Pacific youth are calling for stronger climate action to protect not only lives and livelihoods but also culture, identity and communities facing growing climate impacts.
The call was made by Marshall Islands youth practitioner Christin Batol during the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM ExCom) in Majuro.
Batol, a Youth Field Practitioner with Jo-Jikum’s Strengthening Manit (Culture) through Non-Economic Loss and Damage project, told the Committee that her work focuses on documenting what young people say they are losing because of climate change.
“My name is Christin Batol, and I’m from the Republic of Marshall Islands. I work for Jo-Jikum as a non-economic loss and damage youth field practitioner.
“What I do is I reach out to youth and get their perspectives on what’s being lost to them personally, culturally,” she said.
Batol said the experiences of Pacific communities need to be heard internationally as countries confront worsening climate impacts.
“I would like people around the world to understand that although we come from the Pacific regions experiencing harsh climate conditions, we also would like people to understand that we place our voices out there so that they could be better prepared for whatever climate impacts face further along to the future as well,” she said.
She said Pacific youth were not simply describing the impacts they were experiencing but were also seeking to ensure their voices contributed to future climate action.
Batol stressed that the global commitment to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius must be matched by action.
“Anyone can say 1.5 to stay alive, but it takes action to actually really push for 1.5,” she said.
The WIM ExCom meeting is being held in Majuro from 14–18 September 2026, bringing discussions on loss and damage to the Pacific.
Batol’s presentation highlighted the non-economic impacts of climate change, including losses linked to culture, identity and community.
Her work with Jo-Jikum seeks to bring young people’s perspectives into discussions on these impacts and the measures needed to protect what cannot simply be replaced through financial compensation.
Video via PIFS
