Midwife makes no-fly vow after seeing climate crisis overseas
Planes allowed Kapiti midwife Sahra Kress to make New Zealand her home, and to assist healthcare providers in Papau New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. But after seeing Pacific villages threatened by climate change, shes shunning the carbon-intensive form of travel. I cant justify it any more, said the German-born activist. We need to work for a better, not bigger, future. Kress is campaigning for large investments in lower-emitting train lines and limited air travel: Flying must be for essential purposes only. Non-essential flying is complicit with climate breakdown. READ MORE: * Activism, connecting with nature, talking - How young Kiwis are dealing with climate anxiety * Kapiti Coast activist-turned-councillor Sophie Handford reflects on two years in the job * Kapiti Coast climate activists making waves locally, and holding conversations on the world stage Kress shifted to Aotearoa to study midwifery, as the system is unique in the world. She met her Kiwi husband, and settled in Kapiti more than two decades ago. Her humanitarian work, finding local solutions for their communities, took her around the Pacific and to southeast Asia. On these travels, Kress saw the impacts of a world 1.1C hotter than pre-industrial times. Bleaching coral was a really striking thing for me seeing communities having to move, because of the seawater coming into their villages, she said. Ive always been a strong environmentalist. But actually seeing it myself and realising my flying was directly contributing to that, I realised I needed to take responsibility for local solutions. In her line of work, the state of the planet in the coming decades is often on Kress mind. Im delivering babies and Im thinking about their future. And suddenly, it became incredibly obvious: theres a disconnect. I see the resources that go into saving a premature babies life... and yet we have very little risk management for that childs future. Kress has able to continue humanitarian and research work. Her vow allowed her research team from the Solomon Islands to take a more central role, including presenting their paper at a conference. Theyre consulting with me remotely, but theyre doing it themselves. And thats a wish fulfilled, she added. Its possible to have an impact and not to fly. Kress is sceptical that new technology such as electric or hydrogen planes will swoop in to save the day. But intercity rail services could already replace domestic aviation, Kress said. Her birth country offered an example. My sister has a young child. But because we have trains with really good connections, we dont end up needing to use cars at all. In her commitment to not fly, Kress may never again see her overseas family face-to-face. Family members understand, she said, even if theyre not quite ready to take a similar stance. Its a hard message, but the vision is worth it. The vision is a liveable and healthy future. Her brother a former pilot was a source of support. In fact, hes given up his carbon-intensive career and promised to plant a tree for every hour of flight time he had logged, or 10,000 trees. Its not just me. Kress protested about the business-as-usual approach of the aviation sector, during the NZ Airports Hui 2022 in Palmerston North this month. Christchurch Airports plan to build a new airport by the Central Otago town of Tarras is a joke, she said. Kress purchased an ebike and trailer for her midwifery work on the Kapiti Coast, and advocates for safer cycling infrastructure. On Friday, she joined the School Strike 4 Climate protest at Parliament. The vision of the world well leave our children and grandchildren will motivate society, she said. Systems change will make the biggest impact, but its really empowering to look at visionary change, that may feel like sacrifices at the time... Knowing that we are making a difference on a personal level is hugely important and hopeful.