5 December 2023, Dubai, UAE – Ministers from the Pacific atoll nations of Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Tokelau, and Tuvalu, joined by the Minister of Climate Change from the Maldives, reiterated that coral atoll nations are at the very front of the frontlines of climate change, and that their adaptation needs require more accessible financing.
Speaking at a side event hosted by the Coalition of Atoll Nations on Climate Change (CanCC) at the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion, the Ministers agreed that financing is the biggest challenge they face when it comes to implementing effective adaptation strategies that will protect their islands from rising sea levels brought on by the effects of climate change.
The Honourable Ulu o Tokelau, Kilihiano Kalolo, said that it is well known throughout the world that atoll nations are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and so it is important for all to work together as a group.
“We must continue to work together and to promote our atolls and voice our concerns and challenges to the world. That is the only survival mechanism we have,” Hon. Kalolo said.
Hon. Seve Paeniu of Tuvalu stated that most of the adaptation projects that are implemented in Tuvalu are only temporary solutions, because the seas are rising faster than they can adapt to them.
“The only adaptation measure that we can see would be able to save Tuvalu is a long-term adaptation plan which will include building more raised land,” Hon. Paeniu said.
“We are implementing a small-scale land reclamation programme funded by the Green Climate Fund which will provide additional raised land on Funafuti island of up to seven hectares in area. This is only a miniature land reclamation, but our long-term plan is to scale that up to over 27 square kilometres in land at about two metres above the current elevation,” he added.
“The main challenge will be financing the actual civil works, and this could run into hundreds of millions, even billions. That is the true cost of adaptation.”
The Government of RMI is also looking into a similar initiative as revealed by Hon. John Silk, RMI Minister of Natural Resources and Commerce.
“For us in RMI, we also plan to raise our islands and to build more land, however, if we try to apply that to all 27 atolls and five islands, it will cost billions of dollars,” he said.
“This then presents the government with the difficult decision of having to decide which islands to save and which to let go, which will be difficult because in RMI, you inherit your rights through the lands of your mother. It will not result in the loss of homes, loss of our culture, and ultimately the loss of our identity.”
Hon. Silk said the question all atoll nations are currently facing is whether they will be able to afford to save all their islands, and if not, who will make that difficult decision of which islands to save.
The Kiribati Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Tinte Itinteang, said that it is the duty of everyone to advocate for the people of coral atoll nations, and address the challenge of how to access funds and resources to ensure the protection of their people and culture.
“The way forward is to innovate and bring new partnerships on board because we can’t achieve our goals of maintain our islands and our identity by ourselves,” he said.
The Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion at COP28 is a Pacific partnership with Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia managed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The Pavilion was featured at the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change hosted in Dubai, UAE from 30 November – 12 December 2023.
To learn more about the Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion please visit: www.sprep.org/moana-blue-pacific/