Kiribati - A Climate Change Reality

Boobu Tioram, a resident of the Pacific island of Kirabati, took time out from reinforcing a seawall in front of his newly built house to speak with UNDP about what climate change has meant to his way of life.
I have moved three times, every three years I have moved, he said, standing on the beach a few metres from his home. Tioram gestured toward a point about 20 metres into the sea, and explained that his first house once stood on a spot now covered in swelling ocean waves. Each time he has moved farther inland, and each time the sea has followed.
Im not sure how long Ill be [in this house], Tioram continued. That depends on how strong my seawall here can withstand high tide waves.
UNDP believes that it is the developing world that stands to lose the most, and which is already losing out, as the effects of climate change edge toward the catastrophic. As climate negotiations open in Copenhagen, worlds away from this tiny Pacific nation consisting of 33 low lying atolls, it is important to keep in mind that for the people of Kirabati, and other poor island and coastal nations, funds for adaptation and not only prevention must top the international to-do list.
Carbon trading will be of no special consequence to us, so there has got to be some very special provisions for the victims, said Kirabati President Anote Tong. Not the potential victims, but the victims, because we are the victims, so there has to be some very deep soul searching.
Kirabati is no more than four metres high at its highest point, and 100 percent of the population lives within one kilometre of the coast, making this nation one of the most vulnerable to the effects of global warming. Its future is uncertain, including the question of whether it even has a future anymore.
The scientific research shows that by 2100 its almost certain that well have more than a metre of sea level rise, said Karen Bernard, a UNDP programme specialist in natural disaster reduction and transition. On a flat island like Kirabati that mount of sea level rise comes very far inland.
Its a very serious situation, Bernard continued. For that reason, the Government is looking for options for relocating the population.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Climate
• Change
• Copenhagen
• UNDP
• UN
• Kiribati
• pasific
• Islands
• Asia
• Pacific
• sea
• water
• rise

[MrHiphopmundial]

dope!! multikulti reggae-hiphop video in 3 languages about global change !!

/watch?v=a5tdtrvR7Fg

[patchgoli]

Forget about what world leaders are doing to change this. We all need to be the change we want to see in this world. We all need to help reduce world emissions. If the population demands change the leaders will inevitably follow. But we have to show we are committed to this change and want it. Like in NZ, it may not be perfect but we push our government for more sustainable environmental laws. The people are the back bone; our leaders are puppets.

[keko838]

lugar muito loko ...

[kmhtet1992]

so sooner or later the whole village will be going to sink?

[ybet1000]

i would prefer zero population growth in Australia..even better is negative ... more room for everyone in house, however..got to look after our own and that imho means looking after our backyard... ie neighbours and islanders etc.. So imho.. we arrange a union with this dude.. ==> organized immigration program...therefore no room or budget for que jumpers...therefore turn the boats around.. if they wont turn around... drown in ocean... believe me .. it will stop the boats

[ybet1000]

Australia imho should pull out of the refugee convention, the crims, mind my langauage are shitting all over us... refugees run from danger or starvation... only economic refugees travel half the globe these peeps island is sinking. it's not climate change imho...well maybe a little bit is.ozzie pollies got to get creative. go over there. sort out some union agreement.and theres our refugee job done for 10 years or so. therefore to all que jumpers come to oz = No Entry..leave or die in camp"

[ybet1000]

.." fuck off, we're full " totally agree Andy.. nothing racist about it... more people means no sustainability .I have no sympathy for peeps who travel half way around the globe ... and expect to be called refugees . but i do feel we have an obligation to help our neighbours and the islanders as I said this is a kill two birds with one stone policy.. help the islanders..and stop the crims/que jumpers landing and claiming refugee status,heck if the worse comes least we get somes fishing grounds

[ybet1000]

Some say climate change ... some say its volcanic region.. land rises out of the ocean and sinks..

Easy... i'm more than happy to say NO to the economic refugees coming into Australia... and more than happy to sit down with this dude and work out a union of nations or something with these islanders.. ie...give these dudes all a aussie passport...and thats our refugee quota for the next ten years or so... if it stays up great if it goes under.. so sad but too bad..we keep fishing rights

[jahosaphat313]

@puppuize Japanese Cavemen in F# minor!!

[ayooooz]

sad..

[puppuize]

They look like my countrymen which is Filipinos..

[albertzau]

yes