‘Turning the tide in Oceania: a call for a global network to transition the Pacific to low carbon sea transport’ by Dr. Peter Nuttall, Research Fellow at the Pacific Centre for the Environment and Sustainable Development, University of the South Pacific, Fiji, on Monday 18^th May (room C1, George Begg Building, Sackville Street) at 4.00pm.

Biog- Dr. Peter Nuttall, Research Fellow at the Pacific Centre for the Environment and Sustainable Development, University of the South Pacific, Fiji (biography attached)

The Atoll Nations of the Pacific face imminent destruction, possibly the first national level collateral damage of climate change.  At the global scale we wait for Paris to see if our global community can pull back its excessive incineration of fossil fuels sufficient to give these proud but tiny archipelagos and their ancient cultures a hint of survival. Having none of their own, this island studded ocean region is now entirely dependent on unaffordable imported oil for most energy needs.  But far from being powerless, the Marshall Islands are determined to lead by example. At the global level they are calling at MEPC 68 for an industry target to be set for reducing international shipping emissions commensurate with a threshold of no more than 1.5 degrees of warming.  At the national level they have already set a target of reducing their own transport fuel use by 20% by 2020 and are planning a whole of country strategy to transition to a low carbon transport future. Sea transport is the first objective.  Achieving either of these objectives is likely beyond their reach unaided and we seek to build a network of willing global knowledge partners to support them in their related quests. In this presentation we outline a multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder strategy designed to build the platform for such transition as a catalyst for other small island states. Perhaps an exercise in futility, a quixotic tilt at a gigantic, unassailable windmill; perhaps a model for a future world.