Among the richest countries in the world attending the UN Climate Change conference in Durban were also some of the world's poorest and most desperate countries. Tokelau Island lays half-way between Hawaii and New Zealand and is among the most threatened by the effects of climate change. Senior politician on Tokelau, Foua Toloa says “we will be one of the first countries to go under water.” “We are a small and fragile nation very susceptible to environment and climate developments.” Karl Hood, Chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) whose members include Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Fiji, said “If we don't act now, some of us will die.” Fiji's Environment Minister, Samu Saumutua says global deals that aim to be reached by 2015 and implemented by 2020 will prove insignificant to islands, which are already experiencing a dramatic rise in sea levels. “Cyclones now occur any time of the year, we have fresh floods, in the coastal areas the fresh water supply is now inundated with salt water,” said Saumutua. “We are desperately looking at how we are going to deal with the situation at home. It is not only islands that are suffering.” Not having the financial means to tackle climate change alone, many island nations can already see the affects of climate change taking a toll on their economies, lives and the environmental landscape. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/Q1wDW Tags: Climate Change, COP-17, Durban Section: Environment, Going Green, Latest News
