Chapter 15
Pacific Climate Warriors and Local
Narratives on Climate Change:
An Analysis of a Faith-Informed
Indigenous Rhetoric
Claudia Ledderucci
Abstract Climate change is probably among the most urgent issues today. Its
growing relevance and presence in the media, together with the evidence of a critical
unfolding situation, has led to the emergence of a wide array of movements contesting
western policies and raising awareness among the public. Specifically, it is evident
that climate change and related sea-level rise are threatening some of the Pacific
Island States and their livelihood. Several local associations are strongly objecting
to the dominant view which asserts that Pacific Islanders are victims waiting for
the imminent catastrophe. By using campaigns, actions and call for prayers they
raise awareness encouraging participation and resilience. In this chapter, the focus
is on the narrative of one of these associations, namely the Pacific Climate Warriors.
On one hand, the narrative is heavily based on the dominant rhetoric about climate
change demanding a better future and a safe planet. On the other hand, it calls upon
the concepts of connection, tradition, and faith to contest the reductionist view that
Pacific Islanders are hopeless victims.
Introduction
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. The effects of global
warming such as ice melting, sea-level rising, flooding, drought, and desertification are already observable. Yet, if the current model of energy exploitation is
not changed, they might soon unfold into catastrophic scenarios. According to the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):
Climate change refers to a change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g.,
by using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties
and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. Climate change may
be due to natural internal processes or external forcings such as modulations of the solar
C. Ledderucci (B)
Dipartimento di Culture, Politica e Società, Università degli Studi di Torino, Lungo Dora Siena,
100, 10153 Turin, Italy
e-mail: claudia.ledderucci@unito.it
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. M. Luetz and P. D. Nunn (eds.), Beyond Belief, Climate Change Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67602-5_15
289
Pacific Climate Warriors and Local
Narratives on Climate Change:
An Analysis of a Faith-Informed
Indigenous Rhetoric
Claudia Ledderucci
Abstract Climate change is probably among the most urgent issues today. Its
growing relevance and presence in the media, together with the evidence of a critical
unfolding situation, has led to the emergence of a wide array of movements contesting
western policies and raising awareness among the public. Specifically, it is evident
that climate change and related sea-level rise are threatening some of the Pacific
Island States and their livelihood. Several local associations are strongly objecting
to the dominant view which asserts that Pacific Islanders are victims waiting for
the imminent catastrophe. By using campaigns, actions and call for prayers they
raise awareness encouraging participation and resilience. In this chapter, the focus
is on the narrative of one of these associations, namely the Pacific Climate Warriors.
On one hand, the narrative is heavily based on the dominant rhetoric about climate
change demanding a better future and a safe planet. On the other hand, it calls upon
the concepts of connection, tradition, and faith to contest the reductionist view that
Pacific Islanders are hopeless victims.
Introduction
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. The effects of global
warming such as ice melting, sea-level rising, flooding, drought, and desertification are already observable. Yet, if the current model of energy exploitation is
not changed, they might soon unfold into catastrophic scenarios. According to the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):
Climate change refers to a change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g.,
by using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties
and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. Climate change may
be due to natural internal processes or external forcings such as modulations of the solar
C. Ledderucci (B)
Dipartimento di Culture, Politica e Società, Università degli Studi di Torino, Lungo Dora Siena,
100, 10153 Turin, Italy
e-mail: claudia.ledderucci@unito.it
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. M. Luetz and P. D. Nunn (eds.), Beyond Belief, Climate Change Management,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67602-5_15
289