Join hosts Veronica Lysaght and Dr. Nigel Jollands on the Stories on the Edge podcast as they delve into the lives of those at the forefront of climate change. These insightful discussions provide an intimate look at how communities are navigating the challenges of a world in flux. You can listen to Stories on the Edge on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.
Loss often prompts action, a sentiment that resonated with my wife, Veronica, after her sister’s passing in 2019. She asked, “You know that dream of yours to sail to New Zealand? How do we make it happen?” This question marked the beginning of a new adventure.
The idea of sailing around the globe was a long-held dream of mine. Surprised by Veronica’s prompt, we decided to embark on this journey with a mission. Thus, the Novara One Planet project and the Stories on the Edge podcast were born.
The core goal of the Novara One Planet project is straightforward: aid coastal communities at risk in achieving climate resilience. Our focus is on helping these communities comprehend their risks, collaborate to set adaptation priorities, and create actionable pathways—politically, financially, and practically.
The accelerating impacts of climate change manifest in severe weather events like wildfires, droughts, and floods. Coastal communities are particularly vulnerable, and our backgrounds have equipped us to assist these regions in adapting to these challenges.
Often, there’s a disparity between policy discussions and the ground realities in smaller communities. In 2023, we acquired the Novara, a high-latitude expedition yacht, transforming it into a vessel for climate education and community engagement. This boat allows us to reach remote areas, engaging with those already experiencing the immediate effects of climate change.
Our journey has taken us to communities in the UK, Morocco, the Caribbean, the U.S., and Canada. In Stornoway, Scotland, we contributed to promoting a climate risk mapping tool, and in Agadir, Morocco, we developed a project evaluation tool through a climate-adaptation lens, addressing the city’s severe water crisis.
Through our podcast, Stories on the Edge, we amplify the voices of coastal communities, sharing their stories of resilience with broader audiences, including policymakers and fellow sailors.
Listeners of the series will meet remarkable individuals like Zakaria Oulad, a city councilor in Agadir; Kimberley and Leo, fishers from Petty Harbour, Newfoundland; and Manfred Webster from Providencia Island, which was hit by a hurricane in 2020.
For three years, our approach has been hands-on, arriving in communities by sea and engaging directly with locals to understand their needs and challenges posed by climate change.
Our method involves listening and connecting, not prescribing solutions. We’ve learned that effective adaptation strategies are rooted in local context, identity, and capacity.
Through the Stories on the Edge podcast, we share our insights and experiences from regions like the Caribbean, the Arctic, Alaska, and Morocco, where climate change is already causing significant disruptions.
Our backgrounds in leadership coaching, climate policy, and finance have provided us with a deep understanding of resilience and loss, which we now apply to this endeavor.
For more information about Novara, visit their website.
Featured images courtesy of the authors.
Original Story at www.resilience.org