UN Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a stark warning about the environmental injustice facing the Pacific Islands during his visit to Tonga for the Pacific Islands Forum. He emphasized the “triple threat” these island nations are facing due to climate change, which includes warming waters, rising sea levels, and increasing ocean acidity caused by carbon dioxide emissions.
Many Pacific Islanders are already witnessing the devastating effects. Lydia Lewis, a senior journalist at Radio New Zealand, shared the grim reality of how entire communities in remote areas, such as in the Federated States of Micronesia, are losing their homes to rising seas. In some places, homes have been washed away, and residents are still awaiting support. The need for seawalls and other protections is urgent, as relocation becomes the only option for some.
Pacific leaders, including the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, are preparing for a future where their countries could be submerged. Tuvalu, for instance, is negotiating treaties with countries like Australia to retain sovereignty, even if the nation is underwater. The threat of surging seas is immediate and alarming, with Guterres’ visit to impacted communities in Tonga further highlighting the ongoing damage from previous events like the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption.
This crisis is not only threatening the Pacific but serves as a broader warning about the dangers of climate change that could affect all coastal regions globally.
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