Pushpanath Krishnamurthy

In September 2007, I was lucky enough to be able to spend sixteen thrilling and eye-opening days in Indonesia. I was there to attend expert discussions on the link between poverty and climate change alongside Oxfam staff and partners from the region.

Indonesia is a diverse country in every sense of the word - people, nature, environment and climate. I met many people, and witnessed incredible initiatives undertaken by both individuals and organisations working to understand how poverty and climate change is affecting people's lives.

The discussions I attended were hosted in collaboration with Kompas - Indonesia's highest-circulating newspaper. Oxfam facilitated the meeting and provided thought-provoking information on the irrefutable link between climate change and poverty.

Medrilzam, from Indonesia's National Development Planning Agency, is pictured on the left, holding up Oxfam's Adaptation Paper during the discussions.

Agriculture is becoming unpredictable and unreliable. Rice paddies are being devastated. Fishing is declining. Families who depend on their smallholdings to survive are becoming more threatened and more vulnerable.

Laksmi Prasvita, Oxfam GB's press officer in Jakarta, said afterwards: "This was an historical event for Oxfam in Indonesia. Kompas has a circulation of more than 1.7 million people - who will have the opportunity to read about this debate. During the next few weeks Kompas is going to publish the transcript of the entire debate - so, with Oxfam, Kompas is leading the discussion on climate change in Indonesia"

It was exciting to witness the start of so much support and activity ahead of the UN talks that are due to start in Bali in next week. As the conference starts, there's promise of much more to come to remind leaders of the impact climate change is having on poor people.

Posted by: Pushpanath Krishnamurthy, climate change campaigner