Geneva, Switzerland – In a powerful display of youth-driven climate activism, PacificSOS, a groundbreaking platform for climate justice, was officially launched on Lake Geneva. Founded by Ruben Chung, a Geneva student with roots in Papua New Guinea, Pacific SOS aims to raise awareness about the environmental challenges faced by the Pacific Islands and inspire global action through storytelling, innovation, and hope.
Pacific SOS draws its strength from the rich tradition of preserving culture through storytelling in the Pacific Islands. It assembles a diverse collection of testimonies, prose, poetry, videos, and photographs, offering firsthand accounts of the environmental struggles that the youth in the region endure. While the acronym ‘SOS’ traditionally symbolizes a cry for help, Pacific SOS stands for something more: “Sharing Our Stories,” “Sharing Our Solutions,” and “Sharing Our Successes.”
Chung believes that many people have become desensitized and demotivated by the overwhelming doomism presented in climate data. As climate targets remain unmet and the numbers continue to escalate, Pacific SOS injects a vital dose of hope by sharing stories of innovative solutions, indigenous practices, resilience, and dreams for a sustainable future.
The Pacific Islands are at the forefront of climate change impacts, grappling with rising sea levels, flooding, coastal erosion, and the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems. Despite their minimal contribution to global emissions, accounting for just 0.03% of the total, these islands bear a disproportionate burden. Their plight underscores the urgent need for shared responsibility among nations to address climate change.
Moreover, the Pacific Islands have emerged as leaders in the fight against climate change. A coalition of small island states successfully advocated for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in the Paris Agreement, a crucial milestone in climate negotiations. A grassroots movement that began with Fijian students made its way to the United Nations, urging the International Court of Justice to provide an advisory opinion on the responsibilities of polluting countries. The Pacific Islands are also behind initiatives such as the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty and Loss and Damage, both of which seek support from the international community. Notably, Tokelau, a Pacific Island, became the world’s first nation to achieve 100% renewable energy.
Pacific SOS underscores that actions have far-reaching consequences in the fight against climate change. It emphasizes that even small actions can have a significant impact, and it champions the potential of youth as change-makers. The stories collected on the platform range from government officials and renowned environmental activists to grassroots organizations and individuals, covering a wide array of topics, including cyclone devastation, conflicts over Indigenous land, nature-based solutions, pollution, sea level rise, clean water, and biodiversity.
The official launch of Pacific SOS took place on August 12, 2023, which also marked International Youth Day. The theme for this year was “transitioning to a greener world,” aligning perfectly with the platform’s mission. Youth carrying messages for climate justice sailed on three boats chartered for the occasion on Lake Geneva, right in front of the UN Palace and UN Beach, symbolizing their commitment to driving change.
Ruben Chung, the visionary founder of Pacific SOS, shared his thoughts on the platform’s mission:
“Through the firsthand youth stories on our platform, I wanted people here, and everywhere outside the Pacific Islands to know that all of our daily actions have impacts in far-reaching places. Apart from rising seas, extreme weather events, and threats to food security as a result of emissions produced by other countries, one incredible example that we might not think about is that the Pacific Ocean has the largest concentration of plastic rubbish in its waters, which is partly due to how ocean currents work. A plastic bottle thrown out in a river halfway around the world can be brought to the shores of the Pacific Islands.”
Looking ahead, Pacific SOS aims to inspire United Nations member states to contribute written comments to the 2023 UN resolution requesting an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice on their obligations regarding emissions and climate change. By launching this movement in Geneva, one of the UN headquarters, Ruben Chung hopes to inspire leaders and individuals worldwide to take action and responsibility for the future of our planet.
Pacific SOS is more than a cry for help; it’s a call to share stories, solutions, and successes, demonstrating the power of collective action and global solidarity in addressing the climate crisis.
This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media