Facing a grim reality with confidence and not with despair

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Marshallese are the descendants of seafarers who seized the climatic opportunity some 2000 years ago–when sea levels dipped to present position–to entrench a civilization with distinct customs and life skills suited for human habitation in what is now called the Republic of the Marshal Islands (RMI). Looking towards the future with 0.6 – 1.2 meters of sea level rise projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change by the end of this century, Marshallese face increasingly frequent threats of submergence, coastal flooding, and coastal erosion that will progressively render atoll environments uninhabitable.

This grim reality is quietly but notably alluded to in the United States 3rd National Climate Assessment released last May. It comes in the assessment’s 23rd chapter, in the form of a ‘key message’ to the 100,000 or so atoll inhabitants within the US-affiliated Pacific islands region. As foretold: Mounting threats to food and water security, infrastructure, and public health and safety are expected to lead to increasing human migration from low to high elevation islands and continental sites.

Work is now underway to better understand and anticipate the timing and spatial sequence of climate-induced migration, particularly given the exacerbating impacts of tropical cyclones and drought. This type of information will help not only Marshallese prepare for climate change, but also the host communities that are likeliest to receive them as climate migrants, so that collectively we can confront the tides of climate change with confidence and not with despair.

Homeowners Guides, Landowners Guides, and Atoll-Wide Frameworks, oh my!

Came across a 1990s Marshallese homeowners guide for new buildings to strengthen against wind damage during tropical cyclones. Maybe old news, but new to me! It is written in Marshallese with FEMA funding and Office of the Chief Secretary support. From what I can tell it covers wood framed buildings, emphasizes brackets at all joints, and use of high quality nailing work especially with aluminum sheeting.

It reminded me of a hazards community guide in development, courtesy of UH Sea Grant Program that "will cover specific topic areas, such as how to protect oneself in an emergency through disaster preparedness (i.e., evacuation planning and maintaining emergency supply kits), guidelines for identifying and mobilizing local assets, and best practices for developing ‘adaptation coalitions’ to facilitate locally-led, long-term, and flexible strategies for community resilience." Stay tuned!

This hazards community guide in turn also reminded me of the Landowners Shoreline Protection Guide released in 2013. It was prepared by UH Sea Grant with USAID/NOAA funding, and I think UNDP/OEPPC supported with funds as well. This Landowners Guide was largely translated by CMI Land Grant Program and at Marshallese Language Commission, and reformatted as a oral slideshow. The presentation was then tested in August 2013 by Karl with translation and logistical support by the Djarrot community resource management committee, and later presented to the Mayors Association in November 2013. 

And of course, to complete the circle of reminders, these self-help guides reminded me of another guide available to Marshallese seeking to build their resilience to climate impacts. It is the Reimaanlok Framework released in 2008. This guide targets municipal governments rather than homeowners/communities, and is accompanied by financing support, which all means that it requires facilitators to help implement.

So from the 1990s to the present day, some good guides and in culturally-sensitive formats people can absorb, kommol nan ro raar kobooj melele rot kein elap aer jiban armej in Majol. It would be great to see all these existing resources downloaded and shared widely, and even greater if presented orally (i.e. bwebwenato) via one-on-one or group discussions.