Page 11 - Islands Business October 2023 edition

CLIMATE INFORMATION SERVICES Referendum

supporting resilience in Vanuatu

Better, enhanced climate information in Vanuatu is building resilience in the sectors of agriculture, fisheries,
infrastructure, tourism and water.

The five-year Vanuatu Klaement Infomesen blog Redy, Adapt mo Protect (Van-KIRAP) Project is funded by the
Green Climate Fund and implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme
in partnership with the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department, Commonwealth Scientific and
Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, and APEC Climate Center.

Making an impact for resilience

• Empowering climate-resilient road design in Vanuatu

• Established a Flood Management Plan and Early Warning System for the Sarakata community in Santo
• Helping Vanuatu growers be prepared through early warning climate systems through
a tailored system for climate services (OSCAR system)
• Enabling riverside communities to prepare, plan for and respond to flooding through flood
management plans and early warning systems

• Opening Climate Community Centres in Luganville, Nakere in Santo island, Sola island, Lakatoro
in Malekula island, Isangel, Tanna island and Saratamata in Ambae island VOICE. TREATY. TRUTH.

• Amplifying climate and weather information through empowering Vanuatu media
By Nic Maclellan If adopted by this month’s referendum, the proposed Voice
• Supporting accurate data collection for weather and climate forecasting would be established by Parliament as an independent body,
• Rescue and digitising climate records to increase climate knowledge through research Across Australia this month, voters will decide whether to elected by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voters. It
and science to services change the Constitution and create a Voice to Parliament—a would likely have local and national structures that will be
body to advise the Australian government on laws and policies able to advise parliament and government about matters
• Working in partnership with communities to develop a valuable Traditional Knowledge resource that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. affecting the lives of indigenous peoples.
Voters go to the polls on 14 October to vote Yes or No on a In the past, there were a series of structures that served
• Expanding and strengthening the Vanuatu Climate and oceans observations network proposed law “to alter the Constitution to recognise the first as a national forum for indigenous leaders to engage with
• Enhanced and tailored climate information and tools for climate sensitive sectors peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Australian politicians and bureaucrats. But all have been
Strait Islander Voice”.
subject to political pressure or de-funding: the Aboriginal
• Development of the Vanuatu Climate Futures Portal Elected in May 2022, the ALP government led by Prime and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), founded in
to deliver and visualise tailored geo-referenced Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to hold this referendum 1990, was abolished in 2005 by the conservative Howard
within its first term of office. But the Voice proposal is part
government. Since then, indigenous leaders have sought to
climate change projections to support decision of a larger process on indigenous rights, addressing calls from entrench an advisory body within the Constitution to protect a
making, planning and climate change adaptation peoples who make up just 3% of the Australian population. mechanism for ongoing representation and recognition.
In 2017, more than 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Beyond this, Australia has never negotiated a formal
leaders met at Uluru in the heart of central Australia. treaty with First Nations, in contrast to other Anglophone
Go to vmgd.gov.vu for the latest information Their summit debated possible changes to the Australian governments that have developed treaties with sovereign
about weather and climate. constitution to formally recognise the country’s First Nations, indigenous peoples, such as the Treaty of Waitangi in Aotearoa
and an overwhelming majority of participants adopted the (Despite this failure at national level, Northern Territory,
Follow VanKIRAP on Facebook to learn more! “Uluru Statement from the Heart.” Victoria and South Australia have all begun Treaty processes
Professor Megan Davis, a Cobble Cobble woman and a at state and territory level, including the creation of a First
leading architect of the Uluru Statement, says indigenous Nations Peoples’ Assembly in Victoria in 2019).
peoples want Voice, Treaty and Truth: “We call for the The third Uluru call—for Truth—involves acknowledgement,
establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the apology and potentially reparations for the sordid history
Constitution and seek a Makarrata Commission to supervise that has devastated indigenous peoples and South Sea
a process of agreements between governments and First Islanders over many generations: the foundational violence
Nations, and truth-telling about our history.” of dispossession, land theft and massacres; black birding
Bureau of Meteorology

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