Tag Archives: Radio Kiribati

Climate Change is ‘most shocking’ in Kiribati, says UN Secretary-General

UN Secretary-General in Kiribati wearing traditional fishing hat

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that he’s very shocked to see for himself the drastic impacts of Climate Change in Kiribati particulary in the nation’s capital Tarawa.

“I have been to north and south pole and I have been to other places around the world and my visit to Kiribati is the most shocking. Even a small sea level rise could affect the whole Kiribati”, he said.

Ba Ki-moon made the statement when he paid a visit to “te Bikenikoora”, one of the settlements on Tarawa that has been seriously impacted by sea level rise thus leaving residents of the settlement with no other options but to seek for immediate relocation.

He further added that Climate Change is compromising the ability of people to sustain life.

In his address to the residents of the settlement Ban Ki-moon was frequently asked by threatened villagers as to what would the United Nations do to save Kiribati from sinking under water in 50 to 60 years time as predicted by scientists.

He also urged that people from all walks of life in this globe must come together to deal with the climate change threat.

“As secretary-general, I promise you, I pledge and I will do my best under my power as Secretary-General to fight for you until we achieve the real result”, he promised villagers.

Ban Ki-moon was on a 2-day visit to Kiribati as part of his tour of the Pacific this year.

Rikamati Naare

The RIO

Me and my son Iosefa

Hi, my name is Rikamati Naare from Kiribati. I’m 35 years of age and currently work as a Journalist/Broadcaster for Radio Kiribati within the Broadcasting and Publications Authority (BPA).

I produce a weekly radio program called ‘Kiribati On Air’ for Radio Kiribati which basically covers current news affairs particularly in the area of Climate Change.

I’m currently in Melbourne attending APJC’s Reporting Climate Change workshop that would hopefully boost my journalism skills on reporting one the main pressing issues (Climate Change) that is threatening the very way of life of I-Kiribati people.

I have been working as a Radio Journalist for more than 6 years now.