Good Will Hunters

Have you heard about sea grapes?

They're a form of edible seaweed found in parts of the Pacific. They're nutritious, particularly for maternal health, and delicious.

And they fetch a great price at market. They're sometimes even known as the next superfood.

What makes sea grapes particularly interesting to us is the sustainability element: growing them depends on the sustainable development of nearby mangroves.

And this is where Nature Based Solutions comes in. Nature based solutions present an effective way to handle the impact of climate change, such as planting mangroves or regenerating coral reefs.

In particular, it is something beneficial to women in affected communities.

For episode 5 of A Little Less Conversation, we speak with ActionAid Vanuatu Country Manager Flora Vano, and WWF Australia's Head of Social Development, Nat Burke.

A Little Less Conversation is a podcast series brought to you by @WWF Australia, @Australian Council For International Development and @Goodwill Hunters. It is hosted by @Rachel Mason Nunn, @Dermot O'Gorman and @Jessica Mackenzie.

Climate Resilient By Nature

https://www.climateresilientbynature.com/

More about sea grapes:

https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificmornings/pacific-sea-grapes/11881944

Australia made headlines earlier in 2023 with the announcement it was rejoining the Green Climate Fund, reviving interest in the fund.

It is the world's largest climate fund, and aims to give a boost to transformative climate action in the form of grants to affected nations.

It has attracted its fair share of criticism, particularly over lengthy delays in actually getting money to where it is needed.

In this episode, the GCF's deputy executive director Henry Gonzalez details how the fund functions and what its priority areas are, from replenishment cycles to program readiness grants.

https://www.greenclimate.fund/

Loss and damage has quickly emerged as a key theme of COP28, with the news ahead of the summit that rich countries would set up a loss and damage fund, as promised last year.

So what is loss and damage, and how has it become the latest frontier in the fight against climate change?

Two loss and damage experts join us on this episode to explain more: Julie-Ann Richards, who is the strategy lead for the Loss and Damage Coalition; and Dr Melanie Pill, with the Lowy Insitute. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/contributors/articles/melanie-pill

(links).

Loss and Damage Transitional Committee - https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/bodies/constituted-bodies/transitional-committee

Green Climate Fund: https://www.greenclimate.fund/

Pacific Resilience Facility: https://www.forumsec.org/prf/

EU Solidarity Fund: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/97/the-solidarity-fund#:~:text=The%20Solidarity%20Fund%20is%20the%20main%20EU%20instrument,a%20flood%2C%20forest%20fire%2C%20earthquake%2C%20storm%20or%20drought.

Tuvalu Australia agreement: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/10/tuvalu-residency-and-security-treaty-what-is-it-and-why-is-australia-doing-it

Australia’s Climate Ambassador Kristen Tilley has been in the job for just over a year, and in that time has worked to drive Australia’s climate ambitions, whether in decarbonising or ambitions to become a renewable energy superpower. She speaks with Jessica Mackenzie and Dermot O’Gorman about harnessing foreign policy, trade and development policies to drive climate outcomes interntionally.

Ambassador Kristen Tilley: https://twitter.com/AusAmbClimate?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

New international development policy: https://www.dfat.gov.au/development/new-international-development-policy#:~:text=New%20International%20Development%20Policy%201%20Themes%20Among%20its,...%204%20Public%20submissions%20...%205%20Consultations%20

Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fosool Fuel Free Pacific: https://fossilfueltreaty.org/port-vila-call

UNFCCC National Adaptation Plan: https://unfccc.int/files/adaptation/application/pdf/nap_booklet.pdf#:~:text=Adapting%20to%20climate%20change%20is%20becoming%20a%20routine,developed%20countries%20%28LDCs%29%20and%20other%20developing%20coun-%20tries.

Bootless Bay mangrove regeneration: https://www.nature.org/en-us/magazine/magazine-articles/papua-new-guinea-mangrove-forests-economic-opportunity/

PIF Leaders Forum 2023 Communique and outcomes: https://www.forumsec.org/2023/11/09/reports-piflm52-communique-of-the-52nd-pacific-islands-leaders-forum-2023/

A Little Less Conversation is a podcast series bringing together ACFID, Good Will Hunters and WWF Australia to discuss how to drive action on climate change through an international development and policy lens.

In this episode, we discuss what’s coming up in the series: who we’ll be talking with, what we’ll be talking about, and why we’ve chosen this topic at this time.

We’re releasing this in the lead up to COP28 https://www.cop28.com, and just after the most recent PIF leaders meeting https://piflm52.com.

Our last series with WWF Australia was in 2021, and you can listen here: https://goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au/episodes/promo-launching-our-spring-series-with-wwf-australia/

And our last series with ACFID was earlier in 2023; listen here: https://goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au/episodes/episode-1-the-youth-bulge-with-thenu-herath-ceo-oaktree/

Good Will Hunters, ACFID and WWF Australia present 'A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Climate Action". We'll be bringing you a series of conversations on the focus on climate in Australia's international development program. Make sure you subscribe, episodes drop soon!

CID '23 Civic Space Panel by Good Will Hunters

CID '23 Emeline Siale, on Civic Space by Good Will Hunters

It's here! Join Jess and Rachel as they sit down to discuss the New International Development Policy.

Sources referenced in the show are linked below:

DevPolicy Blog: https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/media-release/australias-new-international-development-policy-and-development-finance-review?_gl=1*bws6sv*_ga*NzY1NDkwOTI2LjE2ODc5MjI0NjI.*_ga_8Z18QMQG8V*MTY5MTQzOTI3NS43LjEuMTY5MTQzOTI4Mi41My4wLjA.

ACFID response:https://acfid.asn.au/new-development-policy-reframes-program/

ACFID op ed in The Interpreter responding to the policy: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/international-development-putting-heart-back-australian-foreign-policy

Dr Cam Hill history of aid launches

https://devpolicy.org/a-short-history-of-australian-aid-policy-launches-20230728/

The promise of blended finance by Brigid O'Farrell and Purdie Bowden

https://devpolicy.org/the-promise-of-blended-finance-as-australia-steps-up-on-climate-20230807/

Australia has a proud history of supporting people affected by crises. It has been a champion for the rights of women and girls, led the charge on disability inclusion, and been a steadfast supporter of disaster affected countries around the world.

But as the global humanitarian landscape shifts, Australia must realign its strategy to ensure it continues to reach the people in greatest need.

Humanitarian crises are today driven overwhelmingly by conflict and violence, and the persistent gap between needs and funding demands all governments increase their support to better respond to the most pressing global challenges.

Right now, the situation on the ground in the humanitarian space is not positive. There are more displaced people than ever, the toll of conflict and violence on civilians is high, and the globe is facing the greatest food crisis in modern history. Needs have escalated dramatically, around 70 per cent over the past three or four years.

ACFID's Humanitarian Advisor Natasha Chabbra joins Jess to give a picture of how targeted humanitarian action helps those most in need.