POCCA Third Conference A Success
22 May 2024
The Pacific Ocean and Climate Crisis Assessment (POCCA) Third Authors Conference was deemed a success with the aim that Pacific governments take heed of the community voices that is going to be part of the POCCA report.
During the 3-day conference hosted by the University of Canterbury and co-organized by the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PaCE-SD), authors for the various chapters of the report presented on their progress acknowledging the various community voices that have become an integral part of their chapters.
Rebekah Robertson, the Adviser-Climate Change and Environment for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT), said that the progress has been very encouraging especially with the chapters placing emphasis on the community voices collected by the POCCA field team.
“I think it’s been really exciting to see the progress particularly with the teams having been in country and now able to incorporate all those case studies.”
“I think that’s the really special part of POCCA where you know they’ve been able to get those real-life stories,” she said.
She added that this project is quite unique in the sense that it has enabled communities to tell their own stories and experiences to a global audience.
“It just still feels like that POCCA is something that is owned by the Pacific. You know it’s the Pacific’s story to tell.”
“And you know there’s a lot of knowledge to be shared in this space, so I just really hope that pacific research is valued, and I really hope that support for this space continue,” she added.
With the project ending in the next couple of months, the authors have a very short timeline where they are expected to submit their chapters.
Dr. Christina Laalaai-Tausa from the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies at the University of Canterbury says that from the third conference, there have been significant progress since the last conference in Nadi, in 2023.
“The authors are keen to complete their chapters for the Fourth Order Draft, there is much excitement in awaiting the final product and seeing the report launched and disseminated to Pacific communities.”
“The next two months will be crucial as the team ensure case studies are woven through the different chapters and I firmly believe in the team’s ability to deliver the final product come June 30th, she added.
The three-year project is funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). It is a collaboration between the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PaCE-SD), The University of the South Pacific (USP), and the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies at the University of Canterbury (UC).