Pacific island to move villages from coastal areas

Vanuatu is drawing up plans to relocate “dozens” of villages within the next two years, as they come under threat from rising seas, the Pacific nation’s climate chief told AFP on Thursday. Climate change minister Ralph Regenvanu said dealing with the impact of global warming was a major challenge facing Vanuatu’s 300,000 inhabitants. He said Vanuatu’s government has identified “dozens” of villages in “at-risk areas” to be relocated “within the next 24 months”.