The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has issued an urgent call for action to be taken to ensure human security in the Pacific Islands where livelihoods are being threatened by rising sea levels.
During a two-day 40th Pacific Leaders Forum held in Cairns, Australia, earlier this month, delegates met to discuss the repercussions of climate change and the traditional land right issues that could arise when people are forced to leave their homes.
"We need to act now if we are to find solutions for people whose homes, lands and livelihood are, as we speak, being destroyed by rising sea levels and violent fluctuations in weather patterns in the region," said Richard Towle, the Regional Representative for Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guineea and the Pacific for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The UNDP is helping to set up a new programme called "Interface between Climate Change, Disasters and Potential Conflict in the Pacific". The initiative seeks to increase national and regional groups' ability to prevent and manage conflicts arising due to global warming.
"We need to focus on integrating climate change risks into conflict prevention efforts before it is too late and costly," continued Mr Towle.
