Pacific Warriors: We’re not drowning. We are fighting.

March 11, 2013

There is global war underway. This war is being fought to reduce carbon in the atmosphere.

The Carbon War Room was set up by Ocean Elder Sir Richard Branson and was established to harness the power of entrepreneurs to unlock gigaton-scale, market driven solutions to climate change. President José María Figueres has explained that their war effort is necessary because “there is no Planet B.”

People are fighting this global war on many fronts and in many ways. Nowhere is the need for lowering our carbon emissions more obvious than in the Pacific island countries where the carbon emissions are tiny, but the impact from carbon driven climate change is most serious and already resulting in climate refugees and climate-driven evacuation plans across the Pacific region.

Through 350.org and with support from Mission Blue partner, the Pacific Voyagers Foundation, Pacific islanders in 14 island nations observed a Pacific Warrior Day of Action in early March with the combined campaign message: “We’re not drowning. We are Fighting.”

In Fiji, the message was delivered in this mini-documentary and concludes with their very powerful cultural and environmental statement “Maroroi Vuravura.”

Other islands produced video presentations of their action days. These can be found on the 350.org Facebook page.

Over the last two weeks, people around the world have shown solidarity for the Pacific Warrior Day of Action. A heartwarming the Flickr tumblr featuring global support for the Pacific can be found here. In a United States Google Hangout session with 120 community groups last night, Executive Director and Co-founder May Boeve noted they demonstrated that though the Pacific communities are very vulnerable, their creativity and deft communication through traditional and local channels can make a difference. President and Co-founder Bill McKibben added praise for the islanders for their passion and commitment as at times “more fierce and dedicated than we are,” referring everyone participating in the US session to the home page of the 350.org website where more information on the Pacific Warrior Action Day could be found.

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For media reports about the Pacific Warrior Day action see the following Pacific island news sources:

PacNews: 350 Pacific – Warrior Day of Action

Fiji Times (Fiji's most widely circulated and read newspaper): Warriors Day of Action 3/3/2013 – top 10 most read stories of the day

Fiji Live: Youths go traditional in climate change fight

Responding to Climate Change (RTCC): "Warrior Day of Action" highlights Pacific climate fight

MONGABAY.COM (environmental science and conservation news site): Tokelau, 1st country with 100% renewable energy, leads call for climate action

Solomon Star: Climate Change action today

Samoa News: 350 Pacific – Warrior Day of Action underway across Pacific

American Samoa (Talanei.com): Youth take charge of Pacific Warrior Day

Am Samoa (Talanei.com): Support needed for Pacific Warrior Day

Samoa News: Local Pacific Warriors join worldwide movement

Samoa News: OP-Ed: Pacific Warrior Day, March 2, 2013, by Dale Long

Vanuatu NAB: 350 Pacific – Warrior Day of Action

Samoa News:Pacific Warrior Day of Action Draws 200 for Enviro Event

Radio Australia: Pacific warriors campaign against climate change

Radio Australia: Pacific warriors raise further awareness of climate change