By EDDIE OSIFELO
TWO ministries are working together with international immigration to come up with relocation guidelines.
Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology and Ministry of Lands, Housing and Survey are working on this course following concerns of people living on low lying islands in the country affected by sea level rise.
According to the Public Accounts Committee report tabled in Parliament yesterday, Ministry of Environment said currently, there is a team assessing in the Reef Islands to see issues people are facing.
“This needs a whole of government approach.
“At the moment the ministry is focusing on providing a second safe home,” Environmental Ministry said.
However, traditional donors like Australia and Asian Development Bank are involved directly in relocation of people affected by climate change in the country.
The High Commission informed the PAC that their assistance is channel through infrastructures projects which take into account climate change issues.
However, their programs will not directly involve in the relocation of vulnerable communities. SIG did not ask direct assistance in the climate change space but all programs build in climate change safe guards,” AHC said.
Further to that, ADB confirmed that they have an allocation of US$5m grant to assist communities on natural disaster which can be dispersed in two days, however this assistance does not directly involved the relocation of vulnerable communities.
“The bank is a strong supporter of renewable energy to address climate change. It takes serious measures to mitigate and address natural disasters, responds to disaster risks, mitigate disaster risks and health related risks,” ADB said.
