The Climate Movement Needs New Stories: Fenton Lutunatabua's Perspective

Did you know that Pacific communities contribute less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions? Yet, they are among the most vulnerable to climate change.

The Power of Stories

Imagine standing by the shores of the Pacific Ocean with your grandfather, fishing rods in hand, while he recounts the legacy of your ancestors—fishermen and boat builders. This moment of connection not only ties you to your heritage but also plants a seed of understanding about the ocean's ever-changing nature. For Fenton Lutunatabua, these vivid memories became the foundation of his climate advocacy. His father’s stories showed him that the same ocean that provided for generations can be both a teacher and a threat. By weaving personal narratives with environmental science, Fenton demonstrates how storytelling can transform abstract climate statistics into lived experiences that spur communities to action.

Beyond personal resonance, these stories also influence policy. When Pacific leaders share oral histories at COP conferences, they frame negotiations around justice and tradition. Governments and NGOs often respond more readily to narratives that reflect lived experiences rather than abstract data alone, illustrating the persuasive power of local storytelling.

Shifting the Narrative

For far too long, news coverage and academic reports portrayed Pacific Islanders as passive victims of sea level rise and extreme weather. Fenton and his contemporaries recognized this narrative trap during the Global Power Shift conference in Istanbul over a decade ago. They understood that they needed to control the script by highlighting agency and hope. Instead of waiting for external aid, they chose to showcase their resilience—and their proactive solutions—to the world. In doing so, they reclaimed their voice and redefined the global climate narrative.

“We are not drowning, we are fighting.”

This powerful assertion not only challenges the victim story but also positions Pacific communities as active climate leaders forging their own futures.

Taking Action

Pacific climate warriors have translated narrative shifts into bold on-the-ground initiatives. These targeted interventions demonstrate how stories and strategies work in tandem to build momentum.

• Direct Action: In 2013, a coalition of young Pacific activists paddled traditional vaka (canoes) to blockade one of the world’s largest coal ports in Newcastle, Australia. Their handmade vessels became symbols of resistance, making global headlines and pressuring policymakers.
• Community Education: Grassroots workshops in Fiji and the Solomon Islands teach sustainable methods such as keyhole gardening and mangrove restoration. Elders share ancient ecological knowledge alongside modern solar technology, creating intergenerational learning spaces that honor cultural integrity.
• Digital Advocacy: A social media campaign called #SistasForSale highlighted gendered climate impacts on Pacific women. By combining video testimonies, infographics, and live streams, the initiative garnered thousands of shares, bringing Pacific stories into international climate forums.

Each of these actions underscores that storytelling is not just retrospective—it is a catalyst for real-world climate solutions.

The Need for Climate and Narrative Leadership

Fenton emphasizes that the future hinges on two complementary forms of leadership: climate and narrative.

Climate leadership refers to concrete interventions that reduce emissions and build resilience:

1. Opposition to fossil fuels through public demonstrations and policy advocacy.
2. Implementation of renewable energy projects—from solar backpacks designed by Filipino engineers to community-scale wind turbines.
3. Collaboration with global partners, such as NGOs in New Zealand and research institutes in Europe, to access funding and technical expertise.

Narrative leadership, by contrast, is about reshaping the stories that define communities:

• Community Agency: Telling stories that highlight local innovators, such as a Fijian youth group developing algae-based biofuel.
• Cultural Integrity: Preserving traditional chants and dance forms within climate education programs to reinforce identity and pride.
• Visionary Futures: Crafting narratives that allow Pacific Islanders to see themselves as architects of a fossil-free world.

By cultivating both climate and narrative leadership, Pacific peoples can successfully challenge marginalizing discourses and inspire a more equitable global movement.

Building Future Narratives

Stories form the bedrock of how societies envision their future. When Pacific Islanders take control of their narrative, they affirm their rights and express their collective aspirations. Fenton argues that success hinges on three priorities:

• Elevating Voices: Ensuring Pacific representatives sit at negotiating tables of international bodies like the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• Sharing Success Stories: Documenting community-led triumphs—whether a microgrid installation on a remote atoll or a youth-led plastic cleanup campaign—and broadcasting them through podcasts and newsletters.
• Collaborative Visioning: Hosting regional storytelling circles where elders, activists, and artists co-create multimedia exhibits that chart a path toward sustainable prosperity.

By centering these elements, communities can build narratives that not only document past struggles but also chart future triumphs.

Digital Storytelling as a Tool

In the digital age, climate narratives spread faster and wider than ever before. Pacific activists leverage online platforms to:
• Live-stream village discussions with global audiences, fostering cross-cultural solidarity.
• Produce short documentary videos that mix drone footage of vanishing coastlines with interviews of local residents.
• Use interactive web maps to show real-time climate data alongside oral histories, making the science compelling and relatable.

These digital tools democratize narrative leadership by lowering barriers to participation. A region-wide podcast series, produced by youth in Samoa and Tonga, receives weekly downloads from listeners across five continents. Similarly, crowd-sourced TikTok campaigns highlight everyday resilience, enabling community activists to rival mainstream media in shaping public opinion.

Conclusion

Bold Actionable Takeaway: Commit to reshaping climate narratives in your own community. Share a Pacific climate story on social media, support indigenous-led restoration projects, or convene a local forum to discuss resilience and leadership.

By changing the stories we tell, we honor the agency and wisdom of communities on the front lines and chart a new course for global climate justice. How will you contribute to the movement for a more inclusive, empowering climate narrative?