Green MP Huhana Lyndon has spent the week on a sinking island, as climate change claims Tuvalu’s shoreline centimetre-by-crucial-centimetre.
She’s part of a delegation headed by the United Nations Development program working with Tuvalu MPs discussing important issues like climate change.
“Ko te Kaupapa matua mo tēnei iwi ko nga mate āhuarangi. Tēnei iwi o Tuvalu e kitengia ana ia tau ia tau, ka waipuke ngā whare i te moana, ēnei whare, he whare whakaiti.”
“The biggest issue at present is climate change. The people here in Tuvalu are experiencing it, year after year, the houses are flooded from the seam, these homes are very humble,” she said.
Tuvalu is preparing to relocate its people as they continue to grapple with rising sea levels.
Lyndon is saddened to experience first-hand the damning impacts that climate change is having on the tiny island nation.
“Mātou i te kāinga ka whakarite he rautaki engari ēnei hunga e kitea ana e hamahama ana e tukituki ana i te moana.”
“Us at home, we have strategies, but here they cant seem to keep with being battered constantly by the sea,” she said.
UNDP says the plan to produce raised land to safeguard the islands from sea level rise and storm waves beyond 2100 is complete.
“Me mihi ki te UNDP ko tā rātou e hiahia ana kia hanga i tētahi whenua hou rua mita te roa, kia neke ngā tāone, ngā whare ki te wāhi hou”.
“I want to acknowledge the UNDP for their work to create new lands that will be two metres higher so that the towns and homes can be relocated.” she said.
UNDP is the leading United Nations organisation fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change.
Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, it helps nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet.