Global Warming. Climate Change. Greenhouse Gasses. These are phrases which have seeped into our everyday language. But, what are the effects? Who does is it concern globally? And what are ways to help those at the local level? Rare Pride Program Manager Hari Kushardanto of Indonesia just got back from a training in Bali focusing on climate change. He examines these questions in his recent blog.

In human history I believe this is the first time ever that environmental issues have gathered immense attention from across the globe. This is a time when conservation topics are discussed by everybody from taxi drivers to politicians. And, although it sounds different depending on what language it’s spoken in, global warming is the one phrase that everyone understands.

Global warming may be a hot topic in daily conversation today, and the complexity of the issue has raisin to a greater extent then when the issue first was brought up at the 1992 Earth Summit. Rapid forest degradation in the tropics is believed to contribute a significant amount of CO2 emissions. The impoverished in developing countries, whose livelihoods include agriculture or fisheries, will be the first groups that will suffer due to global climate change and the rise of the sea’s surface temperature. Yet, economic growth was used as development jargon until now. Developed countries are showing greater commitment to developing countries and help lessen greenhouse gasses.

Unfortunately, although greenhouse gas is a phrase which has made it into everyday language all over the world, not everybody knows what greenhouse gasses are and why negative effect occurs. Not everybody understands that peat swamp, or tropical moist forests, contribute to greenhouse gas emission three to four times more than other types of forests. Not everybody realizes that there are two mechanisms, one government regulated and the other a grassroots effort, which have been formed as an incentive for developing countries to reduce CO2 emissions without compromising the right of those in poverty to a sustainable habitat.

Many initiatives for climate change mitigation projects have been developed by scientific communities as well as by governments and the business sector. Yet again, there is little concrete guidance on how to develop an acceptable and sound project. Rare realizes that to change behavior of local people living in or adjacent to rich biodiversity, education alone will not suffice. Rare believes that removing obstacles that hinder climate change will help change behavior. With this, a climate mitigation project can offer local people an incentive for preserving their forest area which can be an important habitat for many imperiled species.

All participants of Rare’s training on Climate Change in Bali on August 26, 2008

Rare works with a variety of partners and at an array of sites around the globe and many of these sites focus on deforestation issues, helping to mitigate global warming. Rare’s Vice president of Asia and the Pacific, Nigel Sizer, has initiated a series of talks and discussions with people and organizations working on climate change issues and plans to introduce a climate change-community-biodiversity project to Rare’s partners. For our partners, and also for Rare’s staff around the world, global warming is an issue well known and to understand their stance and how climate change effects various community through in global, is crucial.

To bring local perspectives together, on August 26 in Bali, Indonesia at green resort surrounded by organic paddy fields, 20 participants attended a training on climate change and forest issues. Some of these participants lead Rare Pride conservation campaigns; others included Rare partners, and Rare staff. I think all participants received the training positively.

Following the training, a separate talk on the Coral Triangle Initiative was given to Rare filed staff in Asia who attended the training. Dewa Gede R Wiadnya, Director for Training, TNC Indonesia gave the talk. It has been a new experience for some to hear about over-fishing and destructive fishing practices, the global initiative to protect the significant coral reef and marine ecosystems on earth, and TNC’s role in this process.  Through working with our partners, and campaign leaders this training was a means to strengthen local conservation actions that is a true catalyst to global impact.          
       

Rare Pride Indonesia’s first ever Social Marketing Workshop was conducted on July 9-10, 2008 in Bogor, Indonesia. Rare’s team in Bogor write about the workshop and how they’re inspiring conservation in Indonesia.

A participant ponders what methood he will take to improve conservation efforts during the workshop.

“Building Conservation Constituents: The Use of Social Marketing to Achieve Conservation Goals,” was attended by 46 enthusiastic participants. The participants were drawn from government agencies, area NGOs who were either perspective partners or leaders for future Pride campaigns. Some partner organizations included Yayasan Orangutan Indonesia (Indonesian Orangutan Foundation), Sumatran Orangutan Society -  Orangutan Information Center (SOS-OIC), WWF Malaysia, Yayasan Pekat, Yayasan Titian, Natural Recources Conservation Center North Sumatera, Ujung Kulon National Park, WCS Marine Indonesia, FFI Aceh, and Yayasan Seka.
 
Rare staff introduced the participants to its goals for conservation impact through social marketing, speaking about previous projects and building local constituents by using a social marketing approach.

Agus Wiyono, a Pride alumni, presented on his experience to workshop participants giving additional perspective. 

The workshop enabled participants to immerse themselves in what a Pride campaign would be like. From project planning, to the campaigns “theory of change” the participants were shown the theory behind Pride and the tools to implement lasting conservation. 

The participants went home with new ideas in their minds. Despite the tight schedule, no participants showed less enthusiasm then when the day started. The participants claimed that they really look forward to working with Rare and making some significant changes in conservation!

Rare Course Manager, Hari Kushardanto, got a chance to visit Rare Pride Campaign Manager Agus Wiyono in East Java Indonesia, and see the band Suket Teki perform.

Camat,  a young man from Dayurejo Village, never thought he’d be recognized because of a conservation song. This long haired young man was simply motivated by a challenge from Rare Pride Campaign Manager Agus Wiyono of the Kaliandra Sejati Foundation, who asked him to make a conservation song about protecting the Grand Forest Park from forest fires, something that often happens in the area. In the beginning, Agus was in doubt that this young man and his band could make a song because they’re not professional musicians. They make their daily living as farmers, grass harvesting workers, or in other agricultural jobs. Playing music was only a hobby for them.

Camat, the song’s composer from the band Suket Teki [Photo by: Hari Kushardanto/Rare]