CurrentEvents

This page will be updated periodically with current PCEP events.

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=PCEP Webinars= PCEP holds monthly webinars as an opportunity for partners to join together in conversation about specific climate- and education-related topics. PCEP partners, teachers, school leaders, representatives from NGOs and government agencies, and community members are invited.

Below are recordings of the most recent PCEP webinars:

Presenters: Curtis Hayseck (Mathematics Specialist, Chuuk State School System; MACIMISE) & Miuty Nokar (Instructor, College of Micronesia, Chuuk; MACIMISE) Moderator: Ethan Allen August 2, 2012 Recording: @http://goo.gl/nKTOc
 * Indigenous Knowledge Revisited: Lessons Learned in the Region**

//multiple speakers from NGOs and SEAs across the region// Moderator: Ethan Allen Breakout room facilitators: Corrin Barros, Daniel Lin June 27, 2012 Recording: @http://goo.gl/cySHo
 * Revisiting Community-School Partnerships**

Dr. Art Sussman (WestEd) Moderators: Dr. Marylin Low & Corrin Barros (PREL) May 2, 2012 Recording: @http://goo.gl/rbxUT
 * A Climate Education Framework (CEF) for the Pacific Islands Climate Education Partnership (PCEP)**

Dr. Sharon Nelson-Barber (PREL) & Dr. Megan Bang (University of Washington) Moderator: Dr. Ethan Allen February 21, 2012 Recording: []
 * Seeing and Using Your Strengths: Indigenous Communities’ Expertise and Knowledge as the Foundation of Learning**

Facilitated by Dr. Ethan Allen (PREL) with contributions from PCEP Partners January 17, 2012 Recording: @http://goo.gl/QKQcr
 * Partners in Climate Change Education: Schools & Community Organizations**

Dr. Chip Fletcher (UH) & Dr. Danko Taborosi (IREI) Moderator: Dr. Ethan Allen (PREL) December 1, 2011 Recording: http://goo.gl/3U9Y0
 * Topics: Sea Level Rise and Freshwater Resources**

Dr. Art Sussman (WestEd) & Liz Terk (Micronesian Conservation Trust) Moderator: Dr. Ethan Allen (PREL) November 17, 2011 Recording: @http://goo.gl/BzvAk
 * Establishing Background: “Adapting to a Changing Climate” Materials**

=CALL FOR PAPERS: Climate Change in the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands= College and university students, faculty, and staff, as well as community members and members of non-governmental organizations and government agencies who would like to contribute to a compendium on climate education in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands (USAPI) are invited to submit an abstract to the Pacific islands Climate Education Partnership (PCEP) at barrosc@prel.org.

We especially welcome submissions from graduate and undergraduate students of post-secondary institutions in the USAPI, including the University of Hawai‘i system, College of the Marshall Islands, American Sāmoa Community College, Palau Community College, and College of Micronesia campuses.

This compendium will be a compilation of articles in **non-technical language** that describe climate science and the impacts of climate change on Pacific island environments. PCEP intends for the compendium to support climate education in a variety of capacities, including as a resource for teacher professional learning; instructional support material for high school and college courses; or a reference for community outreach. Target audience includes K-12 teachers, college instructors, high school and college students, and education specialists with local non-governmental organizations. The compendium will be disseminated online at @http://pcep.dsp.wested.org/ and through other PCEP networks.

Climate change in the USAPI may include sea level rise, changes in air and water temperature, ocean acidification, changes in winds and cloudiness, changes in rainfall, and changes in ocean currents and other conditions. PCEP is seeking short articles pertaining to the impact of climate change on one or more of the following aspects of the physical and cultural environments of the USAPI: Species and diversity Geographic boundaries Soil moisture Environmental conditions Storminess Agricultural practices Fishing practices Invasive species || __Human Physical Systems__ Water security Food security Public health Economic security Transportation National and/or home security Pollution || __Human Cultural Systems__ Cultural practices Indigenous belief systems Balancing environment and consumerism Disaster risk reduction Cultural reaffirmation Community support network Climate change mitigation || Abstracts should be 300 words or less and include the title, author’s name or (authors’ names), institution and department, and contact information. **Abstracts are due June 5, 2012**.
 * __Ecosystems__

Selection will be based on the abstract’s relevance to the theme of the compendium, with an emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach that considers western and traditional ecological knowledge in the context of one or more entities in the USAPI, as well as ease of readability (use of non-technical language). All abstracts and final papers will be reviewed by a subset of PCEP partners from across the USAPI. Approximately 10 abstracts will be selected by June 15, 2012 and authors will be informed accordingly.

Final articles should be about 3-5 pages, including photos and diagrams. __Articles will be due July 31, 2012__. An honorarium $100 will be given to the authors of the final articles. Anticipated date for dissemination of this compendium is August 2012.\

=PCEP in the News=

In the Kaselehlie Press: April 20-21, 2012 @http://www.kpress.info/index.php/site-map/93-climate-change-community-outreach-metipw-madolenihmw
 * Climate change community outreach - Metipw, Madolenihmw**

As a result of the Climate Change Adaptation and Planning Training held in January of this year by the Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT), the Micronesia Challenge, and Pacific Islands Marine Protected Areas Community (PIMPAC) a local Climate Change Outreach Committee was established and formed. The purpose of this committee- to use the skills and tools learned in this training to conduct community outreach programs educating local communities about Climate Change Adaptation. In this committee are a number of community leaders and climate change/environmental related practitioners including organizations such as the Conservation Society of Pohnpei (CSP), the Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT), **Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL)**, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the FSM Dept. of Resource and Development.

The Climate Change Outreach Committee (CCOC) conducted its second 2 day outreach education and awareness program in the community of Metipw, Madolenihmw from April 20-21 2012; the first one being in Takaieau, Uh last month. This program attracted about 50 participants over the course of the two days from two neighboring community structures—Metipw and Dolapwail.



In the Saipan Tribune: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 @http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=119245
 * PREL hosts Pacific climate workshop in American Samoa**

HONOLULU, Hawai'i - The Pacific Climate Education Partnership expanded its educational reach by hosting a workshop in American Samoa titled, Community Partnerships for Climate Change Education & Adaptation: May Day on May 15, 2012.

The workshop aimed to raise awareness about climate issues in the Pacific, increase knowledge of collective work around climate change in American Samoa, and establish a network of partners and expertise in the field to connect with the PCEP partnership.

To coordinate the event, PREL worked with the University of Hawaii School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, American Samoa Department of Education, and Le Tausagi, a group of environmental educators working for government agencies that provide environmental outreach in American Samoa.

Over 40 members of the community attended the workshop-teachers, researchers, and leaders-from over 14 organizations including: the American Samoa Department of Marine & Wildlife Resources; the American Samoa Department of Education; the American Samoa Community College; the American Samoa Power Authority; the NOAA Fisheries; the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; the American Samoa Department of Agriculture; the U.S. National Parks Service; and the Coral Reef Advisory Group.

The PCEP is a collaborative network of Pacific island communities and organizations responding to the impacts of climate change in the Pacific region. Funded by the National Science Foundation, this partnership works specifically in the U.S.-affiliated Pacific islands of Hawai'i, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap), and the Republic of Palau.

PREL and WestEd lead the PCEP, working with community agencies, colleges, education departments, teachers, and principals, to develop a 5-year strategic plan that supports teaching and learning about climate change and its impacts.

To learn more about the PCEP, and connect with its network of climate educators from around the Pacific, join the Pacific island Educators Advocating for Climate Education (PEACE) email list at: [@http://lists.prel.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/peace]. Contribute to the PCEP wiki, a collaborative resource on climate and climate change in the Pacific, at: http://pcep.wikispaces.com]. Or, visit the PCEP website at: [@http://pcep.dsp.wested.org/]. (PREL)