investigates the role of the visual arts for communicating climate change in a Pacific islands context, through the perspectives of artists and climate change practitioners. n nMethodology As part of an ‘Eco Arts’ project undertaken in Fiji, semi-structured research interviews were undertaken with artists and climate change practitioners. n nFindings Participants’ motivations to produce art reflected their personal concerns about, and experiences of, climate change. There was an intention to use arts-based approaches to raise awareness and promote action on climate change. The artwork produced drew on metaphors and story-telling to convey future climate impacts, and aspects of climate change relevant to Fijian and Pacific communities. n nResearch limitations The study reports the perspectives of participants and discusses the potential uses of arts communication. Conclusions cannot be drawn from the findings regarding the effectiveness of specific artwork or of arts communication as a general approach. nOriginality/value The present study identifies the motivations and objectives of artist-practitioners involved in climate change communication. We highlight the role of personal experience, and their use of artistic concepts and creative considerations pertinent to the geography and culture of the Pacific region.

Communicating Climate Change: Reactions to Adapt and Survive Exhibition and Visitors’ Thoughts About Climate Change in the Pacific Islands Region

AbstractnBiomass production, utilization and losses from 1993 to 2012 were analysed in Fiji. Total theoretical annual average biomass potential is 83xa0PJ. Sugarcane alone is capable of generating potential energy of 52xa0PJ annually, and 137.64 million litres of ethanol could be produced from sugarcane, cassava and sweet potatoes per annum. Sugarcane (excluding the local sugar consumption) has the potential to produce 129.25 million litres of ethanol which is 29xa0% more than the total gasohol imported in 2010. Bagasse has the potential to generate 8.2xa0PJ of energy in Fiji.

Life Cycle Assessment of Sugarcane Growing Process in Fiji

This paper examines the content and responses to an art installation addressing climate change in the Pacific, collected at the Adapt and Survive exhibition held at the University of the South Pacific Oceania Centre Gallery in 2014. The artist statement on the exhibition emphasised that it sought to explore the causes and effects of climate change, and to raise awareness of its wider impacts for cultural loss and societal change. As well as conducting a series of interviews with the artist, visitors to the exhibition were invited to complete a short survey concerning their thoughts about climate change and reactions to the exhibition, both before and after they viewed the artworks. The artist’s perspectives emphasised the significance of climate change for the region, in the context of traditional responses to environmental problems. The audience survey results suggest that there were high levels of agreement among visitors that the place where they live is being affected by climate change. While emphasising both negative and positive emotional reactions to the artworks, people for the most part expressed confidence and hope that climate change can be effectively addressed, although there was uncertainty on whether or not Pacific islands had the resources to do so. Our study is limited by the small sample size available, but points to directions for future research in this under-developed field.

Capacity Development and TVET: Accredited Qualifications for Improving Resilience of Coastal Communities—A Vanuatu Case Study

AbstractnSugarcane is an economically important crop in Fiji as it has considerable impact on the gross domestic product and around 22% (200,000) of the population is directly or indirectly dependent on the sugarcane industry. Considering the importance of this crop, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed in order to understand environmental impacts. In this paper, Fijian sugarcane production was assessed to produce a set of LCA results for defined impacts. The results can be used in subsequent assessments of sugarcane-related products and provide significant insights into the current impacts. Life cycle impact assessment results were generated using CML, ReCiPe and Impact 2002u2009+ models running in Open LCA software using the Ecoinvent database. This connected the system flows and process flow to the product systems in order to calculate the life cycle impact assessment results to be based on local data for comparable and accurate evaluation. Previous analysis revealed that sugarcane production has a considerable impact on global warming potential because of the significant use of fossil fuels in farm machineries and transportation, and the production and use of agrochemicals. Results from this study show that sugarcane production has least impact on ozone layer depletion. Fertilizer production and usage was found to be one of the key issues affecting various impact categories. These results will assist further assessments on the sugarcane products and systems. However, in order to further develop the LCA tool for Fijian agricultural systems, development and testing of life cycle impact assessment models is necessary for Fijian conditions. This will ensure further accuracy of model outputs and supply more realistic and real-time results on emissions.

The biomass assessment handbook : bioenergy for a sustainable environment

For countries like Vanuatu, climate change is the most significant single threat to sustainable development, in particular due to the large proportion of the population living in coastal communities. Additionally Vanuatu is the world’s most at-risk country for natural hazards mainly affecting coastal communities (Birkmann and Welle in The world risk index, 2015). One of the key barriers to improving Pacific Island Countries’ resilience to climate change impacts is the lack of local and regional capacity and expertise resulting from the absence of sustainable accredited and quality assured formal training programs in climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk management (DRM) (Jordon et al. in Climate change policy in the European Union: confronting the dilemmas of adaptation and mitigation. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom, 2010; Martin et al. in Training needs and gap analysis. Suva, Fiji, 2015). The European Union funded PacTVET project has partnered with The Pacific Community (SPC) and the German aid agency (GIZ) Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Region (CCCPIR) programme to support the delivery of the first accredited TVET certificate in Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction (CCDRR) in the Pacific Islands region. This TVET qualification provides outcomes based learning specifically focused on coastal communities through practical activities and field work involving vulnerable coastal areas throughout the provinces of Vanuatu. The delivery of the CCDRR course is being led by the Vanuatu government through the Vanuatu Institute of Technology and is leading regional and global developments in formal accredited TVET training for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction.