Climate Change Glossary launched in Marshall Islands
Discussion details
Group photo of the launch that took place on Friday, 19th of February, 2016 in Marshall Islands
The first Republic of the Marshall Islands National Climate Change Glossary was launched on Friday, 19th of February 2016, by the Public School System and the Office of Environmental Planning and Policy Coordination (OEPPC) with the blessing of Minister Mattlan Zackhras and Minister Wilbur Heine.
The glossary evolved from a simple idea. The idea was that an expanded vocabulary and understanding of kajjin Majel, the Marshallese language, would help a more widespread appreciation concerning the conversation about climate change and the Marshall Islands.
This first edition of the glossary is arranged in a tabular form and provides for each technical term an illustration, the name of the climate change concept and its description in Majel and in English. The electronic version of this glossary allows sorting of terms by thematic areas, a tool designed to aid teachers in their use of the glossary.
Minister for Education, Wilbur Heine explained “This glossary of climate change terms can serve as a starting point for a greater interest in traditional Majel-based science. Science, including climate change science, requires an expanded and precise way of thinking with a vocabulary to match. We hope this glossary of climate change terms is used in schools, workshops, government, in media and by the Marshallese diaspora”.
The glossary was prepared as a consultative process, involving many different experts and organisations and led by Dr. Riyad M. Mucadam, Senior Advisor Climate Change at OEPPC.
There are plans to introduce the glossary to teachers starting at Grade 7 and moving up to High School levels. While the glossary is available now for general use, the Ministry of Education's Curricula Development Division will test it with a group of teachers and cross check spellings with the Republic of the Marshall Islands Language Commission before using it in the classroom.
“I hope that climate change glossary for the RMI will be put to good use by our schools, program planners and our communities. There is a plan to revisit this document bi-annually, so we welcome inputs for the next version” commented Lowell Alik, Director of OEPPC.
Support for the Glossary was provided through the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Global Climate Change Alliance: Pacific Small Island States project funded by the European Union.
The glossary can be downloaded at http://goo.gl/hm3BJ7
Background :
The Global Climate Change Alliance: Pacific Small Island States project is an SPC-European Union joint initiative, made possible with European Union funding of €11.4 million. It is implemented regionally by SPC and nationally by each of the nine participating governments in Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Tonga and Tuvalu.
More information on the GCCA: PSIS project is available online at:
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