Massive shift in global mind-set applauded by UN agency-but Pacific colonies not included!
A decade ago, Mr Achim Steiner took up the reins as head for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – the
world’s agency looking after the environment.
In his ten years at the helm, the global governance landscape and mind-set on economic, social and environmental issues
have undergone seismic-level shifts. Some unforeseen, while others were simply, unimaginable.
Back then, “the world was wedded to a paradigm of at-all-costs economic development. Social concerns – health, equality,
justice – had little integration with economic concerns. Climate change and environmental degradation were gaining
traction as global issues, but were more often than not treated as discrete challenges,” Mr Steiner reflected in his March
2016 column for Our Planet, UNEP’s magazine.
“Ten years later: we have a global agreement on climate change. We have a universal approach to sustainable
development. Importantly, we have an awareness and acceptance that solutions to these challenges must integrate the
social, economic and environmental dimensions in tandem.
“What this amounts to is an international recognition of the deep and fundamental relationship between social equity,
economic development and a healthy environment. The shift in perspective since 2006 is extraordinary. It is critical for our
future. And it is good reason for hope and optimism.”
But his reasons for “hope and Optimism” do not cover a segment of the global community – the ‘bloc of countries and
people’ who are colonies of first world states like the United States, France, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand to
name some.
A ‘bloc’ that is invisible because the countries within are not eligible to be members of the United Nations due to their
political status. In the Pacific they are: Tokelau (New Zealand); Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia, (France); American
Samoa, Guam, Northern Marian Islands (United States).
It means for them, Mr Steiner’s reasons for “hope and optimism” are either filtered or do not necessarily reach them. Their
struggles and situations are generally not heard because very few international mechanisms are in place to monitor how
they are faring; they cannot participate directly at UN events; and do not have the authority to enter into international
agreements unless it is granted by their administrating power.
Their situation is unlikely to improve soon. Their level of invisibility is exacerbated by the excitement around the new global
paradigm shift where fiscal, social and environmental synergies are integrated at such a pace, that they are easily lost and
forgotten in the international throng.
What’s the bet they will not be mentioned at all this week at the second session of UNEP’s Assembly (UNEA-2), the world's
highest-level decision-making body on the environment meeting in Nairobi, Kenya from 23-27 May 2016?
This is already seen in UNEP’s Our World magazine preview for the UNEA-2 Assembly titled: The Environmental Dimension
of the 2030 Agenda, each segment of the development agenda is given coverage. The Federated States of Micronesia
(FSM) representing Pacific island states highlighting the threat posed by climate change and the work done on the
Montreal Protocol to phase down the highly potent greenhouse gases called HFCs.
But what about the needs and situations of Pacific territories? The world must find a way to recognise the invisible
‘territories bloc’. They have value, identity, land, culture and people who have inalienable rights to their place in the world.
Importantly, they are ‘large ocean states’, two of them with significant stewardship of the Pacific Ocean. Tokelau has an
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 318,990 square kilometres while French Polynesia's enormous EEZ totals 4,767,242 sq.
km.
It means they are home to some of the world’s most significant marine biodiversity and therefore are significant parts of
the ocean system that maintain, and in some cases restore, healthy ocean environments and resources that are
fundamental to building resilience to climatic shocks and longer-term changes in the region.
It highlights that their vulnerability to globalization, widening inequalities in income and a continued deterioration of the
global environment is not just extreme and real to their existence, but also to the wider Western and Central Pacific region.
True development will take place, only when the ‘territories bloc’ is recognised. There is value in the ‘invisibles’ and the
world will do well to recognize that as part of the Environmental Dimension of 2030 Agenda.
Story Credit: Lealaiauloto Aigaletaule’ale’a F Tauafiafi