Facing Climate Change in Kiribati

Kiribati is an island nation in the Pacific facing the effects of climate change.

When I think about the impact of climate change on Washington, DC, where I live, I imagine a far-off time in the future when the Potomac River overflows its banks and eventually floods my home. The key phrase there is "a far-off time." But for the people of Kiribati -- an island nation in the Pacific -- the effects of climate change are  imminent. Drought, rising sea levels, and an increase in storm surge are just some of the factors threatening Kiribati's existence. The country's government has even set up a climate change website where people can keep up with the latest news on how this phenomenon is affecting their nation.

"Previously I thought 2060 would be safe, maybe getting too close to the edge," says Anote Tong, the president of Kirbati, in the video below. "But now it seems that it might be a lot earlier; I think 2030 might be more realistic. But I think the response has to be much earlier than that."

Climate change is already impacting agricultural production around the world and threatening people's livelihood, particularly women. Learn more about climate change and Kiribati's situation by watching the ViewChange video below.

This story is part of our Wednesday ViewChange video series.

Laura Elizabeth Pohl is multimedia manager at Bread for the World.