In Episode 3 we meet Arsenia Vital Ximenes da Cruz an environmental scientist with a passion for sustainability development, working on climate change adaptation and mitigation, environmental services, and coastal and rivers waste management in Timor-Leste. She has worked in both in government and private sector on environmental protection planning and development. Arsenia recently moved to Galway, Ireland to begin a PhD research project in University of Galway focused on climate change adaptation in Ireland and Timor-Leste through co-developing frameworks for nature-based solutions.

Many small island nations, including Ireland, have already seen the impacts of strong, and possible climate related storms. Timor-Leste experienced the devastating impact of climate-induced disaster when Cyclone Seroja hit in 2021, causing fatalities and catastrophic damage impacting environment, society and economy. As part of its recovery plan, the government is working to improve adaptive capacity and resilience, through a holistic approach including a nature-based solutions (NbS) focus, enhancing community capacity for resilience. To this end, expertise in Timor-Leste has sought to connect with other island nations to learn and develop good practices that support this ethos. We discuss the importance of nature-based solutions, including mangroves and coral reefs, in protecting against storm surges and erosion, while acknowledging the challenges of implementing these solutions in both countries, including limited resources and the need for localized adaptation.

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The Our Shared Ocean Podcast is a funding initiative by the Government of Ireland through Irish Aid and managed by the Marine Institute.