Page 39 - Islands Business May 2023

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Opinion Opinion

Stories of increasing resilience against climate change by strate that we are not drowning and that we want to reverse
Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are welcome. Equally welcome climate change are presented with names that are equally
are stories of joint efforts by regional learning institutions nostalgic and stimulating. ‘Lalaga’, for example, is Ton-
to teach and research climate change resilience. PIFS and gan Amelia Siamomua’s reimagining of Pacific regionalism.
state/national delegations , it is noted, are actively attending ‘Weaving the Ecological Mat,’ is Pacific Theological College’s
global consultations for a new international law to regulate/ contribution to the same theme. Others probe the prospect
reformulate the concept of statehood and Exclusive Economic of reforming aspects of capitalism itself. ‘New Pacific Con-
Zones (EEZ) in the event of sea-level rise. sciousness’ is former Nauru President Lionel Aingimea’s idea
Some other stories from PIF members give reasons for of reimagining Pacific epistemology and ‘Motu Folau Treaty,’
hope. Those from Tuvalu, for example, have been consis- by Cherelle Jackson Lagipoiva is another attempt similar in
tently uplifting over the years. In 2019, for example, then trajectory to that by former Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga’s
Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga rejected former Australian ‘United States of the Pacific’. Lagipoiva’s proposal, however,
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s suggestion that Pacific islanders is revisiting the idea of an ‘economic union’ that the foun-
of Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Nauru swap Australian citizenship for dation members of the South Pacific Forum had resolved to
maritime resources owned by them. This would have required pursue way back in 1971.
these PICs to surrender their respective sovereignty through “We are not drowning,” Pacific climate activist Suluafi
voluntary constitutional changes. This was to be a long-term Brianna Fruen declared at COP 26. “We are fighting!” To Hell
solution. with Drowning. Just hear our stories!
In response, Sopoaga came up with his idea of ‘United
States of the Pacific.’ This was an optional conceptual supra- editor@islandsbusiness.com
state construct along the lines of the European Union (EU) and
its raison d’etre was ‘to amplify their concerns about climate The author is a former Fijian Ambassador and Foreign Minis-
change on the global stage’. ter, and runs his own consultancy company in Suva, Fiji.
Fast forward to 2022, and Tuvalu’s current Foreign Minister,
Simon Kofe revealed that his country planned to use Web3 The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author
technology and the Metaverse to preserve its nature, history, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this publica-
culture and society in the future. tion.
Other initiatives that challenge the discourse and demon-

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