Climate change exec sees rising sea level

THE impact of flooding, water log because of increased rainfall and the rising sea level were some of the things that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change executive secretary, Christiana Figueres, highlighted during her tour in the Central Division yesterday.

 

Seawater seeps through the soil at Daku Village in Tailevu, a sign of rising sea levels that is now threatening coastal villages around Fiji and the Pacific. Picture: ANA MADIGIBULI

Ms Figueres, who visited Daku Village in Tailevu, said the visit gave her an opportunity to see the problems that people face because of climate change.

"It is important for us who work on international policies to see and not just negotiate about climate change, not just do the legal obligations of countries but rather see the actual effects of climate change," she said.

"We have noticed in Daku Village and the other village we have visited the impact of flooding and sea level rise and the difficulties that these issues have on villagers in their daily lives.

"They have to take very scarce resources and dedicate those resources to the protection of village land from encroaching water."

Ms Figueres said the visit also pointed out how important it was for all those partners and developers who supported Fiji and other countries to co-ordinate and understand what the needs were at the village level so they could respond in an effective way.

"I am very grateful for the experience because I can now take this experience to the global level and use these very poignant examples to be very clear about the very urgent need to support adaptation."

 

fijitimes.com