1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,080 [Music] 2 00:00:00,919 --> 00:00:06,279 it's getting closer to the road and it's 3 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:09,559 getting closer to our homes 4 00:00:06,279 --> 00:00:14,040 and slowly being destroyed by this cause 5 00:00:09,559 --> 00:00:16,039 of climate change Max te lives in kirbas 6 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:18,680 a South Pacific nation whose very 7 00:00:16,039 --> 00:00:20,560 existence is under threat rising sea 8 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:22,480 levels mean the entire country could 9 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,439 soon become 10 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:26,279 uninhabitable we're not going to run 11 00:00:24,439 --> 00:00:27,880 from the problems we're going to face it 12 00:00:26,279 --> 00:00:30,000 there are countries in the world who 13 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,880 have islands and they've built their 14 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,440 Islands because they have the two things 15 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:35,000 they have the technology and they have 16 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:39,079 the 17 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:41,239 funds the 120,000 residents of Kira buus 18 00:00:39,079 --> 00:00:43,719 want to stay here and protect themselves 19 00:00:41,239 --> 00:00:44,150 as best as they can but how long can 20 00:00:43,719 --> 00:00:49,899 that 21 00:00:44,150 --> 00:00:49,899 [Music] 22 00:00:57,079 --> 00:01:06,479 last when we were kids the high tide 23 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:06,479 usually stops maybe from 24 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:11,840 here here it stops here and now then as 25 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:15,720 we 26 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:17,400 are grow growing up the high tide just 27 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:20,720 moved 28 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:23,240 moved and now it's hitting the the land 29 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:26,000 it's hitting the edge and it's 30 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:27,000 getting it's corrupting everything as 31 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:30,720 you can 32 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:32,920 see trees are falling down 33 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:34,920 not enough sand to hold them and it's 34 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,759 getting close to the road and I think 35 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:41,640 this not um it's just the beginning 36 00:01:37,759 --> 00:01:44,360 maybe it will keep on going yeah it was 37 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,360 not always like 38 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:58,119 that it's getting closer to our homes 39 00:01:53,799 --> 00:02:01,079 and it's a big deal for us slowly being 40 00:01:58,119 --> 00:02:04,600 destroyed by this course of climate 41 00:02:01,079 --> 00:02:07,439 change kabas is made up of 33 small 42 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:09,840 Islands spread across the Pacific in 43 00:02:07,439 --> 00:02:12,280 some areas the ground is 3 m above the 44 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:15,800 water but almost everywhere else it's 45 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:18,280 only 1 M rising sea levels are causing 46 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:20,519 land to disappear the number of storms 47 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:24,640 is increasing and drinking water is 48 00:02:20,519 --> 00:02:26,239 becoming salty Max's grandfather kirana 49 00:02:24,640 --> 00:02:29,200 has been living here since he was a 50 00:02:26,239 --> 00:02:32,319 child scientists started noting a rapid 51 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:35,280 rise in sea levels in the 52 00:02:32,319 --> 00:02:38,319 1990s if the water continues to rise it 53 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:39,840 will erode our land the sea is drawing 54 00:02:38,319 --> 00:02:42,480 closer and closer and will make our 55 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,360 lives unpleasant don't you think what 56 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,959 should we 57 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:49,079 do maybe this is climate change but what 58 00:02:45,959 --> 00:02:52,840 can we do about it nothing we can't do 59 00:02:49,079 --> 00:02:52,840 anything and we urgently need 60 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:59,440 help not everyone in kiras thinks the 61 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:02,400 situation is hopeless Peli alofa is a 62 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:04,959 climate activist and founder of kiraan a 63 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:07,040 local climate Protection Organization 64 00:03:04,959 --> 00:03:08,920 she and other campaigners bought this 65 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:11,280 plot of land when it was completely 66 00:03:08,920 --> 00:03:13,599 flooded together they work to build a 67 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:15,440 wall and drain the land they want to 68 00:03:13,599 --> 00:03:17,480 show others that they are a resilient 69 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:20,519 nation and they don't want to 70 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:21,760 leave this is our resilient Village 71 00:03:20,519 --> 00:03:24,640 we're always 72 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:26,920 underwat when it's high tight we will 73 00:03:24,640 --> 00:03:29,840 not here water will be right in the main 74 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:31,959 road residents are braving the encroach 75 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:34,760 in Sea waterer they're teaching others 76 00:03:31,959 --> 00:03:38,599 how to grow food in constantly salinized 77 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:40,519 soil pel's nephew Ralph spring is the 78 00:03:38,599 --> 00:03:44,200 gardener here and he knows how 79 00:03:40,519 --> 00:03:44,200 cultivation can work in these 80 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:51,439 conditions a growing food um uh on 81 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:55,079 raised beds over the ground if you if 82 00:03:51,439 --> 00:03:58,360 your place is salt salt water in Ed and 83 00:03:55,079 --> 00:03:59,680 um we also make our own soil and that's 84 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:01,840 a skill that every household should 85 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,799 should uh should know to plant their own 86 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:08,799 food to be healthy we collect a lot of 87 00:04:03,799 --> 00:04:10,840 our Browns these are chips made from uh 88 00:04:08,799 --> 00:04:13,560 all sorts of we have some leaves inside 89 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:16,798 that are brown now some some as you can 90 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:19,639 see some of the sticks from brushes and 91 00:04:16,798 --> 00:04:21,160 all this one will stay at the bottom 92 00:04:19,639 --> 00:04:23,240 because we know this will take time to 93 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:25,000 decompose and then we'll put good soil 94 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:27,680 on top that's what we'll use for 95 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:29,720 planting his services are a vital 96 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:32,199 contribution in a country where an 97 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:35,039 increasing number of crops are dying 98 00:04:32,199 --> 00:04:37,600 because of the salt water but Peli and 99 00:04:35,039 --> 00:04:39,919 her colleague Maris Peter know that this 100 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:42,520 won't fix everything they need more 101 00:04:39,919 --> 00:04:46,240 resources you know kilas our government 102 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:48,680 wanted to raise Islands here and maybe 103 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,440 we we do not have the means to do that 104 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:52,560 but there are countries in the world who 105 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,479 have islands and they've built their 106 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:56,080 Islands because they have the two things 107 00:04:54,479 --> 00:04:58,400 they have the technology and they have 108 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:01,639 the funds they have money those are the 109 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:03,600 two things to help us to stop the 110 00:05:01,639 --> 00:05:05,120 problem that we're facing we're not 111 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:08,840 going to run from the problems we're 112 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:09,919 going to face it but we do not have 113 00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:12,800 those two 114 00:05:09,919 --> 00:05:14,680 things it's not yet clear exactly how 115 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,919 the main island of teraa will be 116 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:19,639 elevated the problem is that the island 117 00:05:16,919 --> 00:05:21,360 is densely populated residential 118 00:05:19,639 --> 00:05:23,280 buildings government buildings and 119 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:25,240 hospitals would need to be demolished 120 00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:27,919 before the island could be raised up and 121 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:30,479 then rebuilt another possibility is 122 00:05:27,919 --> 00:05:32,240 filling in a kind of replacement Island 123 00:05:30,479 --> 00:05:34,759 the government has remained tight lipped 124 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:37,039 on these costly ideas and so far nobody 125 00:05:34,759 --> 00:05:40,240 has responded to our requests for an 126 00:05:37,039 --> 00:05:42,840 interview China is one possible donor 127 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:45,039 because it works closely with kirbas but 128 00:05:42,840 --> 00:05:47,840 the West fears new Chinese military 129 00:05:45,039 --> 00:05:49,759 bases in the Pacific as yet there's no 130 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:53,400 information on the kirbas government's 131 00:05:49,759 --> 00:05:56,720 plan in this area CLA and tangaroa and 132 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:58,560 Tera say the same thing they live with 133 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:01,960 their 10-year-old daughter in a small 134 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:03,720 house on teraa the main island of kabas 135 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,680 they say information about climate 136 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:09,599 change is only reaching the other 137 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:12,680 Islands very slowly despite the visible 138 00:06:09,599 --> 00:06:15,520 changes so because the the term climate 139 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:18,720 change for our people it's really a new 140 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:22,440 words but they they can aware they are 141 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:27,160 aware of the changes that occur in their 142 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:30,520 Island so by answering that I think uh 143 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:36,520 it's definitely confusing but our people 144 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:39,599 are facing the the the severe impact and 145 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:42,919 yeah I think we experience it in in so 146 00:06:39,599 --> 00:06:46,560 many ways the water already plish of 147 00:06:42,919 --> 00:06:50,120 course we have a a very narrow Island 148 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:54,240 but why now you know people used to have 149 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:57,360 good water but why now that we we have a 150 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:59,840 a salty water right now water is the 151 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:02,319 biggest problem rising sea level are 152 00:06:59,840 --> 00:07:05,400 pushing salt water further in land 153 00:07:02,319 --> 00:07:07,960 making groundwater unusable importing 154 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:10,039 bottle drinking water is too expensive 155 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:12,599 and rain water is the only option for 156 00:07:10,039 --> 00:07:14,560 many people tangaroa says you can no 157 00:07:12,599 --> 00:07:17,319 longer distinguish between the rainy and 158 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:19,599 dry seasons sometimes it rains all the 159 00:07:17,319 --> 00:07:22,360 time sometimes not for years making the 160 00:07:19,599 --> 00:07:24,520 water supply inconsistent uh because 161 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:26,759 this one is full yeah and I have to 162 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:30,160 collect uh extra 163 00:07:26,759 --> 00:07:31,759 water uh that we can use for 164 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:34,240 for our 165 00:07:31,759 --> 00:07:37,440 needs because we drink green 166 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:40,039 water Claire and tangaroa also have a 167 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:41,720 well in their Garden their water isn't 168 00:07:40,039 --> 00:07:44,159 salty because they live in the middle of 169 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:46,960 the island but that also means they have 170 00:07:44,159 --> 00:07:49,120 a lot of responsibility not only do they 171 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:51,560 drink from the well their neighbors also 172 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:54,199 come here to get water that's why 173 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:57,000 tangaroa cleans it once a month and the 174 00:07:54,199 --> 00:07:57,000 neighbors help 175 00:07:58,319 --> 00:08:02,759 out 176 00:07:59,879 --> 00:08:06,360 just to make sure that our our water 177 00:08:02,759 --> 00:08:09,759 inside this this one is clean every 178 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:12,720 every day yeah yeah you know when we 179 00:08:09,759 --> 00:08:15,319 start building a house we don't have a 180 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:18,879 we don't have a water tank we don't have 181 00:08:15,319 --> 00:08:21,879 rain water we use this this well to 182 00:08:18,879 --> 00:08:21,879 drink 183 00:08:21,919 --> 00:08:25,840 water we used to drink this 184 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:31,760 water and we really need to take care of 185 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:35,559 this W this 186 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:40,599 water that's in case no no rain no 187 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:42,919 rain this is our water yeah this is our 188 00:08:40,599 --> 00:08:44,839 drinking 189 00:08:42,919 --> 00:08:48,360 [Music] 190 00:08:44,839 --> 00:08:50,680 water kirbas is full of solidarity 191 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:54,440 tangaroa is on his way to see his friend 192 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:56,519 Tabo araa OA who lives right by the Sea 193 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:58,440 like the other Coastal residents he's 194 00:08:56,519 --> 00:09:01,320 built a wall in front of his house for 195 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:03,360 protection it has been standing for 40 196 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:06,160 years and has made Seaside living 197 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:08,519 possible on the overcrowded Island but 198 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:11,760 that's gradually changing when they 199 00:09:08,519 --> 00:09:14,000 built their the wall that time yeah they 200 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:17,640 don't have a problem with the the sea 201 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:21,560 the the sea and by that time things 202 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:25,640 happen to the SE War they start uh the 203 00:09:21,560 --> 00:09:26,600 war the W start uh uh broken during the 204 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,959 the king's 205 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:30,079 ties I get scared when the king ties 206 00:09:28,959 --> 00:09:32,680 come 207 00:09:30,079 --> 00:09:35,720 especially when it's windy my wall is 208 00:09:32,680 --> 00:09:38,360 always on the verge of 209 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:40,519 breaking the next morning they survey 210 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:43,160 the damage from the night before it 211 00:09:40,519 --> 00:09:45,800 wasn't as bad as Tabo had feared but he 212 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:48,240 still has to repair his wall a stone has 213 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:52,519 come loose it's only a small repair 214 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:52,519 needed today but it has to be done 215 00:09:57,079 --> 00:10:01,600 quickly if I don't fix this now the next 216 00:09:59,920 --> 00:10:04,160 flood this afternoon will cause even 217 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:07,880 more damage stones will break loose and 218 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,880 the land beneath it will just get washed 219 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:13,200 away it can still be saved however 220 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,519 researchers predict that the rate at 221 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:17,640 which sea levels are rising will only 222 00:10:15,519 --> 00:10:20,959 accelerate more conservative 223 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:23,560 calculations predict a rise of 1.1 M 224 00:10:20,959 --> 00:10:25,920 compared to today should that occur 225 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:27,839 kassa's fate would be uncertain but 226 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:30,120 judging by the impact that the climate 227 00:10:27,839 --> 00:10:32,240 crisis is already having on this small 228 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,959 country it's reasonable to assume that 229 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,920 land will continue to shrink in the 230 00:10:33,959 --> 00:10:38,000 future and that drinking water will 231 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:40,160 become even more scarce without 232 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:43,519 International Aid residents could become 233 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:48,040 climate refugees if our islands is 234 00:10:43,519 --> 00:10:50,959 disappear uh from this Earth then um we 235 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:54,040 we will not we will be nothing because 236 00:10:50,959 --> 00:10:54,920 what is important for me is my culture 237 00:10:54,040 --> 00:11:00,120 my 238 00:10:54,920 --> 00:11:04,800 language my my people so I request to 239 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:07,120 the world that they will be they need to 240 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:11,240 sacrifice and have compassion on the 241 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:15,680 lowly islands like talu Marshall Island 242 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:19,480 mivs and and kipus who already affected 243 00:11:15,680 --> 00:11:19,480 by the climate change 244 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:24,959 impact the residents are committed but 245 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:28,079 they need developed countries to invest 246 00:11:24,959 --> 00:11:30,000 money and resources to save kirbas 247 00:11:28,079 --> 00:11:33,320 there's even a song hear about climate 248 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:35,200 change every child knows the words just 249 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:38,200 like they know what climate change means 250 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:40,680 for kirbas tangar roa's niece Cindy 251 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:42,600 bonato sings it in the 252 00:11:40,680 --> 00:11:47,800 choir 253 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:53,800 myself searching for my refuge as the 254 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:59,839 world is getting worse day and 255 00:11:53,800 --> 00:12:01,079 night my people in my future my country 256 00:11:59,839 --> 00:12:07,040 on my 257 00:12:01,079 --> 00:12:09,079 own stand firm and staying strong Until 258 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:13,800 the End of 259 00:12:09,079 --> 00:12:18,000 Time climate change is growing strong 260 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:24,920 the rising wave will kill a soul and we 261 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:27,920 cry yeah we cry to the Lord to help me 262 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:27,920 through