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John -

My name is Taufu'i 'Ae Valu Naufahu and I'm part of [ [link removed] ]350 Tonga. For over
a decade, I have dedicated my life to fighting the climate crisis to save
my islands and the future of my people.

I was born and raised on an island where I experienced and enjoyed the
beautiful creations of nature: the ocean and its resources, the land of my
grandparents, the changing of weather from one season to another. However,
as time went by, things started to change. The fruits during summer time,
the species in the ocean that we caught for meals… it all just
disappeared.

Throughout the years, with the help of 350, I have been organizing
activist networks, actions and political advocacy at local and global
stages. This year we started the [ [link removed] ]“Our Pawa” campaign to seek energy
independence for our islands, and climate justice for all.

[ [link removed] ][IMG]Our Pawa gathering in Australia, May 2024. Photo credit: Eremasi
Rova

The word “pawa” comes from the Tok Pisin language in Papua New Guinea, and
means power. “Our Pawa” refers to the collective strength of Pacific
peoples in the face of the climate crisis. It's a reminder of how powerful
we are in our capabilities to fight for what we see as right and just for
our countries and our islands. With the campaign, we're putting pressure
on leaders – in the Pacific and beyond – to:

* Power up safe and equitable renewable energy, engaging our communities
at all levels of decision making.
* Ensure job security for workers, investing in capacity-building and
greater cross-regional collaboration – as well as training
opportunities in renewable energy technologies that can support
migration for Pacific islanders.
* Finance a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific, with no more money or subsidies to
fossil fuels and other carbon-emitting extractive industries, and real
investments in renewable energy.
* Commit to bold climate goals in 2025, especially raising ambition on
Australia’s NDCs.

During the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in August, [ [link removed] ]we made
great progress. The meeting was held in my home country, Tonga, and I
helped organize events to engage civil society and the youth movement. We
provided training, led actions and made our voices heard inside the
closed-doors meetings.

[ [link removed] ][IMG]Our movements’ actions at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders
Meeting in Tonga, August 2024. Photo credit: Eremasi Rova

Our Pawa is more than a campaign for me – it's a life choice, and our only
path forward. I have a daughter who’s turning 8 years old this year. I
want to secure a safe and protected future for her, my nieces and nephews.
I look for solutions to stop the climate crisis, because this may be the
only way that they would be able to uphold and experience the things I did
when I was young. This is what Our Pawa is about.

[ [link removed] ]If you can afford to, please chip in any amount today to support the
Our Pawa campaign and the fight for future generations.

We know that for the Pacific to survive the intensifying climate crisis,
we need to end the age of fossil fuels. And we know that for the Pacific
to thrive in the face of this crisis, we need access to safe, affordable
and renewable energy.

Our campaign is growing very quickly, a clear indication that what we are
calling for resonates within the Pacific Islands and Diaspora communities.
Be part of it, help us keep building our power!

In solidarity,

Taufu'i 'Ae Valu Naufahu
350 Tonga




 




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