Tiny Pacific islands say climate change threatens survival
Pastor Dale Morgan
Tiny Pacific islands say climate change threatens survival*
by Staff Writers
Nuku'Alofa (AFP) Oct 15, 2007
Some of the world's most vulnerable island nations appealed Monday for
action to halt climate change that could cause them to disappear beneath
the Pacific Ocean.
Meeting in the Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa, the leaders of tiny nations
including Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Niue, the Cook Islands and the
Marshall Islands said countries responsible for greenhouse gas emissions
must act.
"It is very, very serious because if we don't do something now, we are
gone. That's for sure," said the Premier of Niue, Young Vivian. "There's
no two ways about it and we are scared."
The highest points on some of the atoll nations are often only a few
metres above sea level.
They are already suffering severe damage from high tides and fresh water
supplies are becoming contaminated by salt water.
There are fears they may eventually have to be evacuated and their
residents settled elsewhere.
"The problem is huge and the voice of the Pacific Islands has been
yelling for the past 15 or 20 years and nobody is listening," Vivian said.
He said there was little the island countries could do.
"I think if big countries can't make other big countries behave, what
power have we got?"
The small island nations were meeting ahead of the opening on Tuesday of
the annual leaders' summit of the Pacific Islands Forum, which groups
Australia, New Zealand and 14 Pacific island nations.
Pacific island political leaders were at the United Nations General
Assembly earlier this month to appeal for action on climate change and
the threat of rising seas caused by melting polar ice.
Vanuatu's Foreign Minister George Andre Wells said a rapid reduction in
gas emissions needed to occur within the next 10 to 15 years.
Rising sea levels would have a critical impact on agriculture, water
quality and infrastructure development, he said.