Preface—Authors’ Note
The American academic John Richardson Jr. (1992) once said, “When it comes to
the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make
it happen, and those who wonder what happened” (p. 2).
1 This book is not about
religion, nor is it about climate change. It is about survival. This book is intended
to help inform and map effective and sustainable adaptive pathways that will allow
people in the Pacific Islands to weather the challenges of future climate change so
that, two hundred years hence, these people will still be able to identify as unique.
Today we acknowledge the uniqueness of Pacific Island belief systems and their
manifold expressions, and we acknowledge the uniqueness of Pacific Island places
and that of the cultures and livelihoods they support. All this singularity is threatened
by climate change and how Pacific Island peoples confront these threats, especially
within the next twenty years, will largely determine whether or not these peoples and
the places they aspire to continue occupying are still recognizable centuries from
now. As the editors of Beyond Belief: Opportunities for Faith-Engaged Approaches
to Climate-Change Adaptation in the Pacific Islands, we propose that incorporating
religious perspectives into climate-change adaptation discourse and practice is the
critical “missing link” to more effective and sustainable adaptation to climate change
in the Pacific Island region.
The editors hope that the chapters in this volume will appeal to a broad readership
of researchers, practitioners, religious leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders
who will derive encouragement and orientation from its manifold perspectives and
prospects. Inviting and leveraging spiritual leadership to bring their influence to bear
in public policy fora will help shape and support policy development and enable
regulatory change to be more holistic and effective. The editors also hope that the
book may inspire others to venture forth courageously into many new research spaces
where faith-informed climate-change adaptation still remains in its infancy. As such,
the book also embodies an invitation to other colleagues to build this nascent field
of faith-engaged climate-change adaptation in the Pacific Island region and beyond.
1 Richardson JM (1992) Making it happen: A positive guide to the future. U.S. Association for the
Club of Rome, Washington, D.C.
v
The American academic John Richardson Jr. (1992) once said, “When it comes to
the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make
it happen, and those who wonder what happened” (p. 2).
1 This book is not about
religion, nor is it about climate change. It is about survival. This book is intended
to help inform and map effective and sustainable adaptive pathways that will allow
people in the Pacific Islands to weather the challenges of future climate change so
that, two hundred years hence, these people will still be able to identify as unique.
Today we acknowledge the uniqueness of Pacific Island belief systems and their
manifold expressions, and we acknowledge the uniqueness of Pacific Island places
and that of the cultures and livelihoods they support. All this singularity is threatened
by climate change and how Pacific Island peoples confront these threats, especially
within the next twenty years, will largely determine whether or not these peoples and
the places they aspire to continue occupying are still recognizable centuries from
now. As the editors of Beyond Belief: Opportunities for Faith-Engaged Approaches
to Climate-Change Adaptation in the Pacific Islands, we propose that incorporating
religious perspectives into climate-change adaptation discourse and practice is the
critical “missing link” to more effective and sustainable adaptation to climate change
in the Pacific Island region.
The editors hope that the chapters in this volume will appeal to a broad readership
of researchers, practitioners, religious leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders
who will derive encouragement and orientation from its manifold perspectives and
prospects. Inviting and leveraging spiritual leadership to bring their influence to bear
in public policy fora will help shape and support policy development and enable
regulatory change to be more holistic and effective. The editors also hope that the
book may inspire others to venture forth courageously into many new research spaces
where faith-informed climate-change adaptation still remains in its infancy. As such,
the book also embodies an invitation to other colleagues to build this nascent field
of faith-engaged climate-change adaptation in the Pacific Island region and beyond.
1 Richardson JM (1992) Making it happen: A positive guide to the future. U.S. Association for the
Club of Rome, Washington, D.C.
v