Moonjelly Foundation

Let's face it, the annual search for a global climate agreement has become a waste of time, money, and carbon. Last Friday, I was very pleased to spend a couple of hours with my colleague Jean-Pierre Gattuso answering questions from Senator Teva ROHFRITSCH and other French Senators about the role of science and international agreements for managing climate change. This “hearing” was part of the Sénat’s ongoing fact-finding mission on “French climate diplomacy in a world fraught with tension.” I took this opportunity to explain why I think continuing to meet yearly to search fruitlessly for a global climate agreement is folly, when : - research shows that international agreements rarely achieve their goals and targets, - consensus-based global agreements are inherently fragile, and - there is an abundance of opportunities for shovel-ready climate action at the local and regional level and an overwhelming need for science and funding to act on these opportunities. We discussed what it would look like to reimagine these global meetings, intentionally designing them to be: - more effective for knowledge sharing (about actions, policies, science, technology, Indigenous knowledge and more) and - better venues for coalition building. Current Climate COPs are too big, too expensive, too siloed, and filled with barriers that impede collaboration. We talked at length about the opportunity to build a global movement for decarbonisation and climate adaptation and mitigation, starting from local scales and working up to global impact. And, of course, I talked about the importance of local actions like Indigenous taro-centred food systems as examples of climate-ready actions that need support (financial and technical) for implementation and scaling. My written responses (with citations for deeper reading) are in the attached. Thanks to Liam Kokaʻua, Nāhulu Maioho, Jennifer Kahn, and Bryce Groark for reviewing comments focused on Indigenous taro-centred food systems. Vianney PICHEREAU Université de Bretagne Occidentale Moonjelly Foundation Future Earth

In May, on the island of Rarotonga, we will hold a gathering of Indigenous knowledge holders from across the Pacific to share knowledge about the nutritional, cultural, climatic, and environmental benefits of taro-centred food systems. On May 28th (at 9am GMT-10), as part of this gathering, Kalani Reyes and I will talk story with these knowledge holders to hear what non-Indigenous researchers need to know before working with Indigenous communities. See below and go here to sign up to participate online. https://lnkd.in/ebHnhG4Y The gathering and the online webinar are supported by Cross-cutting Initiative grants from Future Earth and held in collaboration with Kōrero o te `Ōrau Inc., the Ocean Knowledge Action Network, Moonjelly Foundation and Future Earth Coasts Meitaki to Liam Kokaʻua, Jackie Rongo, Teina Rongo, Syaman Lamuran, Kalani Reyes, Marta Muntoni, Sophie, H.L. Su and Bryce Groark for their help organising this event and the weeklong gathering.