My name is Taufu’i ‘Ae Valu Naufahu and I’m part of 350 Tonga. For over a decade, I have dedicated my life to fighting the climate crisis to save my islands and the future of my people.

I was born and raised on an island where I experienced and enjoyed the beautiful creations of nature: the ocean and its resources, the land of my grandparents, the changing of weather from one season to another. However, as time went by, things started to change. The fruits during summer time, the species in the ocean that we caught for meals… it all just disappeared.

Throughout the years, with the help of 350.org I have been organizing activist networks, actions and political advocacy at local and global stages. This year we started the “Our Pawa” campaign to seek energy independence for our islands, and climate justice for all. 

The word “pawa” comes from the Tok Pisin language in Papua New Guinea, and means power. “Our Pawa” refers to the collective strength of Pacific peoples in the face of the climate crisis. It’s a reminder of how powerful we are in our capabilities to fight for what we see as right and just for our countries and our islands. With the campaign, we’re putting pressure on leaders – in the Pacific and beyond – to:

• • Power up safe and equitable renewable energy, engaging our communities at all levels of decision making.
  • Ensure job security for workers, investing in capacity-building and greater cross-regional collaboration – as well as training opportunities in renewable energy technologies that can support migration for Pacific islanders.
  • Finance a Fossil Fuel Free Pacific, with no more money or subsidies to fossil fuels and other carbon-emitting extractive industries, and real investments in renewable energy.
  • Commit to bold climate goals in 2025, especially raising ambition on Australia’s NDCs.

During the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in August, we made great progress. The meeting was held in my home country, Tonga, and I helped organize events to engage civil society and the youth movement. We provided training, led actions and made our voices heard inside the closed-doors meetings. 

Our Pawa gathering in Australia, May 2024. Photo credit: Eremasi Rova

Our Pawa is more than a campaign for me – it’s a life choice, and our only path forward. I have a daughter who’s turning 8 years old this year. I want to secure a safe and protected future for her, my nieces and nephews. I look for solutions to stop the climate crisis, because this may be the only way that they would be able to uphold and experience the things I did when I was young. This is what Our Pawa is about.

We know that for the Pacific to survive the intensifying climate crisis, we need to end the age of fossil fuels. And we know that for the Pacific to thrive in the face of this crisis, we need access to safe, affordable and renewable energy. 

Our campaign is growing very quickly, a clear indication that what we are calling for resonates within the Pacific Islands and Diaspora communities. Be part of it, help us keep building our power!