Traditional welcome
Climate Change Resilience

17 April 2025, Rarotonga Cook Islands - Enabling Cook Islands voices to share their stories of climate-induced Loss and Damage across a three-day period, was the Cook Islands National Dialogue on Loss and Damage in Rarotonga.

Uniting diverse stakeholders across the Cook Islands, the dialogue was the opportunity to share experiences culminating in a way forward to address Loss and Damage together. Respecting story-sovereignty, experiences exchanged from across the wide range of stakeholders, will help cement understanding of impacts felt in different sectors. The national dialogue also aims to build knowledge and skills expanding capacity and capability to respond to Loss and Damage and engage in future L and D projects. 

Loss and Damage is a climate change impact determined when neither adaptation or mitigation actions can help address it thus losing a service, or benefit that has built the foundation of resilience, livelihoods or the way of life.

“We are custodians of many natural and cultural artforms and traditions. Throughout our Pa Enua (group of islands), our women make and sell cultural handicrafts. These crafts vary in design and production from island to island. Women produce these as a source of income and as part of their gift giving obligation to island and family events. The production of handicraft is mainly based in the informal invisible sector. Often this means that our women producers are not able to attract resources and support to assist in protecting the raw materials they rely on,” said Ms Vaine Wichman, President of the Cook Islands National Council of Women. 

“This is a gender equality issue because women’s food and handicraft products are not clearly acknowledged in the production side of the country’s national accounts. The effects of climate change has compromised handicraft production even further. Today sourcing natural fibres and material is from both the land and sea is challenged. Warmer temperatures are wreaking havoc on both ecosystems, adversely affecting handicraft production.”

Image Melina Etches
Impact of extreme weather in the Cook Islands. Image M. Etches

The Pacific Islands are amongst the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with Vanuatu introducing Loss and Damage to the international stage in 1991 enhancing the Pacific Islands as one strong voice demanding this be addressed by the global community, collectively.

Fast forward 30 years and we now have the start of a Loss and Damage Fund, with the international community negotiating Loss and Damage and how best to support Pacific Small Islands Developing States as they struggle to address the impacts felt by Pacific communities.

“Pacific Islands voices and stories are crucial on our journey to empower our Pacific communities to engage effectively and address the impacts of climate change and loss and damage,” said Ms Filomena Nelson, the Climate Change Adaptation Adviser of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

“This dialogue, one of many we will hold across our region, will enable  our Pacific communities to face these impacts and address them as best as possible. We commend the many Cook Islands participants from the many different walks of life as they have come together here, to share openly. I have every confidence the Cook Islands will work collectively to address this issue for a safer nation.”

The Cook Islands National Loss and Damage Dialogue held from 14 to 16 April is a partnership between Climate Change Cook Islands and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. It is one of several activities to take place across the Pacific Islands region under the Loss and Damage Capacity and Capability Project funded by the Government of New Zealand.

Speakers

In the Cook Islands, stories shared have highlighted how climate change and the outward migration from the Pa Enua has led to both a cultural and language disconnect. The younger generations can feel they are not as connected to their land, language and culture as their grandparents. Stories were shared of hope, that this reconnection will be formed in the future igniting a passion in the younger generation to learn more about Cook Islands culture and revitalise the national vernacular.

“Our women are also concerned about the non-economic loss and damage to their raw material ecosystems. The authenticity of our cultural products has eroded. This erosion influences the breakdown in family traditions, cultural identity and practise of our Maori language,” said Ms Wichman.

“Last year, research we did with an Australian University found that despite the loss of traditional practices, and the decline in the use of Te Reo Maori, our women continued to build resilience through preserving handicraft production and traditional knowledge. This resilient character of our women will help our people better anticipate, respond to, and recover from extreme weather events, such as cyclones and droughts.”

During the Dialogue there was much discussion on the role of Mamas across the Pa Enua in sharing their valuable cultural knowledge on handicrafts and the need to regrow pandanus trees and find climate resilient ways of growing these trees. 

Cook Islands speaker

Also identified as a big concern when it came to Loss and Damage was ocean acidification. Participants shared how this has led to damaged coral reef systems which has in turn damaged fish populations. This is having economic and social impacts and is adding to the stress of households.

“Thank you to our Cook Islands voices for amplifying their concerns. We will continue to work with them to amplify their stories so our international community can hear, and take more ambitious action,” said Ms Nelson.

The 2025 Cook Islands National Dialogue on Loss and Damage was held from 14 to 16 April 2025 in Rarotonga. It was facilitated in partnership between Climate Change Cook Islands and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme under the Loss and Damage Capacity and Capability Project funded by the Government of New Zealand.

The Cook Islands L and D Dialogue brings together over 30 participants from Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Atiu, Mangaia, Mauke and Mitiaro with delegates from the Northern Group Pa Enua participating virtually. This aims to be the first dialogue with a second face to face session to take place in the second half of the year with participants from from te Pae Tokerau, the Northern Group Pa Enua also.

For further information please email Jessica Rodham at jessicar@sprep.org