Page 29 - Islands Business June 2023

Climate Change

NOT TOO LATE: THELMA

YOUNG-LUTUNATABUA

By Sera Tikotikovatu-Sefeti

Not Too Late is the name, and the message of a new book
edited by a woman with strong Fiji connections, for people
concerned about climate change.
Thelma Young-Lutunatabua and her collaborator, Rebecca
Solnit, wrote the book to overcome the negative messages
which can dominate discussions about the climate crisis.
The Texan-born woman, who followed her heart to Fiji
seven years ago, is now settled, married with a child, and
proudly calls Fiji her second home.
“So often with climate change, the main stories we tell are
the stories of doom and gloom, you know, and if you see it in
the movies, it is always about dystopia and how the world has
fallen apart, and things are terrible,” she says.
“But that doesn’t have to be the future; that is con-
structed, I think. Especially being in Fiji, having a baby here,
thinking about raising my child in Fiji, and what the country
and the region will look like 50 years from now, it means that
I can’t give up on our future, and so I’m not going to give in to
the doom and gloom.”
Young-Lutunatabua says her collaboration with well-known
author, Rebecca Solnit, came by chance in the early days of
COVID-19.
“I connected with Rebecca randomly on the internet, and
we realised that we have this shared passion about hope, and
just by talking about the things we want to fight in the world,
to not only make it, but build a better world; we both have
this passion to wave the banner of hope so that people don’t
give up on the climate crisis,” she said.
Not Too Late collects writing from 20 different authors with of the US that is a high producer of oil and gas. “The hard
many different perspectives, including Fenton Lutunatabua part is that these oil and gas companies, who are so used to
(Fiji) and Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner (Marshall Islands). An accompa- having power, are so entrenched in that culture, so it is a
nying study guide includes prompts for discussions, research, challenge to change their companies’ minds and to admit to
presentations, and written assignments. what they have done and also pay reparations.”
Young-Lutunatabua says: “We worked especially with She reflects on the differences between US and Pacific
the Marguerite Casey Foundation, and they paid for a large cultures.
number of books... they were able to buy those books and get “The US is so focused on what I can do? How do I change my
them into the communities, especially low-income communi- consumer habits? How do I drive? That is the mindset of the
ties, who may not usually have access to eBooks.” western world.
Not Too Late has been used in high schools and college “Whereas in the Pacific, it is so much more about com-
courses and in book clubs. munity, both community action and then also community
“We really designed the book to be utilised, especially by consequences.”
people who are new to climate change; we wanted it to be She does see change based on financial pragmatism.
really accessible and not too dense. “Companies are seeing that in the long run, they’ll actually
She adds: “We really wanted this book to help spark peo- have better financial investments if they actually switch to
ple’s imaginations and spark their beliefs in their own power. renewable energy, so you are seeing a lot of companies just
“While grief is associated with the current climate emer- kind of, reading the writing on the walls and shifting them-
gency the world faces, it does not stop at grief. We have to selves, not through an ethical perspective, but just through a
pick ourselves up and keep on going and keep on fighting financial perspective.”
because it matters for Fiji and for so many islands.”
As a Texan, Young-Lutunatabua originally hails from a part Continued on page 31

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