The world talks about climate change while Kiribati waits ... and suffers

Source(s): Radio New Zealand International

By Koro Vaka'uta

Awareness around climate change seems to have increased in recent years with numerous international summits attended by governments and agreements signed.

But action on the ground is not so obvious.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters made his first visit to Kiribati last week and he was immediately struck by the challenges the main island of Tarawa was battling with.

"Well it's quite stark. The high point, that's three metres. The fact is that yes there are serious issues here," Mr Peters says.

[...]

But [community leader Teakamatang Eritati] says in Kiribati he has experienced government inaction.

He says he signed an agreement with the government to help rebuild their seawall.

"In the agreement we are to provide the labour. We will do the labour and the work and they will provide the materials and things like that but that has never happened until today."

Mr Eritati says the situation has left villagers weary.

[...]

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