Climate-related community knowledge networks as a tool to increase learning in the context of environmental change

Statements made at the recent UN Climate Conference 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP23) clearly indicated that Pacific islands, countries, and territories (PICTs) are particularly susceptible to sociocultural, economic and environmental impacts of climate change. The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) are one such group of islands where internal and external climate forcing has observable detrimental impacts on local public health, water quality, agriculture and resource management. Here, we present the outcomes of a collaboration between graduate students and a PICTs-focused non-profit organization to facilitate a climate-related knowledge network that addresses adaptation to climate-related vulnerabilities in Pohnpei, FSM. Through a series of workshops targeting K-8 science teachers, this network strengthens lines of communication between educators, resource managers, stakeholders and environmental leaders and provides a forum for ongoing information exchange to encourage adaptation to climate change in island communities. Additionally, teacher participation in the workshops resulted in a marked increase in community engagement in other local and regional educational venues. We propose that the knowledge network piloted here serves as an interdisciplinary model of a sustainable educational partnership that can be adapted for use in a multitude of PICT communities to improve preparedness and reduce susceptibility to climate-associated stressors, thereby providing an example of means to achieve key goals of the COP23. Keywords: Knowledge network, Climate change, Climate variability, Adaptive capacity, Learning exchange, Pacific islands