12 Climate Change: Science, People, Religion—Cord of Three Strands
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by the Ministry of Health and relevant organisations in their respective countries
(WHO et al. 2013; WHO 2015; USGCRP 2016).
c. Impact on well-being and adaptation strategies
The third one is the well-being impacts in the sense that health is always parallel to
well-being dimensions. In the literature, there are three components. First, physical
well-being impacts include consequences of climate change and/or disasters caused
by natural hazards on the physical world or the environment. These influences include
effects on health such as climate-related diseases, coastal erosion, demolition of
housing, building environment and infrastructure. Second, mental well-being impacts
bring together psychological infirmities or conditions affected by the disorder of the
mind due to climate change or disasters (Luetz 2020). The most common mental wellbeing impacts that affected people in a climate change situation are stress, anxiety
and/or depression. For example, a participant from Popua in Tongatapu in Tonga
expressed his worries when asked to reflect on what climate change, livelihoods, and
well-being mean to him. He said:
Climate change is a relationship between human and nature, for example, air, sun, winds
and water. But today, we are worried about climate change, because what has happened in
the past is different from what is happening now. Like the sun is getting hotter and hotter
and the rainfall has been usually occurred at once and it waters the whole nations but today,
we experienced rainfalls per region around Tonga, that’s new to us. The weather, say for
example stay at the eastern side or the northern side, usually stays there for a day to a week,
but what we’ve experienced today is different in the sense that it changes almost on a daily
basis. Like it can stay on this site, and after 20 minutes it shifted to the other side and vice
versa. So, that’s how I looked at climate change. (Havea, P. [2013, September 24] Personal
Interview)
Third, is the spiritual well-being impact. Although these impacts on spirituality are
indirect and real, importantly, this can be anticipated and managed through religious
programs in the form of mutual communication and spiritual connection with the
creation of nature for divine protection. These programs can range from reading
scriptures, fasting and praying to God to reverse the impacts of climate change on
disasters from affecting their communities and others (Moore et al. 2005; Havea et al.
2018a; Havea et al. 2018b; Freeman 2019; Havea et al. 2019a).
d. Impact on sustainability and sustainability approaches
The fourth element is the sustainability impacts. Based on a study of the literature
(Nichols et al. 2009; WHO 2015; Gaziulusoy and Brezet 2015; USGCRP 2016;
Blok et al. 2016; Manno 2017; Bhatasara and Nyamwanza 2018; Luetz et al. 2018;
Sánchez García and Díez Sanz 2018; Van Beynen et all. 2018; Fuertes-Camacho et al.
2019), the link between climate change and sustainability rests on seven principles.
These principles address both the climate change impacts and adaptation strategies
of the affected communities to meet the criteria for a sustainable and climate-resilient
planet by 2030 and beyond.
The first concept is linking economic impact and economic sustainability. The
second concept is connecting social influence and social sustainability. The third
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by the Ministry of Health and relevant organisations in their respective countries
(WHO et al. 2013; WHO 2015; USGCRP 2016).
c. Impact on well-being and adaptation strategies
The third one is the well-being impacts in the sense that health is always parallel to
well-being dimensions. In the literature, there are three components. First, physical
well-being impacts include consequences of climate change and/or disasters caused
by natural hazards on the physical world or the environment. These influences include
effects on health such as climate-related diseases, coastal erosion, demolition of
housing, building environment and infrastructure. Second, mental well-being impacts
bring together psychological infirmities or conditions affected by the disorder of the
mind due to climate change or disasters (Luetz 2020). The most common mental wellbeing impacts that affected people in a climate change situation are stress, anxiety
and/or depression. For example, a participant from Popua in Tongatapu in Tonga
expressed his worries when asked to reflect on what climate change, livelihoods, and
well-being mean to him. He said:
Climate change is a relationship between human and nature, for example, air, sun, winds
and water. But today, we are worried about climate change, because what has happened in
the past is different from what is happening now. Like the sun is getting hotter and hotter
and the rainfall has been usually occurred at once and it waters the whole nations but today,
we experienced rainfalls per region around Tonga, that’s new to us. The weather, say for
example stay at the eastern side or the northern side, usually stays there for a day to a week,
but what we’ve experienced today is different in the sense that it changes almost on a daily
basis. Like it can stay on this site, and after 20 minutes it shifted to the other side and vice
versa. So, that’s how I looked at climate change. (Havea, P. [2013, September 24] Personal
Interview)
Third, is the spiritual well-being impact. Although these impacts on spirituality are
indirect and real, importantly, this can be anticipated and managed through religious
programs in the form of mutual communication and spiritual connection with the
creation of nature for divine protection. These programs can range from reading
scriptures, fasting and praying to God to reverse the impacts of climate change on
disasters from affecting their communities and others (Moore et al. 2005; Havea et al.
2018a; Havea et al. 2018b; Freeman 2019; Havea et al. 2019a).
d. Impact on sustainability and sustainability approaches
The fourth element is the sustainability impacts. Based on a study of the literature
(Nichols et al. 2009; WHO 2015; Gaziulusoy and Brezet 2015; USGCRP 2016;
Blok et al. 2016; Manno 2017; Bhatasara and Nyamwanza 2018; Luetz et al. 2018;
Sánchez García and Díez Sanz 2018; Van Beynen et all. 2018; Fuertes-Camacho et al.
2019), the link between climate change and sustainability rests on seven principles.
These principles address both the climate change impacts and adaptation strategies
of the affected communities to meet the criteria for a sustainable and climate-resilient
planet by 2030 and beyond.
The first concept is linking economic impact and economic sustainability. The
second concept is connecting social influence and social sustainability. The third