I am crossing the Pacific to visit the tar sands.

Details: Published on Tuesday, 02 May 2017 12:45; Written by editor

Friends,

For more than twenty years, the people of the Pacific Islands, including myself, have been waiting for countries like Canada to stop digging up fossil fuels. Despite our calls, world leaders continue to support the expansion of the oil and gas industry -- just like Justin Trudeau is doing with the tar sands. Now, as climate change raises sea levels, threatening our homes, communities and cultures, we are rising up and taking matters into our own hands.

I’m travelling with a delegation of Pacific Climate Warriors to deliver our messages of resilience to the people and politicians of Canada. Our hope, is that Justin Trudeau will honour our stories. Will you call on Prime Minister Trudeau to meet with us on our journey to Canada?

We... will begin our trip with a visit to the tar sands, and meetings with the Indigenous communities leading the resistance to this dirty energy project. Then, we will travel to British Columbia’s coast -- to the terminal of the Kinder Morgan pipeline -- where we will pull together with Coast Salish First Nations in prayer and ceremony to honour our waters and lands. Visit the website to follow our journey and to see the full details on how you can join in.

Many of us were at the UN climate talks in Paris when Trudeau and his government boldly promised Pacific Island nations that they would limit global warming to 1.5°C. We know keeping this promise is incompatible with building new tar sands pipelines. That’s why we’ve invited Prime Minister Trudeau to explain his broken promise to us in Vancouver -- will you echo our invitation?

If nothing is done to transition away from the fossil fuel industry, we, Pacific Islanders stand to lose everything. For the future of our people, our cultures and our Islands, we can’t sit idly by and watch that happen. We are not drowning. We are fighting. And we hope that you will fight with us.

Onwards,
Koreti

350.org is building a global climate movement. You can connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and r38