PCFML Present at the United Nations Asia Pacific Climate Change Forum
Karl, Krishna and Smitha from PCFML at APAN8 Climate Change Forum in the Republic of Korea
In September 2023, Positive Change for Marine Life (PCFML) had the privilege of presenting our work at the 8th #APAN (Asia-Pacific Adaptation Network) Climate Change Forum hosted by the United Nations in Korea. Together with Oxfam in Bangladesh, we hosted sessions on building community-driven climate and nature resilience, alongside the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), as well as the Ministry of Environment Korea.
Our presentation, ‘Empowering Climate Resilience: Challenges and Opportunities of Practicing Transformative Adaptation through Decentralised Programs and Partner Collaborations’, spoke to our Waste to Wealth and Blue Forest Rewilding programs in India, while posing the question of how we can develop community-led approaches at scale to ensure climate adaptation before it’s too late?
We delved into three key areas :
- “Practicing Locally-Led Adaptation (LLA) through Partner Collaboration of AP-PLAT” highlighted the importance of a regional platform for the Asia-Pacific region. Empowering communities with essential information, tools, and capacity-building programs for climate change adaptation was a key focus.
- “The role of the Pacific Climate Change Center (PCCC) in advancing transformative climate change adaptation implementation in the Pacific” explored the tools used by Pacific Island practitioners to support ecosystem-based adaptation initiatives and assess the impact of past adaptation efforts to inform future strategies.
- “Marginalised communities as drivers of climate adaptation: strengthening resilience through decentralised food, water, waste, and rewilding programs” showcased inspiring case studies from India, Bangladesh, the Solomon Islands, and Australia. These initiatives, driven by marginalised communities for marginalised communities, demonstrated the incredible potential for inclusive, sustainable solutions.
Key Takeaways from APAN8
- Mutual learning from communities is paramount.
- Local voices must be central to projects, decision-making, and policy formation.
- Long-term projects are pivotal for successful behavioural change.
- Prioritising financing for communities, not just institutions, is essential.
- Simplifying data collection methodologies and involving communities as partners are vital.
Our Founder and CEO Karl Goodsell, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to our work and expressed the urgent need for community voices in decision-making processes.
“In the ambition of the #30×30 Goals, there are concerns that communities who are at the forefront of climate change and biodiversity loss are not being adequately represented or engaged. Without deep, ongoing community engagement, leadership, and opportunity, long-term change is impossible. I believe that it will actually create more problems, taking us further away from the goals that we are looking to achieve.” – Karl Goodsell.
Waste to Wealth Program Manager Krishna Kalidas
Highlights from our team
Bringing our new Waste to Wealth Program Manager Krishna Kalidas to Korea, his first time out of India, was one of the highlights of the Forum. Krishna has been the main driver of our work in Kerala and has come so incredibly far over the past 6 years. He grew up in the small-scale fishing communities in which we work, he understands the challenges that they face, as well as solutions within a local context.
The key question that emerged during the Forum was how we can leverage and prioritise voices like Krishna’s on platforms like APAN. How can we ensure that our systems are inclusive and representative, rather than primarily focusing on government leaders and university graduates who may lack a deep understanding of the ground realities?
As we continue our journey, we remain dedicated to amplifying the voices of marginalised communities, fostering local champions, and advocating for sustainable solutions that will benefit our planet and all its inhabitants. The APAN Forum was just one step forward in our ongoing mission to protect and restore nature in the face of an ever-changing climate.
If you would like to learn more about our three programs in India please click here.