As we continue to research the subject of Climate Change and it’s effects on the Pacific Island Nations for the upcoming shoot in the Marshall Islands, almost every step of the way I coming across undeniable examples of how severe their situation is, and how close these nations are to reaching a point of no return.

The majority of these nations are for the most part non-industrialized. When we head out to the Marshall Islands next month we will be for the most part living off the land and ocean (that reminds me I have to double check with Erik the project manager, if we should bring our own TP). All of the water on site is collected from rain fall, the food staples we will be living off are fish caught from the area reefs and the fruit we eat is grown on the surrounding islands. While visiting Arno Atoll we will be partaking in a way of life that for these people in many ways is not that much different from the way their ancestors lived generations, upon generations ago. For the most part they have had very little contribution to the current worlds current climate issues and have pleasantly coexisted with the environment. It is incredibly ironic that the most ‘Carbon-Neutral’ societies on the planet are today also ones who are the most threatened by Global Warming. It really sucks that a family who has lived off the land respecting the earths eco-system for generations is going to become environmental refugees because a whole bunch of us figure its way cooler to drive a SUV (this includes me who currently has a 4runner). Maybe I would feel a whole lot less guilty if these effects of climate change had skipped the Marshall Islands and come to roost in my neck of the woods.

There is already speculation by some scientific experts that we are past the point of no return and that these nations should abandon any hope they have that the western world will find a solution to these issues and slow down it’s impact on the planets environment. A few weeks ago a number of the Micronesian countries (including The RMI) got together for a climate conference to hear the opinions from environmental consultants on how dire the situation really is. They were basically told  that they had better get a exit strategy in place by 2020 that will have their population relocated by 2050 or they were in serious trouble. “By 2100, I don’t see how many islands will be habitable,” said Professor Patrick Nunn, a climate change researcher at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji who moderated the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable meeting in Majuro (read more of this article here). Regardless of the fact that there are many who strongly oppose this negative prediction and feel as though there is still time to save these island nations from relocation (this definitely includes Thomas Goreau who is heading the project we are documenting) this brings me to my second concern. Should these people have to be relocated, this will require the largest humanitarian effort in all of history – we are talking about moving hundreds of thousands if not millions of people. Not only will we have to service their travel off of these islands (believe me I know from booking our travel for this shoot – flights aren’t cheap) but we will have to find somewhere for these people to live.  Now for the most part the western world is oblivious to these peoples existence (I for one hadn’t even heard of the Marshall Islands before this trip), let alone do they have any recognition or concern for the immediacy needed for us to find a solution(s) to these issues so these people can keep their homes. You just don’t have that sense of awareness that the earth is changing when you a blanket of technology to keep the realities from seeping in. If it’s too cold – turn up the heat, too hot – switch on the AC, outside of a higher energy bill you have to be a pretty observant person to recognize that the climate is changing. I am interested in how living in tents for a month in the middle of the Pacific Ocean will change my own personal perspective.

I guess at the end of the day I really don’t know what the point of this entry is other than to say the experience of researching for this show has been very enlightening to say the least, and that I really hope that when we are done and people get a chance to see these motivational stories of environmental perseverance, viewers will be inspired to do their part and hopefully help those (like the people of the Marshall Islands) who are feeling the crunch of climate change.

S.

Shaun Anderson – McCrea

Director / Creative Producer

Dispatch