Midwife vows to fly after climate crisis abroad

Airplanes enabled Kāpiti midwife Sahra Kress to make New Zealand her home and help caregivers in Papau New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. But after seeing Pacific villages threatened by climate change, she shuns the carbon-intensive form of travel.

“I can’t justify it anymore,” said the German-born activist. “We have to work for a better, not bigger, future.”

Kress is campaigning for major investments in lower-emission train lines and limited air traffic: “Flying is only allowed for essential purposes. Non-essential flying is complicit in climate collapse.”

READ MORE:
* Activism, Connecting With Nature, Talking – How Young Kiwis Cope With Climate Anxiety
* Kāpiti Coast activist and councilor Sophie Handford looks back on two years on the job
* Kāpiti Coast climate activists are causing a stir locally and having conversations on the global stage

Kress moved to Aotearoa to study obstetrics, as the system is unique in the world. She met her Kiwi husband and settled in Kāpiti more than two decades ago. Her humanitarian work, finding “local solutions for their communities”, has taken her around the Pacific and to Southeast Asia.

On these trips Kress saw the impact of a world 1.1C hotter than pre-industrial times.

“The coral bleaching was very striking for me — seeing communities having to relocate because of the seawater coming into their villages,” she said. “I have always been a strong environmentalist. But when I saw it for myself and realized that my flying contributed directly to that, I realized that I had to take responsibility for local solutions.”

In her work, Kress is often concerned with the state of the planet in the coming decades.

“I’m giving birth to babies and I’m thinking about their future. And suddenly it became incredibly clear: there is a disconnection. I see the resources needed to save the life of a premature baby… and yet we have very little risk management for that child’s future.”

Kress can continue the humanitarian and investigative work. Her vow allowed her Solomon Islands research team to play a more pivotal role, including by presenting their paper at a conference.

“They consult with me remotely, but do it themselves. And that is a wish that has come true,” she added. “It’s possible to have an impact and not fly.”

Kress is skeptical that new technology – such as electric or hydrogen aircraft – will invade to save the day.

But intercity train services could already replace domestic aviation, Kress said. Her native country provided an example. “My sister has a young child. But because we have trains with very good connections, in the end we don’t need a car at all.”

In her commitment not to fly, Kress may never see her overseas family in person again. Relatives understand, she said, even if they’re not quite ready to take a similar stance yet.

“It’s a hard message, but the vision is worth it. The vision is a livable and healthy future.”

Her brother – a former pilot – was a source of support. In fact, he gave up his carbon-intensive career and promised to plant a tree for every hour of flight time he logged, or 10,000 trees. “I’m not just me.”

Kress protested against the business-as-usual approach to the aviation sector, at the NZ Airports Hui 2022 in Palmerston North this month. Christchurch Airport map build a new airport through the town of Tarras in Central Otago “is a joke,” she said.

Kress bought an ebike and trailer for her midwifery work on the Kāpiti coast, and advocates for safer cycling infrastructure. On Friday, she took part in the School Strike 4 Climate protest in Parliament.

The vision of the world we will bequeath to our children and grandchildren will motivate society, she said.

“System change will have the biggest impact, but it’s really empowering to look at visionary change, which may feel like a sacrifice at the time… Knowing we’re making a difference on a personal level is hugely important and hopeful.”