Page 27 - IB December 2023

Labour Rights

More ambition and action for A Just Transition

Renewables: Mitigation away from Fossil Fuels

Samoa Minister for Natural Resources and Environment, Tuvalu Finance and Climate Change Minister, Hon. Seve
Hon. Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster, is our Pacific Political Paeniu, is our Pacific Political Climate Champion for a Just
Climate Champion for Climate Mitigation. Transition.
Mitigation reduces emissions and increases actions to The Just Transition should be linked to a moratorium on
renewable energy and other efforts to limit global temperature the issuing of new fossil fuel related investment, exploration,
increase to a 1.5 degrees Celsius future. or extractive licenses. ABOARD THE RUN DA VESSELS
Mitigation advocacy from the Pacific includes support for It should entail increased investment in Renewable Energy
phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and a moratorium on new and related Technologies. A WARNING FOR PACIFIC CREW
fossil fuel investments, exploration, or extractive licenses.
It must ensure a fair and equitable Transition away from
Pacific nations also support the call for updated and more Fossil Fuel and establish a verifiable timetable for Fossil Fuel By Patricia Kailola and Savenaca Kadavi/Human Dignity Group that Indonesian crew had been abused on Run Da 5. Similar
ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from phase-out. allegations were made on Indonesian social media groups. In
all Parties to the UNFCCC, as well as those who have not Sometime in 2018, a Fiji policewoman told us an incredible early 2023, staff at the IOM (International Organization for
signed. story about a young Fijian fellow who had been a deckhand Migration) office in Suva were alerted to the poor status of
crew member on the Run Da 5, a Chinese longline vessel the crew on Run Da 5 and its sister ship, Run Da 3, and that
licensed to fish in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean for the vessels were en route to Fiji. The vessels entered Fiji
southern albacore, tuna and tuna-like species; also licensed to waters in mid-March and one of them, Run Da 5, berthed at
transship on the high seas. Suva’s Princess Wharf on 17 April 2023.
Eventually, we spoke to the fellow, Tevita, who stays in Fourteen Indonesian crewmen disembarked and were met
an informal settlement in the Tamavua area. Even after him by IOM staff, Fiji Immigration, and a representative of the
telling us his story directly, we hesitated to reveal it, until the Embassy of Indonesia in Fiji. Six of the men returned to their
same vessel became embroiled in another controversy, which vessel, Run Da 3, but the remaining eight chose to remain in
saw 14 Indonesian men claim non-payment of wages and Suva where the IOM placed them in safe houses. Two months
physical and verbal abuse. later, their repatriation was facilitated. The decision of the
Tevita’s and his ship mates’ stories are told here. We use eight men not to return to work is significant because of the
their first names only to protect their identities. financial penalties they would face in Indonesia from their
recruiting agents for breaking their two-year contracts.
Indonesian crew rescued in Fiji News of their plight was reported by the Financial Times UK
In late 2022, the Korean non-government agency APIL on 23 May which stated: “The UK-based Environmental Justice
(Advocates for Public Interest Law) received allegations Foundation [EJF] has raised concerns over the operations

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