PREMIER of Malaita Province Peter Ramohia says Malaitans are the mostly affected by the impacts of climate change because it has a big population living along coastal areas and on artificial islands.
He highlighted this in an interview with Solomon Star following the concerns over the relocation of Walande and Fanalei islanders whose islands are submerging due to sea level rise.
Premier Ramohia said this is a very serious problem and he urged the national government to support Malaita Province to put in place a strategy to address issues pertaining to climate change.
He said climate change impacts severely on the lives of people who live along the coast and on low-lying and artificial islands and they have to be relocated to safety on higher grounds.
Premier Ramohia added that other issues stemming from climate change are food security and fresh water scarcity.
He said his government has started work in identifying the underlying issues of climate change but delays by the national government to put together a climate change mitigation policy are a great obstacle to ensuring a successful outcome to its efforts on this front.
Mr Ramohia said despite of the obvious lack of commitment by the national government on climate change, his government remains committed to doing all it can to address the effects of climate change on the livelihood of the big Malaitan population vulnerable to this phenomenon.
On that note, he emphasised the importance of the Malaita Provincial Government and national government working together with the support of all stakeholders to address problems arising from climate change, not only in Malaita but throughout the nation.
By AATAI JOHN
