Solutions Take Centre Stage at COP30, Marking a New Era of Accelerated Climate Action. Read it here.
Parts of this site were translated using AI. Accuracy may vary.
Solutions Take Centre Stage at COP30, Marking a New Era of Accelerated Climate Action. Read it here.
Parts of this site were translated using AI. Accuracy may vary.
Monday, 22 December 2025 | By Climate High-Level Champions
NAME
Emma Oliver
TITLE
Founder, ENB Sea Keepers & ENB Marine Conservation Consultancy Services; Tutor in Eco-Tourism, Sustainable Tourism, and Working with Local Communities, PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment
LOCATION
East New Britain, Papua New Guinea
ABOUT
Emma Oliver is the Founder of ENB Sea Keepers and ENB Marine Conservation Consultancy Services, and a tutor in eco-tourism and sustainable community development at the PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment. For four years, she has worked with communities in East New Britain on coral restoration, local governance, youth involvement, cultural stewardship and ways for families to earn an income while protecting their reefs.
MOTIVATION
“My passion is driven by home, by the place, people, and ocean that shaped me. I grew up in a time when our relationship with the sea was deeply respectful and guided by cultural traditions. The reefs were healthy, the seasons were predictable, and our elders taught us the importance of looking after the ocean because it sustained our identity, livelihoods, and way of life.
Over the years, I have watched those ecosystems change and decline. I have seen bleaching events, coastal erosion, and the weakening of traditional practices that once protected our reefs. These changes are not just environmental, they are cultural. They affect who we are as coastal people.
What drives me is a desire to restore what we are losing, to revive the balance between our culture and our environment, and to ensure that the next generation experiences the same connection to the ocean that I grew up with. Every coral fragment we plant, every youth we train, every customary closure we help establish is a small step toward bringing back the coastal heritage that once defined our communities.
My work is rooted in love – for my home, my culture, and the future of our young people. I want to see them inherit thriving reefs, strong traditions, and the confidence to take pride in protecting what belongs to them. That is what keeps me committed every day.”
IMPACT
Coordinated East New Britain’s most active community-driven coral restoration initiative over four years.
Established two gene bank coral nurseries to preserve climate-resilient Acropora species.
Installed five coral propagation frames to support the rehabilitation of degraded reef areas.
Supported the reinstatement of two customary marine closures led by local clans using traditional governance.
Led the constitution development and formalization of a community-based organization dedicated to marine stewardship.
Trained 40 university volunteers and 120 youths across five coastal communities in coral restoration, monitoring, climate adaptation, financial literacy and leadership.
Developed eco-tourism and marine tourism interventions to create sustainable livelihood pathways.
Delivered 15 school-based awareness programmes reaching more than 3,000 coastal students.
Helped shift community behaviour, increase youth leadership, and revive traditional stewardship practices.
ADVICE
“The most important advice I can give is: know your community deeply and act from within your own context and culture. Effective climate action is not just about science or technology, it is about people, traditions, and local knowledge. The solutions that work in one place may not work in another, so understanding your community’s history, values, and ways of living is critical.
Start by listening, truly listening, to elders, youth, and local leaders. Learn what your community values, how they interact with the environment, and what has worked in the past to protect it. Ground your work in these traditions while combining it with science and modern conservation approaches.
Be patient and persistent. Change takes time, especially when rebuilding respect for ecosystems and reviving traditional practices. Empower your youth and create opportunities for them to take leadership – real impact happens when the next generation owns the solutions.
Finally, remember that every small action matters. Planting corals, restoring a reef area, or simply teaching a group of students about climate resilience can ripple out to create broader community change. Root your work in culture, respect your environment, and inspire others through action this is how lasting climate impact is achieved.”
CONTACT
