Sign the pledge to stand with Pacific Islanders as they take a historic stand at the world's largest coal port.  

30 young Pacific Climate Warriors, from 12 Pacific Island nations, have travelled to the world's largest coal port at Newcastle, Australia, to take the fight to save their homes directly to the fossil fuel industry

On Friday, October 17th 2014, they'll lead a flotilla of handbuilt canoes into the oncoming path of coal ships, in an effort to shut down the world's largest coal port for a day.

They are there to send a clear message: "We Are Not Drowning, We Are Fighting".

We know the Pacific Warriors actions are going to be so powerful the fossil fuel industry will need to launch their multi-million dollar PR machines in an attempt to dismiss them. But we are going to make so much noise that that we will be impossible for even the most mighty PR machine to dismiss.

Stand with the Pacific Warriors by signing this letter to send a clear message to the fossil fuel industry, and the world, that the Warriors are not acting alone.  

Photo: Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. The Climate Warriors have worked with their communities over the last year to build the traditional style canoes they they will paddle to lead a flotilla at the world's largest coal port in Newcastle, Australia. 

Why the journey to Australia?

The situation is clear: it’s either the fossil fuel industry that has to back down, or the Pacific Islands. We’re calling up the warriors of the Pacific to show that the Pacific Islands will not back down. The fossil fuel industry must keep 80% of its proven reserves in the ground to stop the globe warming more than 2 degrees. A majority of the Pacific Islands depend on subsistence agriculture, but with more intense tropical cyclones, flash floods and droughts, our food production systems are increasingly vulnerable. Sea level rise threatens our future existence as Islanders. Scientists have warned that if the world doesn’t change track now, we face complete upheaval and displacement for many of our islands.

The Pacific Climate Warrior's journey will allow them to cross the geographic divide separating Pacific Islanders from the source of emissions and highlight the direct impacts of overseas fossil fuel extraction on our Pacific neighbours.

Who is this voyage being organised by?

Five years ago, a network of young Pacific Islanders began to form across the Pacific Ocean, under the name of 350 Pacific, and as part of the global climate change movement, 350.org. Active in 15 of the Pacific Islands, we have a unique approach of empowering young people to understand the issue of climate change and take action to protect and enrich our islands, cultures, and oceans.

We’re asking the international community to stand in support with the Pacific Warriors.

The Pacific Climate Warriors know that this project is beyond what they can deliver on their own. They don’t have big bank accounts, big funders, or big email lists. What they do have is the network of courageous young Pacific Islanders – from Niue to Tuvalu – that have been busy learning the skills of canoe building from their elders, are clued up about how climate change is affecting their Islands, and are ready to stand up peacefully but powerfully as warriors for their Islands.

You can learn more about what it means to be a Pacific Climate Warrior by visiting http://world.350.org/pacificwarriors/.