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This year, SPREP is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the signing of the SPREP Treaty. Under the Treaty, the organisation was established as a separate, autonomous body to provide assistance to the Pacific to protect and improve the environment and to ensure sustainable development for present and future generations.
Through its work, SPREP strives to support and empower young Pacific people working to build a resilient Pacific in the face of the countless challenges it faces today.
Ms Marinda Imakulata Tagiilima from Samoa was selected to be a representative of Pacific youth at the 15th Convention on Biological Biodiversity Conference(CBD-COP15) in Montreal, Canada. She along with two other youth representatives from the Pacific contributed to a unified One Pacific voice at the conference on collective issues impacting the Pacific.
Ms Tagiilima is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree, double majoring in Sociology and English at the National University of Samoa. Her program includes studies on societal and behavioural changes in communities, and in future, she hopes to focus on changes caused by environmental and climate change impact. Through this Q&A she discusses her experience as a young Pacific person navigating the environment space.
Q: What Pacific environmental challenge do you work to address?
A: Climate change. I work to address the effects of climate change and extreme change weather patterns, as well as the impacts on us.
Q: Having worked in partnership with SPREP, what are two key work activities or outcomes you are most proud of?
A: At the CBD COP15 in Montreal, Canada, with SPREP’s support, I was invited to be part of the Kiwa Initiative side event, through this engagement I was able to learn more about Nature-based solutions in the Pacific and how these help biodiversity conservation in our communities and increases Pacific resilience to climate change. I was also privileged to attend the Pacific Ocean Conservation and Governance side event, where my fellow Pacific youth representatives and I learned about Pacific leadership in ocean conservation and governance, and commitments Pacific nations have set out to accomplish through their national strategies and projects, thus increasing Pacific resilience.
Q: In a sentence, what does an environmentally Resilient Pacific look like to you?
A: An environmentally Resilient Pacific has people who work together to develop solutions for the betterment of the Pacific. While there are countless challenges, these people work tirelessly to ensure Pacific nations can move forward progressively.
Q: What tip do you think we should know to help protect our environment?
A: It is important to look at the context. There are many initiatives and ways to protect the environment. However, it is important to be mindful of initiatives that are relevant to the Pacific. Are they developed for us? Are they practical, culturally appropriate, realistic and sustainable? Knowing our context helps us develop impactful solutions to protect our environment.
Q: What advice would you give to young people working in the environment?
A: As a young person you will face challenges in voicing your concerns about the environment. It will be hard to get fair and just solutions from world leaders. You will face difficulties in amplifying your voice as a young Pacific person. This is why it is so important to build one another resilience as well continuing to build our capacity to face challenges. Rise to the challenge and keep fighting for a Resilient Pacific. Because if we don’t, who will?
Q: What message do you have for the Secretariat as we celebrate 30 Years of service to our Pacific?
A: Thank you for all the projects, initiatives and voices you amplify. Thank you for addressing major environmental concerns and finding solutions to address these concerns. Thank you for ensuring we have a Resilient Pacific. Happy 30th Anniversary SPREP! I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the organisation and its Member countries.
Congratulations SPREP on your 30th Anniversary!
