A group of young leaders from Kiribati and Tuvalu are this week visiting parliamentarians in Canberra to encourage the parliamentarians and the people of Australia to rethink their climate change policies.

Spokesperson for the group, Maina Talia from Tuvalu, said: “We have come all the way from our islands because we care about the lives of our children whose contribution to climate change is next to nothing but who may not be able to call Kiribati or Tuvalu home.

“Kiribati and Tuvalu are at the cutting edge of global climate change, both countries are currently facing; sea lever rise, drought, inundation coastal erosion, contamination of underground water, increase of water borne such as dengue fever and diarrhea.

“We are urgently calling on Australian Government and people to; take the lead climate action by cutting down green-house emissions and moving towards renewable energy.” 

“For us this is not about politics, nor economics, but it about survival of culture, our language and our identity.’ said Boraueanimakin Tiannere (Tebby) from Kiribati."