Transcend Oceania has re­sumed its engagements with Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Brisbane in collaboration with the University of the South Pacific’s marine research with the project ‘Pacific blue carbon ecosys­tems and livelihoods research pro­gram’ in Macuata.

The three-day inter-generational training workshop which began on Wednesday is inclusive of 55 partic­ipants engaging the chiefs, elders, women and youths of Tawake Vil­lage, representatives from the five other villages within the district and Lagi Village in Dogotuki Dis­trict, Macuata.

Transcend Oceania executive di­rector, Adi Vasulevu, said that due to COVID-19 they had to stop the project and now with things get­ting normalised, they thought to resume.

Ms Vasulevu said Australia, with its partners, Fiji and Papua New Guinea (PNG), commenced its com­munity engagement research in 2018 the Supporting Pacific Island countries with Blue Carbon Policy and Science Initiative, more com­monly referred to as the Pacific Blue Carbon Ecosystems and Live­lihoods Program, announced at COP24 by Australia and Fiji.

“The primary objectives of the program are to strengthen blue car­bon local expertise and evidential data in the Pacific to enable taking into account traditional knowledge in its integration into national greenhouse gas accounting and cli­mate policy,” Ms Vasulevu said.

“Specifically, the program aims to advance protection and restoration of coastal blue carbon ecosystems for climate action, address barriers to blue carbon management and resource conservations, strengthen blue carbon expertise and data, support integration of blue car­bon into national greenhouse gas accounting and climate policy and promote informed decisions, and qualitative governance in public and private sector investments.”

She added that for Transcend Oce­ania, these collaborations were im­portant to inform community lead­ers and decision-makers with their working engagements in JustPeace and Development with climate change-affected communities.

“In collaborative efforts with rep­resentatives from the partners in­volved, the presentation clarified the Pacific Blue Carbon Ecosys­tems and Livelihoods program,” she said.

“It will help community leaders to understand future impacts in the vanua and qoliqoli.”

For Transcend Oceania, the col­laboration and the community research approach are vital in peacebuilding for accessible infor­mation, conflict prevention and positive developmental initiatives, in climate-change impacted envi­ronments.

Information at the end of these re­search initiatives will be presented and made available within a broad­er network in the Pacific and the global communities.

Tawake Village headman, Mitieli Rokoqialevu said that participants were excited to be part of this work­shop.

“The timing of this programme is very good as it is held during school holidays and most of the people are in the village,” Mr Rokoqialevu said.

“Considering the fact that our village is right beside the sea and about a three-hour drive from Laba­sa Town, we feel fortunate to learn something new.”

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