Kiribati, one of the nations that is at such an immediate risk from climate change impact that the government made a long term plan. This is a quick recap of the plan and progress as well as a catchup with what is happenning now. Kiribati plan of action to deal with the climate changes takes three distinct approaches. Mitigation, Adapation, Migration.
First the backdrop.
What, who and where is Kiribati?
Kiribati islands are a group of islands in the pacific ocean. According to the BBC country profiles here → BBC Country Profile: Kiribati : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-16431122
Kiribati - pronounced Kiribas - won independence from the United Kingdom in 1979. Home to the South Pacific's largest marine reserve, many of the atolls are inhabited; most of them are very low-lying and at risk from rising sea levels as a result of global warming.
For those who prefer more data details on their country profiles here from CIA Factbook → CIA Factbook: Kiribati: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/kr.html
Of course usual wiki here → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiribati
Kiribati is a immediate risk from rising sea level. Loss of available land surface increasingly susceptible to be submerged under the sea. Most of the land is less than 2 meters above sea level. Urban area of Tarawa is slightly higher but still less than 3 meters above sea level. So even a slightly higher tide would swamp the land.
Climate change has been fundamental issue with the nation and its priorities. national policy regarding seriousness and urgency of climate change has been reflected through multiple governments and administrations. The focus has been growing from initial concerns to full fledged crisis, From President Teatao Teannaki, Chairman Tekiree Tameuera, Chairman Ata Teaotai, Presidenct of Teburoro Tito, Chirman Tion Otang, President Anote Tong and current President Taneti Mamau
Under President Teburoro Tito Kiribati sought more visibility to her issues and risks from global warming in 1990s. So this is not something new. Tito embarked on a global awareness drive using head of nations address at UN in attempt to give climate change issue a wider coverage. Kiribati has been a driver for climate change related coordination, participation and education in global level. This was kept up by subsequent governments.
Kiribati has a dedicated government web portal at http://www.climate.gov.ki/
Now the Plan
Mitigation:
Reducing global warming or at least attempting to slow it down. Carrying out alternative policy to counteract main contributing factors in global warming. Kiribati was already the second lowest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2). National average as already less than 7% of global average. For comparison per capita emission of Kiribati was 2% of USA. Hence there was very little change the nation could do to mitigate the circumstances. This required a big push on global agenda which included the largest contributor to CO2 emission. This was to be pursued through global dialogue channels and multi-nation organizations like the UN. Global climate change based foreign policy was the only option available.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC aka Paris accords), that voluntary thing which the US government pulled out of recently, goes some way towards migigation. However it is too late for many places.
Adaptation
Kiribati embarked on a long term project to adapt to climate change. This programme is known as KAP (Kiribati Adaptation Programme). This programme was specifically aimed at how Kiribati would adapt to the changes and carry out the adaptation.
Phase I (Study and Plan): In the initial stages focus was on study the impact of climate change and possible solutions. Gathering data from last 40 years with active participation of inhabitant of each atoll. Study of impact of climate change and possible solutions on Kiribati became more central to government planning. Every aspect of life, society and economy was going to have to adjust. Any adjustments or adaptations were going to have to take into consideration other associated areas. Focus could not be on on an element separately.
Solution needed to encompass everything from agriculture, land erosion/submersion, drinking water and sanitation, schooling, dwellings, social activities, facilities, flooding and freshwater contamination with salt seawater. Any adaptation programme would need separately go through trial. Which bring us to next phase.
Phase II (Pilot Programmes Testing): At this stage focus was on ensuring that climate change was central to all government planning and policy. Working on mitigations of risks and reduction in vulnerability of ecosystem and all key public asset. So pilot programmes were implemented to deal with all aspects of life. These were all butressed by regulations, laws and policy geared towards reducing primary risks like land erosion, securing drinking water supply, managing settlements.
Various solutions and alternatives went through pilot study programmes. These included things like planting mangroves, building rain water collection and storage, testing stronger stilts for housing, testing emergency procedures, testing viability of different crops, building tactical seawalls and many many more things.
All these while helping to prolong viability of Kiribati as nation are however geared towards buying more time for the actual long term solution. It has been determined that there is no long term viability beyond supporting a small population. The upper limited of supportable and viable population decreasing every day. Just to clarify, the upper limit is decreasing due to ongoing external influences.
Phase III (Enhancing Ability To Cope): Many programmes from phase II were extended, some were modifed and put through testing again, some were discarded. The other focus of enhancing ability to cope was based on education and training. Traning different communities to manage effects of climate change as well as other natural disasters that might befall a community. Transference of responsibility to local communities backed interaction with government for support, monitoring and ongoing evaluation. Education has been primary driver in this phase.
Relocation
And now the tacit ackowledgement of what the immediate solution is for Kiribati The urgency of the matter is now beyond what could possibly save Kiribati. Even with oncoming possible reductions in emissions and better climate change mitigation activities by the primary emitters, Kiribati no longer has a viable long term future. Sothere are two solutions in place. This took into account that there might be events which require a sudden migration or create a large number of refugees.
First migration.
So the government has acknowledged and implemented a programme of migration. This is specifically a migration induced by climated change. The plan goes under the name of “Migration with Dignity”. The planning for this took into account that there will be a large migration due to climate change However the refugees of climate change were unlikely to be easily accomodated or accepted in many places.
Here is the direct extract from Kiribati government web site (→ Relocation ) which explains it far more eloquently than I could ever hope to.
The science is clear - climate change threatens the long-term survival of Kiribati. As such, the Kiribati Government acknowledges that relocation of our people may be inevitable. It would be irresponsible to acknowledge this reality and not do anything to prepare our community for eventual migration in circumstances that permit them to migrate with dignity. That said, relocation will always be viewed as an option of last resort. We will do all that we can to preserve Kiribati as a sovereign and habitable entity. At the same time, if relocation becomes necessary and nothing has been done to ready people for the move, it will not be possible to rapidly relocate over 100,000 people in a way that preserves the dignity of those being relocated and minimises the burden on the receiving countries.
The relocation strategy of the Kiribati Government has two key components. Firstly, opportunities must be created to enable the migration of those who wish to do so now and in the coming years. This will assist in establishing expatriate communities of I-Kiribati, who will be able to absorb and support greater numbers of migrants in the longer term. It will also benefit those who remain by lifting the levels of remittances. Secondly, the levels of qualifications able to be obtained in Kiribati will be raised to those available in countries such as Australia and New Zealand. This will make qualified I-Kiribati more attractive as migrants, but will also improve the standards of services available locally.
The concept of 'migration with dignity' is crucial to the effectiveness of the Government's relocation policy. I-Kiribati migrants should be sought after by the countries to which they wish to relocate. For this to happen our people must be in a position to provide the skills that are needed in the receiving countries. This creates a 'win-win' situation, where both Kiribati and the receiving country benefit.
Second Emergency Relocation.
In order to deal with any future need for a sudden relocation, the Government of Kiribati has a treaty with government of Fiji for transfer of a suitable island. the island is being prepared for its current ciontinued use as well as a future relocation solution. Fiji itself is undergoing transformation due to climate change induced contingency as well as a long term plan.
Unsurprisingly Fiji is also adopting similar stance as Kiribati. Case studies and pilot programmes from various at risk islands nations are share. More on that progress of relocation plan as well as Fiji’s own and other nations response to climate change perhaps some other day.
I wrote this up as it was recently covered by one of my regular haunting spots at Thewire.in
Resources for people interested in further reading:
- http://www.climate.gov.ki/
- http://newsroom.unfccc.int/paris-agreement/pacific-islanders-faced-with-migration-can-benefit-from-paris-agreement/.
- http://newsroom.unfccc.int/cop-23-bonn/how-fiji-is-impacted-by-climate-change/. Fiji Specific UNFCCC site
- http://newsroom.unfccc.int/. General UNFCCC site.
- http://www.foreignaffairs.gov.fj/images/Fiji National Climate Change policy.pdf This is a big 82 page pdf. so do not open on phone.
- https://www.pacificclimatechange.net/.
- http://www.sprep.org/index.php. Secretariat of pacific regiobnal Environment Programme