Kiribati Adventist Youth Urge Greater Climate Action

Low-lying Pacific Ocean nation’s people ‘at risk of losing our home’

Posted November 22, 2016

Two Seventh-day Adventist young adults from the central Pacific Ocean nation of Kiribati have shared stories of how climate change is impacting their nation and called for greater action against climate change as guests of the “Voices for Justice” conference, hosted by Micah Australia in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, November 19–21. Tinaai Teaua and Vasiti Tebamare are youth leaders in their local Adventist church in Kiribati, as well as being active members and representatives of the Kiribati Climate Action Network (KiriCAN).

“Climate change is real—and it is happening right now in Kiribati,” Ms Tebamare told conference participants. She reported the effects of rising sea levels on their low-lying island home, including regular inundation from king tides and storm surges, contamination of ground water, salination of limited agricultural land, erosion of beaches and more severe weather events.

“Of our 33 coral atolls, our highest point is only three meters above sea level,” she explained. “We are at risk of losing our home. We are fighting for our land, which is so important for our culture, our traditions, and our people.”

The annual “Voices for Justice” conference brought together Christians from across Australia in a coalition of 15 Christian organizations — including ADRA Australia — for training and worship, and to speak with Australia’s elected leaders on issues of Australian aid and the nation’s response to climate change, particularly as it affects the world’s most vulnerable people and Australia’s Pacific neighbors. Christian leaders and activists from several Pacific nations shared their stories, challenges, responses, and hopes, before they addressed a public event on the lawns of Australia’s Parliament House that included parliamentarians, ambassadors, and church leaders.

“By telling our stories, we hope people will feel something of our experience,” Teaua said. “Political leaders are key people in making decisions that can help our people. We are asking world leaders to honor their commitments to limit climate change to 1.5 degrees because that is important for countries like Kiribati.”

Yet these youth leaders insist they are not victims, but survivors. Their church youth program includes an unusual activity in response to these challenges. “Our Adventist young people work with us regularly to plant mangroves on our beachfronts to protect against waves and erosion,” reported Tebamare.

These local church youth leaders would also like to hear their wider Adventist family speaking up on their behalf. “As a church, as Adventists, we need each other,” said Teaua. “As Christians, we have hope. We are looking forward to Jesus’ second coming—but we also need to do our part in caring for each other.”

For another Adventist young adult, “Voices for Justice” was an opportunity to respond to the world in a different way—but one that brought these two cultures together in their one faith.

Participant Ruth-Ellen Marks from the Gold Coast, Queensland, said “the opportunity to learn, meet with other Christians and engage with politicians around issues of justice has energized and empowered me to do more.

“But a huge highlight of the conference for me was meeting Vasiti and Tinaai,” added Marks. “It felt like meeting up with long-lost sisters! Their stories of the beautiful island home had me riveted! And their passion for people and their environment has also really inspired and encouraged me to move forward in advocacy for justice.”

As well as sharing their stories with “Voices for Justice” participants, Teaua and Tebamare joined some of the Micah lobby groups that met with more than 90 of Australia’s elected leaders, spoke to media representatives, and visited local high schools.