1

CLIMATECHANGEAND ECOLOGICALJUSTICE

BY: REVEREND AKUILA YABAKI

WACCPACIFICPREASSEMBLYSEMINAR2011
U

Nukualofa,Tonga26th28thJuly
U

CLIMATECHANGEANDECOLOGICALJUSTICE.
U

Rev.AkuilaYabakiCCF,Fiji
U

ThewayofthePacificpeoplefacespossibleextinctionandisunfoldingrightbeforeoureyes! Weallknowandunderstandthereasonswhymanyofourpeopleareconsideredvictimsduetoeffects ofclimatechangeintheirtraditionalenvironments.Thedepletionoftheozonelayer,rising temperatures,themeltingicecapsandtheconsequentialriseinseawaterlevelsarejustsomefactors contributingtowidespreadimpactsbeingbroughtaboutbyitssideeffect.severeweatherconditions. InFiji,recentweatherphenomenonisindicativeofthechangingclimate.Cyclonesarestrongerleavinga trailofdestructioneveryyearonislandsintheirpath.Theprolongedrainyseasonseesentire communitiesfloodedandlivelyhoodslost.Hightidesofunprecedentedproportionsarethreatening thetourismindustryaswaswitnessedinMaythisyearwhenhugewavesinundatedresortsalongthe coralcoastinSigatokaforcingevacuationsandanearlyflighthomeformanyvisitors.OnJuly12thand 13ththerewasasevereseasurgewarninginthesameareaanditeventuatedandcauseddamage. OnKabara.Theconstanterosionofbeachesandfrequentstormsurgesisexpectedtoforcethefour villagesontheislandtomoveinland.Theircropsareindangerasseawaterthreatenstoleavetheir rootscropsinedible.Researchershavefoundthat,inonevillage,Naikeleyaga,thebeachhaseroded10 metresbackandnowthreatensthevillageschool. VillagersofanorthernislandofMali,locatedoffthecoastofVanuaLevuarewitnessingvisiblesignsof climatechangewhichisdirectlyaffectingtheirfoodsourceandlivelihood.Islandersdescribetheclimate changeeffectsasadevastatingreality. Thereisanoticeabledropinthefishpopulationintheirfishinggroundsandsignificantsignsofdead coralsandmangroves.Notonlyhasclimatechangeaffectedtheislandsfloraandfauna,itwasalsothe resultofpoorlandusepractisedinthepast. Overthepastdecade,PacificIslandNationshaveexperiencedunusualweatherpatternswith devastatingeffectsfromclimaterelatedhazards.Expertscallthishydrometeorologicalevents. Lossofland,cropsandfreshwatersuppliescausedbyrisingsealevelsaredestroyingpeoples livelihoodsandnopacificislandisbeingspared.

3 CycloneHeta,whichhitNiuein2004,generatedimmediatelossesthatexceededthe2003valueof GDPbyoverfivetimes; In2005,CookIslandsexperiencedfivemajorcyclonescrisscrossingitsislandswithunprecedented damagingeffects; HighsurfaffectedthenorthernPacificcountriesofMicronesiaandMarshallIslandsin2009,creating foodshortagesandhealthandsanitationconcernsforthelowlyingatolls; MassivefloodinginthedistrictsofNadiandBa,in2009causedeconomiclossesforfamiliesand businessesestimatedatmorethan$185million; 2009SolomonIslandsfloodinginGuadalcanalProvinceaffectedhundredsofvillagerscreatingserious disruptiontofoodsupplyandcommunallivelihoods,andcausingsecondaryhealthhazards. Scientistssaytheworldcannolongerignorethelinkbetweenclimatechangeandextremeweather events,andtheyareurgingcountriestofaceuptothegrowingrisksahead.NewZealanderKevin Trenberth,whoheadstheclimateanalysissectionattheNationalCenterforAtmosphericResearchin Colorado,saideventsofthepast18monthshadbeenextraordinary. Lastyearwasthewarmestonrecordandthatwarmingwasdirectlyrelatedtoincreasesincarbon dioxideintheatmosphere.ItbroughtwithitdevastatingfloodsinPakistanandaheatwaveinRussia, whichresultedinriotsaroundtheworldbecauseofincreasedfoodprices. SubsequentfloodsinSriLanka,BrazilandQueenslandalsobroughtdeathsonahugescale,andDr Trenberthsaidscientistswerenowconsideringhowsuchextremeeventswerelinked. Theworldwouldexperiencelesssnowandmorerain,morefloods,moreheatwavesandconsequent wildfires,andmorestormsfeaturinghurricanesandtornadoes. TheSecretariatofthePacificProgramontheEnvironmenthasrecentlyhighlightedtheirreversible plightofTuvalu.IthasbeenfoundthatthedocumentedsealevelriseinTuvaluindicatesariseof around20centimetersperdecadeinpreviousyears.Similarly,studiesareunderwayacrosstheregion toascertaintheremaininglifespanofsmallislandstatesbeforetheybecometotallyuninhabitabledue torisingseawaterlevels.
H H

Tuvaluisjustoneexampleofaloominghomelesscrisisduetorisingsealevelscausedbyglobal warming.Thisisthreateningfoodsecurityintheentireregionasallpacificislandsareimpactedinone wayoranother. Itisestimatedthatbythemiddleofthiscentury,thousandsofpeopleinthePacificwillbedisplacedasa resultofthenegativeeffectsofclimatechange,eitherwithintheircountriesoracrossborders,ona permanentortemporarybasis.Lookingbackinhistory,thisintramigrationduetoenvironmental impactsbeganin1945whentheBanabanpeoplewereforcedoutoftheirhomes.Phosphaterock miningfrom1900to1979strippedaway90%oftheisland'ssurface.ThenJapaneseforcesoccupiedthe

4 islandfrom1942untiltheendofWorldWarIIin1945andBritishauthoritiesrelocatedmostofthe populationtoRabiIslandinFijiafter1945,withsubsequentwavesofmigrationin1977and19811983. TheBanabanpeoplelosttheirhomes,theirlandandnowcallFijihome. NewZealandhasrecentlyagreedtoacceptmigrantsfromTuvalu,whichexpertsbelievewillbe completelysubmergedbythemiddleofnextcentury,andCanada,Ibelieve,isfundingtherelocationof residentsofpartsofVanuatuaffectedbyglobalwarming. Developednationshavetheresourcestofostertherelocationofpeoplebutwhathappenswhenpeople inothernationsinthePacificwouldbeforcedtoleavetheirhomesinsearchofrefuge?Whowouldthey turnto? Whileworldpowers,responsibleforputtingthePacificinthissituationcontinuetodebateon internationalpressurestocommittoreducecarbonemissions,peoplearelivinginuncertainty,not knowingwhatthefutureholdsforthemandwhethergenerationsafter,willbeabletoliveandpractice whathasbeenawayoflifeforcenturies. TheUnitedStates,thesecondlargestcontributortoglobalwarminghasnointentionstoratifytheKyoto ProtocolandtherehasbeenanongoingdebateoverChina'sresponsibilities,particularlysince2006, whenChinasurpassedtheUSasthecountrywiththehighestcarbondioxideemissionsrate. Globallybillionsofdollarsareusedtomitigatetheimpactsofclimatechange,muchofwhichisfunded byUSandChina.Howmuchofthistricklesdowntopacificislandstatestoassistthosewhoarebattling withoutenoughresourcesneedstobeascertained. Recently,civilsocietyorganizationsfromaroundtheworldputtogetherapetitiontotheUK Governmenttolobbyforachangeinattitude.Theirconcern,thattheUKwhichisprovidingfunding throughtheWorldBanktodevelopingstatestomitigateimpactsofclimatechangeareforcingus,the smallislandstatesintounsustainabledebtlevels.ThecallfromtheCSOsisfortheloanstobeturned intograntsinrecognitionthatthey,theUKandotherleadingcontributorstoourplight,arealso responsibleforwhatisunfoldingintheislandsduetoclimatechange. Thisiswhatisneeded.Acollaborativeapproachbycivilsocietyorganizations.Wehavetobecomethe voiceofthepeopleintheregionwhenitcomestocallingforecologicaljustice.Becauseitisnotonly humankindthatneedsprotectionfromtheeffectsofclimatechange. Thecircleoflifebindsalllivingorganismsintoone.Thisisevidentasseveralspeciesoflifeformshave vanishedfromthefaceofthisearthduetotheimpactsofthechangingclimate.Broughtaboutbymen, lifeasweknowitwillneverbethesame. Buthowdoweensurejusticeisserved? Alllivingthingsrequireequalrespectandcare.As a result of human activities, many organisms on earth face serious and worsening threats to their continued existence.

5 TOWARDSECOLOGICALJUSTICE JurgenMoltmann(TheFutureofCreation1979)saidfromthebeginningofmoderntimestherehas beenacrisisintherelationshipbetweenscienceandbeliefincreation. Themisunderstandingofcreationasaprimal,finishedproducthasmeanttraditionallythatthe designationofGen.1.28,Befruitfulandmultiply,andfilltheearthandsubdueit,hasbeenseenas manstrueandessentialdestiny.PeopledidnotreadthisdesignationinthePriestlyDocumentinthe lightofthehistoryoftradition,seeingitinthecontextofearliertextssuchasYahwist(whointerpreted thishavingdominionastillingandkeeping).Insteadtheyrelatedallthelatertextstothissingle creationtext.HeisreallyonlyGodsrepresentative,summonedtomaintainandenforceGods dominionoverearth.ThusthroughmannonhumancreaturesreceivenewrelationtoGod;thedignity ofbelongingtoaspecialdomainofGodsresponsibility.ThecreaturecreatedbyGod,receivesthrough manaresponsibilitytoGod. Butwhatfollowedisaonesidedemphasisonmansspecialpositioninthecosmos.Manisthesubject whorules;allothercreaturesaresubjecttohimandarehissubjects.Hisruleovertheworldwas understoodastheproofthathewasmadeintheimageofGod. Throughsciencemanwastofulfilthedestinyforwhichhehadbeencreated(Descartes).The restorationofmansuniversalrulethroughscienceandtechnologywastomakemanagainGodsimage onearth(FrancisBacon).InBaconandDescarteswecanseethefatalreversalofbiblicalthinkingwhich withtheriseoftechnology,hasledtodaytotheworldwideecologicalcrisis.AccordingtotheBible, manslordshipovertheworldisjustifiedbecauseheismadeintheimageofGod.AccordingtoBacon andDescartesitsmansruleovertheworldthatsubstantiateshisdivinity. ThetriumphalprogressofclassicalscienceandmoderntechnologydatesfromthetimewhenFrancis BaconandDescartesdescribedtherelationshipbetweenmanandtheworldastherelationbetween subjectandanobject,andthispatterncametobegenerallyaccepted.Itisapatternofdominationand exploitation. Thisisaviewthatseestheworldasexistingprimarilytoservetheneedsanddesiresofhumankind.Itis alsoknownasanthropocentrism.Manystandardtalksofthedoctrineofcreationgiveprimary,ifnot exclusiveattentiontothecreationofhumanbeings.Thisviewhasbeenquitecommonandwidespread inourcommunitieshereintheSouthPacificsincetheadventofChristianity.Andhasbeenbolsteredin nosmallmeasureovertheyearsbytherisingtrendsofglobalizationandthemarketeconomy.The humanbeingbecomestheprincipalplayerinourcommonhouseholdoflife.Otherbeingscreatedby

6 Godarenottakenseriously.Feuerbach,aGermanphilosopheroftheEnlightenmentperiod18thand 19thcenturysaid:Nature,theworld,hasnovalue,nointerestforChristians.TheChristianthinksonly ofhimselfandthesalvationofhissoul. 1 Thisopinionisaccompaniedbytheviewthatanimalsand othercreaturesarethereforthesoleuseofhumanbeingswhichistheutilitarianidea

F F

Soitisnecessaryforustodevelopanewscheme. Accordingtoamodelofcommunicationandcooperation,natureisnolongerthesubjugatedobjectof man,butacohesionofopenlifesystemswithitsownsubjectivity.TheCartesianmodelinwhichnature wasobjectified,hasbeenfundamentallyexhausted,scientificallyspeaking,andoffersnonewinsights. Thesubjectobjectrelationshipofmantonature,andthepatternofdominationandexploitation,do notleadtoanysymbiosisbetweenhumanandnonhumansystemsthatwouldbecapableofsurvival; theyleadinsteadtothesilencingofnatureandtotheecologicaldeathofbothnatureandman. Allprocesswhichchangeournaturalenvironmenthavetheirrootsineconomicandsocialprocessesin humansocieties,becausetheseareintheirturnbasedonmansinterpretationofhimself,itwould seemataskforChristiantheologytoworkforarevaluationofpreviouslyheldvalues.Manwillnot againbecomeGodsimageonearthbysubjectingnaturetohimself,demolishingthenaturalsystems andexploitingthemforhisownpurposes. WHATCANWEDOTOGETHER? Mankindfacestheurgenttaskofdevisingsocialmechanismsandpoliticalstructuresthat encouragegenuineinterdependenceinordertoreplacemechanismsandstructurethatsustain dominationandsubservience. ThereistheneedforFaithandSciencetoworkcloselytogethernowandintothefutureinthis crucialareaofConservationintheecosystem.Iftodaywearestrivingforaconvergence betweenscienceandbeliefincreation,thisrequiresarevisionbothoftheologystraditional conceptofcreation,andofconceptualsciencesconceptofnature.Theecologicalcrisiscaused bytheprogressivedestructionofnaturewasbroughtaboutbyChristianityandsciencetogether ;andifmanandnaturewanttowinachancetosurvive,thenChristianityandsciencemust togetherreviseboththepictureofmanfoundinthetraditionalbeliefincreation(subduethe earthGen.1.28). Faithshouldnotattempttoexplaintheprocessesoftheworldinplaceofscience.Andscience shouldnotattempttoexplainthevaluesoftheworldinplaceoffaith.Scienceprovidesuswith facts,data,insightsintophysicalrealityandsocialrelations.Thebiblicalmessagegivesus insightsintothedepthsofourhumansinandthepossibilityofourrepentanceandhope.Ittells usaboutourrelationshipwithGodandneighborandcallsustoloveandsocialjustice.

7 ForChristianfaith,ChrististruemanandtheimageofGodonearth.Thatiswhyall authorityinheavenandonearth(Matt.28.18)hasbeengiventohim.Buthecamenottobe servednottorulebuttoserve.Andheservedinordertomakeusfreeforfellowship withGodandforopennessforoneanother.InthelightofChristsmission,Gen.1.28willhaveto beinterpretedinanentirelynewway:notsubduetheearthbutfreetheearththrough fellowshipwithit. ForaccordingtoRomans8,thewholeenslavedcreationwaitsfortherevelationoftheglorious libertyofthechildrenofGod,sothatititselfmaytherebybefree. HumanitysharesLifewithothercreaturesinourcommonhouseholdoflife.Whatweneedto cultivatetogetherisaconsciousnessofthedelicateweboflifeandrespectfortheexistenceand valueofothercreatures.Thisrespectforlifecanbedrawnfromancientlegendsandmythsof theSouthPacific.Weneedtorevisittheseancientviewsoflifeandexploretheirintegrityand whattheymaymeantoday.Thisrespectisseeingotherformsoflifeashavingvalueinandfor themselvesandnotentirelydependentforhumanpurpose,whateverthatmaymean.

SeaturtlesareprizedfortheirmeatintheislandsaroundthePacific.Theyalsooccupya significantplaceinourculturesandtraditions.InFiji,itiscommonlyknownasVonu.On occasions,itisdescribedasikabula(lit.thefishthatlivesorlivingfish),indicatingthatvonu essentiallyisnotafishassuchbutareptilethatlivesbothonlandandsea.Itisincludedwith othermagiti(food)oriyau(property)consideredasvakaturaga(chiefly)magitikeinaiyau vakaturaga,vakavanua.IhadbeeninformedthatvillagesontheNWcoastofVanualevu,Fijis secondmainislandandouterislandsareknownfortheirprizedseaturtles,especiallythevonu dina(greenturtle).Onimportantoccasionssuchasthe2008FijiMethodistconferenceheldin thechieflyvillageofNaduri,itwastobeexpectedthatvonuorikabulawouldfeature prominentlyamongseafoodprovidedbythepeopleofMacuatatoconferencedelegatesfrom differentpartsofFiji. Aroundthisnationalchurcheventdifferentclaimsandcounterclaimshavebeenmadepublicly aswellasinprivate.Theseclaimsincludethegeneralclaimofcultureandtradition,thelegal claimofgovernment,theclaimofthechurch,andtheclaimoftheseaturtle,theendangered species.Sinceallareconnectedtothisonedelicateweboflife,theclaimoftheweakest memberofourcommonhouseholdmusttakeprecedenceovertheothers.Theclaimofthe vonumustbecomeparamount.Asalreadyindicated,thisisnotanisolatedclaim,disconnected fromlifewithinourcommonvuvale(household)butisessentiallyrelatedtothewhole.Its denialisthedenialoftheentirehouseholdoflife.Ourancestorswerenotignorantofthisview forlandtobeleftfallowandallowedrest.Theypractisedthisintheirfarminglife.Thesameis trueinimposingnofishingbylawsonfishingground.Thisisconsistentwiththeideaofafive yearmoratoriumonseaturtlesinFiji(2004208).Churchesshouldgivestrongsupporttothis sortofmoratorium.

8 TheideaofanimalsandtheearthtohaveregularrestandtoenjoyaJubileeyearinwhichall slavesaretobefreeandthelandtobeleftfallowasfoundinthebookofLeviticusisan importantmessagetoday.Ourancestorswerenotignorantofthisviewforlandtobeleftfallow andallowedrest.Theypracticedthisintheirfarminglife.

CALLTOSOCIALJUSTICE Theconclusiontobedrawnfromthisfortheethicsofhumansocietyisthatweneedaneworientation, awayfromthewilltopowertowardssolidarity,awayfromthestruggleforexistencetowardspeacein existence,andawayfromthepursuitofhappinesstowardsfellowship. MoltmannJ.(1979)said,Themostimportantelementinthefurtherdevelopmentofcivilizationissocial justicenotthegrowthofeconomicpower.Weshallnotbeabletoachievesocialjusticewithoutjustice forthenaturalenvironment,andweshallnotbeabletoachievejusticefornaturewithoutsocialjustice. Iftodaythelimitsofgrowtharebecomingvisible,andifenteringasituationwherethereisgoingtobe shortageoffoodstuffs,doingwithoutwillbeunavoidable. Solidarityandfellowshiparethevalueswhichmakeunavoidablesufferingandnecessarysacrifices bearable. Justiceistheformofauthenticinterdependencebetweenpeople,andbetweensocietyandthe environment.Itcomesintobeinginthesymbiosesbetweendifferentsystemsoflife,andisthebasisfor commonsurvival. Dr.IlaitiaTuwereinhisbook,Vanua,talksabouttheimageoflifeasagardenisanoldonein FijiandImsurealsoinotherislandsinthePacific.Theideaofthegardenisagoodanduseful model.GodtheFather,GodtheSonandGodtheHolySpiritarealwaysengagedinthegarden fromthebeginningoftimetotheendoftime.Godssavingworkistotransformjungleand desertintoagardenfullofjustice,freedomandlove.Manandwomanarecalledtobecomeco gardenerswithGod.ThevisionofwholenessinthisgardenasintroducedbytheprophetIsaiah (11:19)mustbeallowedtoclaimourimaginationandenhanceourzealwolvesandsheep willlivetogetherinpeace,leopardswillliedownwithyounggoats,calvesandlioncubswillfeed togetherandlittlechildrenwilltakecareofthem,evenababywillnotbeharmedifitplaysnear apoisonoussnake. Thegardenisnotmerelyanexternalreality.ItisinGod.Asthegardenisthesourceoflife (Genesis2:9;3:3),itmustsurelybeinthisTrinitarianGod.Hewhodestroysthegardenearns thesternjudgmentoftheGardener.

IconcludewiththisprayerIusedduringthe1990swhenworkingintheWorldChurchOffice,British MethodistChurch,London.AsSecretaryforAsia&PacificoftheWorldChurchinBritainIvisitedmany partsofAsiaandPacificandawareofthehopesandfearsofmanyovervastareasofearthandsea. APRAYEROFCONFESSION

9 GraciousGod,creatorofallthings, weconfesstoyouthatwehavesquanderedthegiftoflife, andweareattheprecipiceofselfdestruction. Wehaveallowedtheunfettereddrive towardprofitandconsumerismtodeterminethefutureofourownnations andinternationalrelationships. Thegoodlifeofsomeisbuiltonthepainofmany; thepleasureofafewontheagonyofmillions. Comenowintoourlivesandteachusanewthatallcreatedthingsarecloselyrelatedandderivebenefit fromeachother. Filluswithyourwisdom,thatwemaygrowingratefulenjoyment ofyourabundantcreation, andsafeguardtheearthandseasforallgenerations tothehonourandgloryofyourname,nowandforever.Amen. AkuilaYabaki References: www.myfootprint.org
H

WWF Ministry of Environment Fiji

Wiley Online Library

www.unescap.org
H

www.sprep.org
H

www.unesco.org/
H

www.forumsec.org.fj
H

10 www.climate.org/resources/climate-impacts/smallislands
H

Genesis:GerhardvonRad,SCMPressLtd1972 TheFutureofCreation,MoltmannJ.SCMPressLtd1979 BeliefinGodtheCreator:Acalltomakeadifferenceinthehouseholdoflife,Tuwere,I.S.:(July2010)