New Zealand should use its voice at the UN to get more international climate change funding to the Pacific communities that most need it says the director of Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand Julianne Hickey.
“At United Nations level we certainly need for there to be a commitment from the countries that are causing the environmental challenges for the people in the Pacific.”
“But we also need to make sure the finance for climate change actually gets to those communities around the Pacific because at this stage we’re not seeing on the ground much evidence of that.”
Hickey said it was a surprise to discover the extent of environmental changes affecting people right across the Pacific.
“Rising sea levels and water, issues with their food supply and food security, challenges with fishing, concerns over mining and new things like deep sea mining, and problems with things that have happened in the past like nuclear testing.”
She said it makes daily life more difficult and unpredictable.
“Whether it’s where they get their food from or the water that they drink, or cyclones and El Nino events, it’s just more that they have to cope with.”
Caritas has prepared a Pacific environment report, Small yet strong – Voices from Oceania on the environment which was launched at St Peter Chanel Catholic Church in Auckland on 4 October 2014.
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- Radio New Zealand
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