Climate Change: Two Degrees
by Maliana McCollum
May 2022
"Two Degrees" is one of the most important poems from Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner’s Iep Jaltok. "Two Degrees" is about the devastating issue of climate change. The daunting topic that since I was just a little girl, I’ve been taught, experienced and have been shown. Growing up here in the Marshall Islands, I have seen the numerous effects it has on the islands and its native people. From whole parts of islands being swallowed by the ocean to native peoples' homes being flooded and resources being destroyed. In the poem "Two Degrees", Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner illuminates the many experiences of climate change her people suffer from today. Readers immerse themselves in the rich text Jetnil-Kijiner writes about the effects climate change has on the Marshall Islands.
By incorporating a personal story, Jetnil-Kijiner enhances the importance of stopping climate change. Kathy incorporates a story about her daughter Matafele Peinam, and in the story she uses metaphors and imagery to draw readers’ attention to the crucial idea of stopping Climate Change. Kathy says, “stomping squeaky yellow light up shoes across the reef…not yet underwater”. With this line she really paints the personal experience that many of us can truly imagine.
Although I grew up knowing directly about climate change, sometimes it's hard to remember that most others didn’t. And in her poem, Jetnil-Kijiner paints realistic scenarios out to those who may be able to better understand it in that way. She does so saying, “Imagine North American wildfires increasing by 400 percent/animal extinction rising by 30 percent/Millions displaced left wandering/wondering”. This line can be hard to wrap your head around, but to most this idea does get to them, allowing a better understanding about the urgency to stop climate change.
Similar to what Kathy talks about on her blog, the Marshall Islands has done everything in their power to try and bring attention to the climate change crisis and has tried to let the world know of the daily struggles and fears they have for their nation and people. Jetnil-Kijiner even says in her poem, “since 1977 when a scientist said 2 degrees was the estimate.” She is saying that a scientist all the way back in 1977 already had this slight prediction of 2 degrees. And yet the countries have settled on pushing for two TODAY. Over 45 years later. The islands won’t make it. As the Marshall Islands tries to push, “1.5 to stay alive”, I hope that the world will make the changes needed to save the Marshall Islands, and ultimately the world. I will leave you all with this, my personal favorite line from this poem. “Wandering/wondering if the world will wheel us out to rest in the sun, will they just dust their hands off us/wipe them clean” This line packs such a punch to me. So… if 2 degrees is just a “slight prediction” will it be a “slight” miscalculation costing thousands of lives and the future of our world. Will they just leave us out to rest and rust in the sun or will they just dust their hands off and say this never happened and it’s not THEIR fault. I hope changes will be made, “For the good of Mankind”.