Aloha and welcome to Cooper Union. What's happening with human rights around the world? Today, it's an honor to welcome Billy Misak. He's an amazing advocate and even analyst now, and he'll be sharing with us some of the exciting things going on around the globe. What we'll be doing today is we'll be looking at the UN General Assembly high-level general debate, the UN Food Summit, and what's coming up with Glasgow COP26. It'll be a blue Pacific perspective, to save our planet. Billy, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you, Mr. Cooper. I know the UN high-level general debate is a very important time. Can you highlight some of the points that the head of state of Vanuatu raised and why those are significant? Yeah, I think thank you very much, Mr. Cooper. Thank you for having me here. I think the UN General Assembly is a very critical assembly, especially for this year. We got all the different issues that we have. For example, our head of state, our prime minister outlined some of the very important issues like climate change that are impacting the people in Vanuatu and across the Pacific region. And as you know, Vanuatu is also champion in the human right and looking for self-determination and supporting the countries like New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and also was popular to move into the area of becoming more independent as Melanesian countries and the people of the Pacific. So those are the very important points that has been highlighted by the prime ministers of Vanuatu on looking back on that so that the countries in the Pacific apply their human rights and having self-determination for their own country and independence and stand on their own for their culture and for their people and for their life in the Pacific. And this is very important to what's in it. It is always great to see Vanuatu as a champion, as you pointed out, on self-determination consistently, really as part of Melanesian spirit, but being the voice and the conscience of the blue continent in that way. And I know people always look forward to hearing the speech of Vanuatu for its consistent call for self-determination for all. And this time though, they also raised the important point about maybe the International Court of Justice and climate change. Did you share how that motion was brought forward and how youth played a positive role in bringing that call to the Global General Assembly? Absolutely, absolutely, Cooper. When we're looking back and look back all the impacts of climate change itself in the Pacific region, let me take it as a context. I'm looking at different abilities, displacement that is happening around the Pacific region and it becomes clear that although the Pacific Islands contributing very, very less into the global emissions, but at the front lines of each impact. So we know that one of the very useful documents of the Pacific youth about Vietnam crowning, but we are fighting, we are looking at justice among all the country, those who are at the front line and admitted very less, but at the front line of those impact, trying to be looking at all the different ways to make sure that globally we try to stabilize the global temperature below 1.5 Celsius. And going with the International Court of Justice is very, very sort of critical for all the countries, not only for Vanuatu, but that is for the global community as a whole. And Vanuatu, as you mentioned, and we just see recently on the news that the modern economy is slipping under. Youth in the Pacific are in the front line as well in supporting the modern economy, taking these to the UN assembly as well to make sure that we have that advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice for climate change. And this is very critical because when we're looking at, let's say, Vanuatu tests in the period of five years, we have two categories, five for cyclone, which is beyond expectation. Vanuatu was in the first category, five for cyclone palm, 61 to 64, when 1% of its GDP. And now it's continuing to increase recently with the DC hour, 65% of its GDP. So we can see that, and we can see that even the human fundamental right are also affected by the impact of damages and the question will be, is it justice for everyone? And clearly we can see that some country that are very less contributing on emissions but have their right, their fundamental right is particularly because of the impact of damages. So it brings us to the question of justice. Excellent, and we know that was also spoken about at the Pacific Island Forum. Did you see how that went really this year in some of the highlights and why the Pacific Island Forum is an important space for the blue continent to come together and speak with what's possible for the planet? Exactly, I think the Pacific Island Forum is very critical for all the Pacific Islands where governments can debate and discuss the fundamental issues that they are facing in the Pacific and also trying to look at possible ways and even possible solutions to address it as a Pacific Islanders and also be on looking at creating different allies. And this is where the Pacific Island leaders can join their voices together in looking at the development of the betterment of the Pacific as a whole, as a small nation and we are also very vulnerable on the impact of different climate change and also other different diseases. And I think that space for a Pacific Island Forum provides this opportunity to even let the country be on Pacific to start thinking on the same perspective, especially small development states across the globe like Arabian Island have sort of sharing the same perspective and context as well as small island nations. And the Pacific Island Forum is very critical and this year was one of the very useful Pacific Island Forum where the Pacific Island really talk about and one of the things that is really standard is also climate change where they're really looking at what will be the possible way when they are very much more impacted on their own expectations as a country to respond on that in the Pacific. And that area is very critical for all the possible values. It's great to get your insight from the Pacific Island Forum meeting that recently happened and also the UN General Assembly High-Level General Debate, absolutely important. There was also UN Food Summit and we know you have a new hat now at Food and Agriculture Organization. The Food Summit was held to look at the Food Chair of Food and there are also important initiatives that they're looking at. Could you maybe share some of the highlights of the UN Food System Summit and why that's important for everyone around the world to understand? Yeah, I think this year's Food Summit is very also important. Why that is because as we see, the COVID-19 pandemic comes to bring us back to realize that there is some food system that we have to change nationally or locally that can contribute on the global food stability and also sustaining the food within countries in terms of disasters as well. So this Food Summit was also provided an opportunity to the country to start building the framework around food and see how they address food as a sustainable way where they will continue to produce the food and also have a stable food. So when we're looking at that and thinking about diet as well, we're looking at a different way of addressing the different food that we have. In the Pacific, when we're looking at it in the Pacific and talking about the diet in the Pacific, we can see the type of disease is one of the very big issues in the Pacific Island and that forum provides opportunity to look back on how we produce food internally like really local and organic food that can help not only reducing diseases but also contributing on the sustainable development goal on reducing hunger across the globe. And the pandemic gave us this opportunity to stand back and looking at how our food chain is driven from the garden to the plage of the people and how organically and healthier this is. And that summit is very critical because it comes to the time where we have a COVID-19 pandemic that all the borders are closed. We have reduced the trades between different countries on food and give us that opportunity to looking back on the indigenous way. And this is one of the very, very important things that looking back on the indigenous way of sustaining and stabilizing food for health communities and countries. That's a really good point. We know it's crucial to change the way that we do produce and consume food. We have to shift the message, as you pointed out, that are resilient to shocks, more environmental friendly and enhance our individual health and well-being. It was great that you also brought up the sustainable development goals because that's also a positive framework. We can look at the universal declaration of human rights to the right to food but we can also then see the SDGs as a framework that also assists us. And you did point out and sort of echoed what the president of the General Assembly said. He said, every nook of this planet has its own micro climate, its own unique growing conditions. And so that's one of the things that we can look at is the diverse food of the planet and the seeds they come from. That's a priceless piece of our humanity and how we in the Pacific can share those. We can look at Niu or breadfruit, at coconut, at so many aspects and see, of course, how that's all provided. That's really true. And we also come to realize that when we're looking at, let's eat in Vanuatu before the pandemic and during the pandemic. Now we see that it become more clear that the Vanuatu government itself realized that it needs a framework of food to address food in Vanuatu. As we can, when we're looking at the invitation even for food in Vanuatu, it's starting to, it's declining during the pandemic. And as I mentioned, this provided a big opportunity to the governments in the Pacific Island themselves also to be looking back on how the food is produced internally and also trying to thinking beyond that during, because as we see that we have that impact of climate change, how we're going to sustain that beyond those impact as well to make sure that we secure food for the communities and the people and the region as well. That's a really good point. And we also saw the UN special procedures of the Human Rights Council. Some of the rougher tours on the right to food, on human rights in the environment and extreme poverty and human rights came together and they were echoing your point that the summit might present human rights to governments as an optional policy instead of a set of legal obligations. Maybe you can share some of the highlights that show how we do have the solutions today and how maybe the Pacific might also lead with food systems and potential ways going forward to make sure that we look at how it's grown but then also how it comes to our plate, as you said, sort of from farm to fork. Yeah, sure. I think when we're looking at the food as well, we were looking at one of the aspects is the leadership of the Covenants as well. When we talk about food, as we mentioned, this is always coming up in our plates and looking at that, there is a leadership and there is a Covenants. So this is something that even the Vanuatu government looking at, what is the leadership and the Covenants when we're talking about the food from one going out in a food chain that we are looking at. So it will seem like the Vanuatu government is starting now after the summit, looking back on reviewing the policies of the food in Vanuatu, which is really, really good. And it's kind of a very good example for other apostates and indigenous as well to looking back on those Covenants and leadership on that where communities, indigenous people are taking leadership and having a stable and structured Covenants that help people get through the Covenants, having a mechanism that can develop all different ways that people can have access to food. So this is one thing about that that looking at the leadership and the Covenants and also improving diets and food environment. When we're looking at that, this is the other things that when we're shaping that into a policy, it will help us, it will help the initiatives or the current initiatives that the Covenants and the people are taking in terms of diet and food environment to be more sustainable and increase a local production capacities and improve even its food environment. We ensure that people have access to more healthy and nutrition diets. And the other point is that when we're looking at that, we're thinking about the resilience of food system and the live view. So for example, Vanuatu will promote and implement initiatives where such as climate smart techniques and proven traditional practices for food production, processing and distribution, which will strengthen the resilience and enable productive work and descends livelihood along the food system evaluation. So those three points that I'm sharing, which is leadership and Covenants and into diets and food environment and resilience system are sort of something to be developed in a policy that will address the way people have access to food and in a sustainable way as well and a stable food as well. It brought a smile to my face because I remember the amazing food market there in Vanuatu where the people bring it from all over and then it's just there in front of you and you can see the abundance, which is not something that people always think about, but it's so amazing to see everything that is grown with that traditional knowledge and also the indigenous way of caring for nature. And I think what you're bringing up talks about a community, not a corporate approach and you can see though as you were there and when I visited in Vanuatu, so much food being produced for the people and how delicious it is. So that's then changing the conditions and that's one of the aspects. I also like how you shared besides the sustainable development goals also looking at the importance of seeing the crises all together, that they're all linked. And Secretary General Gutierrez said that unfortunately the world seems to be waging a war against nature and reaping that bitter harvest with the ruined crops, dwindling incomes and failing food systems. And also how food systems generate a third of all the greenhouse gas emissions. And so I think if we do look at the General Assembly, if we look at the food summit and also look forward on that road to Glasgow, we can see how we can have a common approach from a community perspective that's united with a localization movement of global civil society and how we have the solutions to be able to strive towards 1.5 as we get to go and good to go to Glasgow. I know that's coming up in the next month. Can you share a little bit about how you're preparing? What is at stake in Glasgow and what people can do? I think the first thing I want to share towards Glasgow is countries must review their indices before Glasgow. As the Secretary General said recently mentioned. The nationally determined contributions are very, very important. Exactly. There is a submission, but now he called for another submission for the countries. And this is a very critical one. When you're looking at accessing those indices, there is, you can see actions and plans around it, but there is some sort of actions that is still needed to make sure that those indices are more robust. I think the question is why the Secretary General called again for resubmission for other indices. So this is a question that will come back to my, when you're looking at those indices that are already submitted, it's clear that there is some lack of other ambitions action on that. And this is critical because when you look at the IPCC report, and in the Pacific itself, it's very frightening. And young people in the Pacific like me already start to worry about what will be the future if you go beyond the pinch of two of these resources. It is really clear that the science says there is no way back. So I'm totally agree with the Secretary General that the country must review again the indices to submit towards Glasgow. Otherwise Glasgow will be says arena of talking with no concrete action to move things forward. So this is really important. And also I'm thinking on the other way that today, many different talking points are these many ways across the last past course are yet to be implemented. Whereas we keep piling up upon each other with no actions. And this is really critical that we have been looking at doing actions rather than start putting more papers upon papers and sitting on the table with no actions. And we are coming to a very critical point at this stage. And Glasgow is very, very critical. You brought up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and they created their sixth report in August. And it did point out what you were saying and what everyone in the Pacific is seeing. We don't need to be a scientist or we have many traditional mechanisms to be able to monitor it. But we are reaching a point where people of the Pacific lives will be at stake. It's an existential threat. So you did point out, he's sort of like a school teacher. He received the reports and said, some good homework, but not enough. How about take it home again and do another draft? I believe he said it was around 2.7. But why is 1.5 so important? And why should those countries go back to their Congresses and their parliaments to come up with a better draft of their nationally determined contribution? It is very, very important that firstly, is that if we could be on 1.5 degrees Celsius, we will have constant impact. And as I mentioned to one of some of our colleagues when we are talking about adaptation in the Pacific, I told them that adaptation in the Pacific, it says now in a sort of a way of discussion. But in reality, adaptation in the Pacific is a total loss if you can see and damages that we can have. Many development of adaptation projects, for example, building seawall, we cannot stop it. The sea level will continue to rise. And when we're looking at that, we can see that 1.5 degrees Celsius, when we surpass that point, then the sea level rise will be raised. And in the Pacific alone, it's been projected that in 2100, the sea level rise in the Pacific alone will be reached one meter. And this is, I would say, most of the Pacific development are coastal cities. You can see in Port Villa, the Port Villa city is on the coast. Imagine in 1.5 degrees, in 1.5 level, water level rise. The inundation will wash out the city in one second. So we are losing it. We can lose everything that we are building for pages, it says only one second. So this is why when we're talking about 1.5 degrees Celsius, we have to really think about that. This is beyond the normal way of living. When we're looking back 20 decades back, it is beyond that. And it will be a constant disaster. I will put it in that way, a constant disaster for small island nations, like islands in the Pacific. It's true, I would be sad. We wouldn't be able to go to number one cafe. There'd be no more movie nights on Wednesday. Everything that has been created there in that space would go under. And there's many islands as well in Vanuatu. Could you maybe share how climate change is impacting some of the other islands? Port Villa, of course, I remember that experience, but I know you do a lot of good work around the communities. Yes, of course. Two weeks ago, we were in one of the islands called Emau and in a very beautiful community on the coast called Maru Village. And it's a very beautiful village. The saddest thing about it is when we went there to be looking at how we can help the communities to understand that they are facing a sea level rise and there will be something that they have to do. And the only thing they have to do is to move and lose everything there. And those things have been there for hundreds of years. I would say their life depends on that small island where they stay. The schools are now looking for new places. And reason like when to an itch on one of the where the mystery island is in the southern part of Vanuatu. A whole school, primary into college, are moving out from where they are. Because they are afraid that maybe at night time or maybe during the cycle, they will be washed away easily. So those islands are facing those impact and it's real. As you say, yeah, I'm totally agree with you. You don't need science in the Pacific to understand the impact of climate change. Instead, you can see it. And one of the things that really touches me is the shifting of the whole cultural knowledge It's really sad to see that because when I was in one of the island in Tana, where the volcano is, when they usually have the ritual of young, but that period was changed from May to June. And the custom knowledge has been really shocked and confusing because they don't know when will be the next harvest so that they will perform the ritual for the young. The young is a very essential food for the people in Vanuatu and the sacred and spiritual food that contain all spiritual and cultural knowledge. So those shifting are losses. And I would say this is a non-economic loss. And none of our, when you come to that knowledge, and you can see that this knowledge is been moving or shifting, writing about climate change. There is no money that can convert that. Thank you. I know the point you're raising brings up how the social, the spiritual are so essential. And it's also though the political structure. You were talking about the yams to bring it back to the food again. But then also, I remember the democracy tree where there's the mode of dialogue and deliberation and discussion and decisions are made, but then also the dancing that happens afterwards. So we'll not only lose the essential aspects of food and the culture, but even the decision-making processes that are so rich in that historical parts of that Vanuatu could really teach the world in many ways. How's our democracy tree doing? Yeah, exactly. I think those spirituality, it's actually impacted by the impact of climate change. And also, as we mentioned in that food summit, that FAO just have it. It's also showed that even the food is impacted in Vanuatu as well, the cultivation part and also the shifting. And this shifting, when it had its impact on cultural knowledge and cultural way of living, that really hit the whole governance as well as you mentioned. Maybe moving this around the way of democracy as well. So those shifting on the environment is impacted. It's kind of like a food chain that one thing's impact and touches everything. And the most important thing when we talk about food is that when the food falls out, falls out to the system, everyone suffers. So this is something that we are doing, but not only suffering because of the food, but also suffering that those going into the people that have cultural knowledge are trying to try to find and really connect themselves with the spiritual nature and the spirituality of the environment around them. Perfect. And I look forward to, I know where we see each other at the conference of parties. I look forward that we'll both be good to go to Glasgow. And I know the issue there, of course, will be loss and damage. Maybe you can close with that. But then even going further, we can look at that world court opinion on intergenerational responsibilities of governments regarding the impact of climate change, which you shared with us today. Sure, absolutely, Cuba. Let me bring those two things together. Loss and damage is one of the very big and challenging issues when it comes to a corporate negotiation, where a country trying to look at the compensation on that. And how is this linked with the international court of justice? Is that when we're looking at article 8 and paragraph 51 of the Paris Agreement, where it prevents, I would say, prevents people or countries as a leader to take their responsibilities to looking for compensation and liability to the countries that are less contributing to the impact of climate change, but in the other front line of this impact. So when we look at this too, loss and damage and the international court of justice, we can see that we can throw the line between the justice and the losses that we see on the impact of climate change. So when we're talking about that, I think one of the critical issues that moves really talk about is loss and damage, where we're trying to look at how we can provide more financial support for the countries that are losing a lot. And I must say, Cuba, that each year the loss and damage is financially increasing and even adaptation, when we do nothing. So it's increasing up to trillions of billions of dollars. So this will be beyond our expectations. So we need our trust as soon as we want and as soon as possible with this call, which is a critical call for everyone. Really, thank you so much for taking time and speaking with us and dedicating your life to protecting our planet. Thank you as well for the Blue Pacific perspective. And we'll see you in Glasgow. Thank you very much, Cuba. Thank you for having me. Aloha.