Minister: Kiribati suffers from rising seas, erosion, floods, and droughts

Kiribati is suffering from sea level rise, coastal erosion, floods, and droughts, Harry Tekaiti, Minister of Culture and Internal Affairs of Kiribati, said during an event held within the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

The minister noted that Kiribati is a small Pacific island nation of 33 islands, located only 3 meters above sea level, making it extremely vulnerable to climate change:

"As a small island state, we are highly exposed to environmental impacts: sea level rise, coastal erosion, floods, and droughts. Saltwater intrusion affects our communities, livelihoods, food security, and infrastructure. In South Tarawa, rapid urbanization has created challenges in housing, sanitation, water, waste management, land, and public services. Our remote and scattered geography makes infrastructure development and service delivery difficult and costly."

Despite these challenges, Tekaiti stressed that Kiribati remains committed to building resilience and sustainable communities through stronger urban planning, climate adaptation, and cooperation with regional and international partners.