The Blue Planet Alliance Fellowship gathering, held in Hawaii, invited Sen. Amanda Shelton and a delegation from Guam to discuss their concerns about climate change alongside representatives from Tonga, Tuvalu, Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Cayman Islands and American Samoa.
The gathering was billed as “8 Islands On the Path To 100%.” Shelton was joined by representatives from the Guam Power Authority, the University of Guam and the Guam Youth Congress.
Several key figures were present, including Amanda Ellis, former New Zealand ambassador to the United Nations; Lemanu Peleti Mauga, the governor of American Samoa; and Christopher Lee, a Hawaii state senator. The event was presented to allow public engagement on the impacts of climate change in vulnerable areas, including Guam, according to organizers.
Guam Youth Congress Rep. Julie Laxamana shared her gratitude for attending the gathering alongside Shelton, who also expressed her pride in representing the island.
“Pacific island territories and nations have a unique perspective and feel the pains of climate change that motivate us to lead the way on this issue, but everyone must be at the table to move forward,” Shelton told attendees at the gathering.
“There is both power and perspective to be gained working together locally and regionally.”
The stated goal of Blue Planet Alliance Fellowship, a nonprofit organization, is to “help islands and countries around the world to legislatively mandate a commitment to 100% renewable energy by 2045.”
“We are grateful for the resources available to us from the Blue Planet Alliance,” said Shelton. “In the end, however, it will be up to us to make ourselves more resilient to the environmental and economic impacts of a changing planet.”
Source : TheGuamDailyPost
