Author Archives: anais.aghezzaf
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John HUNTER - Oceanographer, University of Tasmania (Tasmania)
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Carol FARBOTKO - Geographer, University of Wollongong (Australia)
Ian FRY -Chief climate change negotiator for Tuvalu
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Gary Braasch
Who is he?
World-renowned environmental photojournalist.
Did we speak with him?
No
Nationality:
American.
Important Publications/Articles on Tuvalu:
Photo documentation project: World View of Global warming, click here.
What methods does he use?
Braasch uses his photography to document Tuvalu’s vulnerability to the adverse effects of global warming. He simply uses the evidence that can be captured on film or with the naked as a testimony to the changes the islands are undergoing.
His take on the controversy:
Based on what he saw on the islands, Braasch believes that Tuvalu is truly endangered due to the rise in sea level. Some of the captions for Braasch’s photographs use dramatic vocabulary to create a sense of urgency around Tuvalu’s environmental vulnerability
Quotations:
“I hope my new pictures will continue to inspire, influence and educate about the plight and strength of the Tuvaluan people.” (Blue Earth Alliance Blog, February 28, 2011)
Paani Laupepa
Who is he?
Tuvalu’s Assistant Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
Did we speak with him?
No.
Nationality:
Tuvaluan.
What methods does he use?
He observes climate change impacts mostly vis-à-vis flooding. He bases his conclusions off of the general research he does on global warming as well as his own personal experiences on the island. For him, visible evidence is just as powerful (if not more powerful) than scientific analysis.
His take on the controversy:
Laupepa believes without a shadow of a doubt that his country is in danger of disappearing because of global warming induced sea level rise. He maintains that the people of Tuvalu are in no way responsible for climate change, thus is it the international community’s responsibility to fix the situation. He conveys the idea of a dramatic situation using strong emotions and attacking countries such as the US. Laupepa accuses Americans of living ignoring the consequences of their actions and criticizes Australia’s unwillingness to welcome climate refugees.
Quotations:
“How can you tell the American people that the way they live ; having three cars, using so much energy is endangering lots of small countries down the track?”
“The best you can do is strap yourself onto a coconut tree and hope for the best, because that’s the highest point on this land.”
“New Zealand responded positively in the true Pacific way of helping one’s neighbours, Australia on the other hand has slammed the door in our face”
“We don’t want to leave, it’s our land, our God given land, it is our culture, we can’t leave. People won’t leave until the very last minute”.
Paul Kench
Who is he?
Kench is an Associate Professor at the University of Auckland. He works in Tuvalu with Tuvaluan environmental officials, helping the state to have a better understanding of the different threats and to establish plans of action.
Did we speak with him?
No.
Nationality:
New Zealander.
Important Publications/Articles on Tuvalu:
The dynamic response of reef islands to sea-level rise: evidence from multi-decadal analysis of island change in the Central Pacific.
What methods does he use?
Paul Kench used aerial photography and geological surveys in order to map out the topography of the islands and to study the morphology of the coral atolls.
His take on the controversy:
While Kench does not question the prospect of future sea level rise, he is firm in his belief that Tuvalu will not be submerged. He points to the nature of coral atolls like Tuvalu, which are capable of changing shape according to changes in sea level.
Quotations:
“Eighty percent of the islands we’ve looked at have either remained about the same or, in fact, got larger”
John Hunter
Who is he?
Hunter is an oceanographer at the Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre which is based at the University of Tasmania, Hobart.
Did we speak with him?
No.
Nationality:
Australian.
Important Publications/Articles on Tuvalu:
A Note on Relative Sea Level Change at Funafuti, Tuvalu (2002). Find the PDF here.
Sea-level rise at tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean islands. Find the PDF here.
What methods does he use?
University of Hawaii tidal gauges.
His take on the controversy:
Hunter believes that Tuvalu is in danger of disappearing because of global warming induced sea-level rise. Hunter gave two estimates of sea-level rise: a “cautious” estimate of 0.8 ± 1.9 mm/year and a “less cautious” estimate of 1.2 ± 0.8 mm/year (which was based on a rejection of data affected by the El Nino Southern Oscillation).
National Tidal Facility
What is it?
The NTF is a part of the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology. The NTF is the primary source of tide tables, tidal streams and tidal constituents provided to the Australian Hydrographic Service. The NTF also manages the national data archive for sea levels and tides.
Did we speak with a representative?
No.
Nationality:
Australian
What methods does it use?
In 1993, the NTF installed acoustic tidal gauges around Tuvalu in around to record changes in sea level. Its conclusions are based on the data obtained from these tidal gauges.
Its take on the controversy:
After analyzing its own records, the NTF concluded that there is no discernable acceleration in the sea level rise in the Pacific Ocean surrounding Tuvalu. In fact, their study claimed that the sea level has actually fallen 3.42 inches since 1993.
Quotations:
“We are yet to see the acceleration of sea levels that the climatologists have predicted”
Bill Mitchell, Deputy Director of the NTF, quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald (April 2, 2002)
Criticisms:
John Hunter reanalyzed the NTF’s record and discovered what was hiding in its results: the fact that El Nino storms in 1997 and 1998 had left the islands of Tuvalu temporarily higher and drier. Hunter found that the sea level rise in Tuvalu was consistent with the global mean.