Namuana in Kadavu example of places Feeling full impact Of climate change
Namuana Village in Kadavu is one of the places in Fiji feeling the full impact of climate change. If some people are still sceptical about climate change they should talk to the 200 Namuana coastal villagers.
They had been under threat from rising sea level. Two years ago, the late Tui Namuana, Kelevi Vuase had requested for help to save the village from being swamped by the encroaching sea.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, paid tribute to Mr Vuase when he visited his village on Tuesday. Mr Vuase’s dream has now become a reality.
Mr Bainimarama commissioned the seawall project which has now made the villagers feeling much safer with the completed 150 metre geo-systemic sandbag protection seawall construction by the Ministry of Waterways .
The project, which also includes 100 metres of boulder protection, cost approximately $ 600,000, which was initiated following a request from the late Mr Vuase.
Mr Bainimarama, a global leader in the climate change campaign, says Fiji is on the frontlines of the worst of climate change; worsening storms, longer droughts, heavier rains, and rising seas.
Namuana has suffered heavily because of the damage caused by the rising sea level.
He has rallied Namuana and the rest of Fiji not to give up their climate change battle.
He leads from the front and does not shy away from stating the truth and the realities of climate change.
“While our resilience has been tested by climate impacts, it will never be broken. Fiji will endure whatever is thrown at us and we will adapt to the new normal of a warming world. We will not grin and bear this struggle, we will act to save ourselves,” he said.
“The tragic irony, is that while our maritime communities are the most at-risk, they are the most expensive to adapt – mainly due to geographical challenges. It costs twice as much, for example, to build a seawall in a maritime community.”
He says the seawall is a representation of climate adaptation efforts and the investment is critical for Fijian communities’ long-term ability to remain safe and productive.
Fiji and other small island nations will continue to face serious risks because of the slow progress of more industrialised nations in complying with the terms of the Paris Agreement.
We see very little evidence of those countries switching from fossil fuel to more cleaner alternative sources of energy. We will keep building seawalls and do everything within our power to mitigate the impact of climate change.