Kiribati, Disappearing Island

When Primary Teacher and Climate Change Ambassador Amanda Lloyd visited Kiribati she didn’t expect to see such stark impacts from climate change.

“There are broken sea walls, high levels of erosion on the coastline and dead trees as a result of salinisation.

“And when sea levels go up they rise up through homes and facilities each month during king tides.

“This situation is made worse when combined with storm surges and makes driving along the island difficult because the causeways that link islands go underwater,” the IEU Member says.

Class 5A visit

When Amanda visited Class 5A at Abaunamou Primary School at Teaoraeke Tarawa Island last year, as part of a Catholic Education Office immersion tour, she was struck by the similarities between Australian classrooms and Class 5A.

“They spent time with their families, playing, going to the beach and helping out around the house. There was one major difference though — the climate change factor,” she says.

“When the children told me their stories I was deeply saddened. They were so naïve to the problems that will cause certain devastation to their lives. Whilst the children do see changes happening on their island and have been told about the sea level rise, the culture of Kiribati is not one to think long term. The people of Kiribati think about tomorrow, not 2070!”

Biggest moral challenge

Kiribati’s President Anote Tong has asked the international community how it is going to respond to the island nation’s plight as one of the first countries to feel the devastating impact of climate change.

“If anything this represents the single biggest moral challenge to human kind and if it doesn’t respond to this then there is no credibility to anything,” the President says.

While the recent Copenhagen Accord has disappointed many with its lack of binding targets, the issue for Kiribati is about survival. Australia and New Zealand have been asked to accept Kiribati citizens as permanent refugees.

The President asked Amanda’s group as Climate Change Ambassadors to urgently spread the message about climate change.

No options left

“When talking with him I told him how I lived very close to the beach and was sad to think that my house may disappear. He replied very profoundly that ‘yes, that was true but I could always move back’.

“This is the message that I bring home from him. In Australia we have options where in Kiribati they do not,” says Amanda.

Life lesson

Amanda’s trip also changed her ideas on what is important in life.

“We have so many things that we just don’t need to survive and live in a world consumed by material possessions. We use electricity and fuel without thinking about the consequences,” she says.

She was impressed by the Kiribati people’s commitment to strong family bonds, love of their culture and commitment to their country.

“As an educator, I believe it’s my responsibility to educate our children about the effects their actions have on climate change and to provide opportunities to learn sustainable living practices.”