Churches in Pacific Islands Call for Action against Climate Change

The Pacific Island region consists of 22 countries and approximately 25,000 islands. They contain some of the most diverse ecosystems on Earth. There are cultures on the islands that have lived in this environment for thousands of years. But due to rising sea-levels caused by global warming, the Pacific islands are slowly disappearing beneath the ocean.

Tebua Tarawa has already been flooded by the sea. The island is now covered by water at knee-height. If the situation of global warming stays unchanged, many other islands may face the same destiny.

Reverend Valamotu Palu, General Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, delivered a report on this dangerous situation to Washington D.C. last month; when she was lobbying for peace, human rights and environmental justice.

Rev. Palu is an advocate of the Kyoto Protocol. Pacific island countries contribute only 0.06 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions, whereas USA and Australia contribute the most. Surrounded by two big producers of greenhouse gas emissions, their water supply, food production, fisheries and coastlines are affected by the changing climate and sea levels, as a result of the global warming.

"But climate change is the greatest threat to our region...We need action and, more importantly, solidarity from our global family" said Rev. Palu during World Council of Churches 2005 meeting in Geneva, according to Spirithit.

In Washington she called on churches in industrialised countries again to make people aware of the results of climate change and that actions are required.

She mentioned that water levels are also considered to be a threat to the Netherlands, which has an average elevation of 36 feet.