LeA International

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• Te Papa and Track Zero hosted dance performance (Ciggy Butts in the Sand) on 14 & 15 July and panel discussion on the link of Arts + Climate Innovation (18 July 2021).

• New Zealand released the latest version of its Greenhouse Gas Inventory. The 2021 Greenhouse Gas Inventory documents all of New Zealand’s human-generated emissions and removals, covering the period from 1990 to 2019. The key findings, full report, interactive emissions tracker, and infographics are all available here.

• RNZ Pacific interviews Pene Lefale on 11 December 2020 in "Pacific Islands Forum leaders urged to target worst greenhouse gas emitters for climate action"

• Horton, J., P.F. Lefale and D. Keith (2020): Parametric Insurance for Solar Geoengineering: Insights from the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI), Global Policy (in press) Exactly a year since his residency at Harvard University Solar Geoengineering Research Program, LeA's International Climate Analyst Penehuro Lefale and his Harvard colleagues, Dr Joshua Horton and Professor David Keith, announced the publication of their paper "Parametric Insurance for Solar Geoengineering: Insights from the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI)" in the respected Global Policy Journal, Durban University, UK. The paper is the main output from Lefale's residency. 

• COVID-19 Updates - New Zealand

• COVID-19 Pandemic 'Terrible' for the Environment – Climate Change Minister - New Zealand, Sunday, April 12, 2020 

• Tokelau's Greenhouse Gas Inventory, 1990-2018

• 2019 Year in Review

• Observations from the Pacific Futures Conference, 18 October 2019, by P.F. Lefale

• LeA International facilitated Dr. Janos Pasztor's visit to Wellington, during which time Radio New Zealand (RNZ) conducted an interview, "Emerging Climate Technologies: Panacea or Poison?"

• Reflections on Harvard University Residency Fellowship, March 2019.

• The Carbon War: Observations from the Frontline. Presentation by Penehuro Lefale to the Pacific Habitat for Humanity NZ Pacific People's Forum, May 17, 2019, Pasifika Fale, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Pacific People's Housing Forum Post-Event Report.

• Silverlining, a climate policy organization, released a critical report analyzing immediate technological interventions neededto address climate change - Ensuring a Safe Climate: A National Imperative for Research in Climate Intervention and Earth System Prediction (2019)

• "Navigating Pacific Futures: Climate Change and Resilience," a report about the December 2018 conference at Wilton Park in the UK has been released.

• LeA collaborated with the World Bank and advised on a video and workshop to Understand Risk Financing in the Pacific Islands that resulted in the Vanuatu DataSculpture.

• 2018 Year in Review

• Dialog on Climate Engineering in the Samoa Observer: "Climate Engineering is the Potential Game Changer we Need to Confront," by Penehuro Lefale, Samoa Observer, 18 October 2018 in response to "Geoengineering worsen climate and hurts Paris Agreement" by Fiu Mata'ese Elisara (11 Oct 2018).  The dialog continued with the "Response to Penehuro Lefale on Geoengineering" on  21 Oct 2018.  On 25 October 2018, the Samoa Observer published a response from P. Lefale continuing the discussion, "Climate Engineering and Game Changers for International Climate Policy."

• At the "Environmental Dispute Resolution and Small States" Conference,  6-7 September 2018, held at the Wilmerhale Centre, Queen Mary University of London School of Law, Lefale provided a presentation on the 2017 State of the Climate Report, with input from LeA Affiliate, Dr. Howard Diamond.

• At the "Environmental Dispute Resolution and Small States" training workshop, 3-5 September 2018, held at Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, LeA Director Lefale provided two presentations: 1) The Science of Climate Change in Small Islands: An Overview and 2) Geoengineering Our Climate.

• Following participation in the second Climate Action Pacific Partnership (CAPP2) held in Suva, Fiji from 25-27 July 2018, LeA Director Lefale prepared an article "Climate Change Talanoa in the Anthropocene" discussing observations from the dialogue.

• LeA Director Lefale will be participating in the 2018 Breakthrough Dialogue: Rising Tides in Sausalito, CA from 20-22 June 2018.

• LeA Director Lefale advised Tokelau Government at the high-level meeting in Noumea, New Caledonia hosted by the President of France, the Honourable Emmanuel Macron, concerning climate change and biodiversity.  Remarks from Tokelau were well received.  SPC covered the important outcomes of the meeting.

• Developing countries must lead on solar geoengineering research by Atiq Rahman, Paulo Artaxo, Asfawossen Asrat and Andy Parker in Nature, 556 April 2018.  The co-signatories of the article include: 

  • Tara Dasgupta President, Caribbean Academy of Sciences, Jamaica, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica. Arunabha Ghosh Chief Executive Officer, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, Sanskrit Bhawan, A-10 Qutab Institutional Area, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India. Aphiya Hathayatham Vice-President, National Science Museum of Thailand, Technopolis, Klong 5, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand. Rodel Lasco Senior Scientist,World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. Penehuro Lefale Director/International Climate Analyst, LeA International, 32 Tirangi Road, Rongotai, Wellington 6022, New Zealand. John Moore Chief Scientist, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, China; and Professor of Climate Change, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland. Abid Qaiyum Suleri Executive Director, The Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Taimur Chambers Plot # 10-D (WEST), Fazal-ul-Haq Rd, Islamabad, Pakistan. Nelson Torto Executive Director, The African Academy of Sciences, 8 Miotoni Lane, Karen P.O. Box 24916-00502, Nairobi, Kenya.

• WHO Initiative on Climate Change and Health in Pacific Islands, 14 and 15 March 2018.

• Press Release: Experts from the Global South urge developing countries to lead on Solar Geoengineering Research

• Opinion - Pacific Reset: A new New Zealand foreign policy direction in the Pacific? (Recap of the New Zealand Prime Minister's Pacific Visit)

• Congratulations, Penehuro Lefale for the 2018 New Zealander of the Year Certificate of Achievement!

• Pacific Ocean - Pacific Climate Conference: 2nd Pacific Climate Change Conference, 21-23 Feb 2018, Wellington, New Zealand.  LeA International is the Co-Coordinator of the Workshop - Engaging Pacific Islands on Solar Radiation Management (SRM) geoengineering research - held on Tuesday, 20 Feb 2018. Penehuro Lefale delivers a presentation on SRM on 21 Feb 2018.

• The LivC Strategy and Implementation Plan have been included in New Zealand's Seventh National Communication to the UNFCCC

• New Zealand has also included Tokelau representation in the Third Biennial Report under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

• Global Climate Change Agreement extended to Tokelau

• SRMGI Global Forum (Solar Radiation Management Geoengineering Initiative)  in Berlin October 2017: 

  All Global Forum photos taken by the official photographer: https://photos.app.goo.gl/unMq7l5gaJ4YU8Ri2.  Photo credits: Photos by Yehuda Swed

  All Global Forum photos taken by SRMGI: https://photos.app.goo.gl/GRzRzv6yN17s9ZZf1 Photo credits: Photos by François Pougel  

  All CEC17 photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ONrCcEd0A2jsUnf93 Photo credits: © IASS, photo by Dirk Enters

• Lefale spoke at a COP23 Side Event on Ocean Acidification, and provides an overview for consideration.

• LeA International's Lefale participated as a New Zealand delegate, and Tokelau representative,  to the COP23 Conference in Bonn Germany.

• Pre-COP23, the 2017 Ministerial Dialogue, in Fiji - Lefale attends in preparation for COP23 to be held in Bonn, Germany, 6-17 November 2017.

• GEOENGINEERING THE CLIMATE: Impacts and the Developing World, SUMMER SCHOOL, 17-21 July 2017

• At the UN Ocean Conference, the Ulu o Tokelau, the Hon. Siopili Perez, officially launched Tokelau's LivC Strategy, 2017-2030, and Implementation Plan, 2017-2022, for Enhancing the Resilience of Tokelau to Climate Change and Related Hazards.  Related: Tokelau Launches its Climate Change Strategy in New York; Tokelau Fortifies Against Climate Change.

• NZ Furthers Climate Support Commitment to Tokelau, Pacific.

• Global March for Science, Opinion Article by P. Lefale from Wellington, New Zealand 

• "Tokelau meets in Apia about Ocean Acidification," 25-29 March 2017.

• COP22 and LeA participation

• "Living with Change" - Tokelau attends the UN Climate Conference

• Coalition of Atoll Nations on Climate Change (CANCC), Funafuti, Tuvalu, October 5-7, 2016 - Attended by Mr. Penehuro Lefale with the Government of Tokelau (see photos) - CANCC Declaration, 7th October 2016

• Poster for 1.5 Degrees Conference at Oxford University, 20-22 Sept 2016 - The Paris Agreements 1.5 Degrees Celsius Targe: Observations from Tokelau

• Situational Analysis and Field Mission to Tokelau for Living with Change (LivC) Project

• Climate Alliances après Paris: The Potential of Pioneer Climate Alliances to Contribute to Stronger Mitigation and Transformation.  We are delighted to announce another milestone for LeA International. This month marks the completion of our highly successful participation in a major international climate change mitigation and transformation research project “Pioneers Alliance for Climate Action (PACA)”. The paper “Climate Alliances après Paris: The Potential of Pioneer Climate Alliances to Contribute to Stronger Mitigation and Transformation” the first in a series of outputs from the PACA project was completed this month. A book made up of individual researchers’ contribution will be launched later this year. Researchers from Germany, India, New Zealand/Samoa, South Africa, France, Brazil, Chile, Bangladesh, United Kingdom, Ghana were involved. 

• Living with Change: Enhancing the Resilience of Tokelau to climate and related hazards (LivC) Mission, 31 July to 26 August 2016.  LeA International, together with staff the Office of the Council for the ongoing Government of Tokelau will be visiting Tokelau and Samoa from 31 July to 26 August. The mission is part of the LivC project (http://ilea.co.nz/resources/TokelauLivC_Issue1_Jun2016_final.pdf). The mission is expected to meet and discuss the project with people of Tokelau as part of the situational analysis component of LivC. 

• Review of the Pacific Islands Global Climate Observing System (PI GCOS): LeA International successfully completed this project this month. The final report was submitted to NIWA and NOAA GCOS Program.  The Review of the PI GCOS Review is one of the projects funded under the US-NZ Joint Commission Mission on Science and Technology (JCM). The confidential report is available from NIWA and NOAA GCOS upon request. 

• Miramar Holy Cross School Talk on Weather and Climate in Samoa, May 3, 2016. LeA International was honoured to be invited to give a talk on weather and climate to Year 3 students in June 2016 (attached).  The talk is part of our commitment to local communities. It also is part of our ongoing efforts to promote STEM (Science, Engineering and Mathematics) to young New Zealanders.   

• Under the project for Tokelau LivC, the first issue of a briefing paper has been published, The Changing Climate in Tokelau, Issue 1, June 2016.

• Penehuro Lefale presents the Keynote Speech for the New Zealand Ministry of Education Pasifika Days Celebration, 3 June 2016, 12 - 2pm.

• Berlin Conference on Climate Change, 23-24 May 2016, participation by Penehuro Lefale, "Making Sense of Paris - A Science-Policy Roundtable on the Changing Narratives of Global Climate Governance."

• Real-time Coverage of Tropical Cyclone Amos, 23-24 April 2016, Utualii, Samoa by Penehuro Lefale

• Climate Engineering: Toward (non-) Research Collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region, Tokyo, Japan, 22-23 March 2016

• LeA International (Lefale) participated in the session "COP21 - What does it Mean for Pacific Islands?" at the Pacific Climate Change Conference 2016 "In the Eye of the Storm," hosted by Victoria University of Wellington, 15-17 February 2016:  See presentation

• 21 Observations from COP21 - preliminary observations by LeA International after reviewing adopted text and negotiation process

• Pioneers Alliance for Climate Action - we are working with international partners to create a coalition of Climate Clubs worldwide to help close the 2 degrees Celsius gap post 2015Paris Climate Summit. COP21 activities include: http://wupperinst.org/en/info/details/wi/a/s/ad/3255/ 

• 4 December 2015, 16:45 h-18:15 h, Climate Generations Area, Salle 10, Paris, "Climate Clubs: Coalitions of ambitious frontrunner countries to help close the two degree gap."

• Book Release: During UNFCCC COP21 Gender Day on December 8, 2015, the IUCN will launch "Roots for the Future: The Landscape and Way Forward on Gender and Climate Change"