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Tower Insurance has announced its support for the creation of a pilot “ecovillage” in Fiji, which it hopes will help villagers prepare for climate change and lead more sustainable lives, there and across the Pacific.
In partnership with Global Ecovillage Network Oceania & Asia (GENOA), Tower is giving $40,000 in funding towards the programme. The goal of the programme is to engage with communities in traditional villages and support them to be empowered to take ownership of, and participate in, the ecovillage programme.
Phase one of the programme is already under way. The next phase is to introduce the ecovillage concept to key stakeholders, and to identify a suitable community that is willing and able to transition into an ecovillage.
“Tower recognises that climate change is resulting in more extreme weather and we are committed to a practical approach to help educate communities and mitigate the impact of climate change,” Tower chief executive Richard Harding said. “Extra focus is needed in Oceania where communities face the real threat of more storms and rising sea levels despite being some of the lowest contributors to carbon emissions.”
“As a business that’s dedicated to helping customers prepare for the unexpected, and as an insurer with a 140-year presence in the Pacific, it’s only fitting that we partner with an organisation like GENOA to create a pilot climate resilience programme that can be rolled out across the Pacific,” he added.
As well as seed funding, Tower said it will also provide on-the-ground logistical support. A long-term goal to help others in Fiji and their neighbours in Samoa and Tonga fits Tower’s mission to become the “Pacific insurer of choice,” it added.
Meanwhile, GEN Australia executive director Andrew Olivier explained an ecovillage for existing rural communities means designing their own pathway into the future, combining life-sustaining traditional wisdom with positive new innovation.
“In 114 countries worldwide, GEN is working with communities to build climate change resilience, improving food and energy security, restoring ecosystems, and revitalising right livelihoods,” Olivier said. “Once we’ve identified a suitable community, we’ll then provide ongoing education and support based on that village’s needs and the issues it faces.
“Our focus will be on identifying and supporting locally-appropriate solutions that villagers can learn, install and maintain long-term, with a strong emphasis on celebrating existing cultural practices,” he added.
