Kiribati's Pollution Crisis: Impact And Causes Explained

Kiribati is a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, comprising 33 islands and home to around 120,000 people. It is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, with rising sea levels threatening to submerge the islands entirely. The effects of climate change are already being felt in Kiribati, with pollution, rising temperatures, and extreme weather events impacting the daily lives and health of its residents. In this paragraph, we will explore how pollution, in particular, has affected the nation and its people.

Climate change and rising sea levels

Kiribati is a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, comprising 33 islands and home to around 120,000 people. It is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change. Global warming is causing the ice caps, glaciers and ice sheets to melt, resulting in rising sea levels. This has had a profound impact on Kiribati, with the nation set to be the first victim of climate change.

The average sea level has risen by 3.2mm per year since 1993, according to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This rise in sea levels is catastrophic for islands like Kiribati, which sit at low altitudes—none of its islands are more than four metres above sea level. As a result, the nation is extremely vulnerable to rising sea levels, with a rise of just two feet (60cm) in sea level enough to leave the nation uninhabitable.

The impact of rising sea levels has already been felt in Kiribati. In 1999, two of its uninhabited islands, Abanuea and Tebua Tarawa, disappeared under the waves. Storm surges are becoming more frequent, contaminating freshwater reserves, killing crops and flooding homes. The nation's capital, South Tarawa, is particularly vulnerable, as it is a narrow strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and a large lagoon that depends on a freshwater lens.

The consequences of climate change reach beyond the physical impacts of rising sea levels. The environment and daily lives of the people of Kiribati are being affected, with health and mental well-being suffering. A prolonged drought, for example, has impacted the quality and availability of drinking water, and the ability to grow fruit and vegetables, leading to increased reliance on imported processed foods. This, in turn, is contributing to health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart and lung disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with the Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services to strengthen the country's ability to withstand and respond to the health impacts of climate change. The Te Mamauri project, funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency, aims to increase the resilience of the national health system. This includes strengthening health facilities on three higher-risk outer islands: Abemama, Marakei and Tamana.

Inadequate solid waste disposal facilities

Kiribati is a group of 33 atolls located in the Pacific Ocean, with a population of around 120,000 people. It is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, as none of its islands are more than four metres above sea level.

The country has been affected by pollution, particularly in the form of inadequate solid waste disposal facilities. This has led to environmental contamination and negative health impacts for the population.

The impact of inadequate solid waste disposal is felt across the country, with specific sites in populated areas causing visible and olfactory nuisance to residents and tourists. The smoke from burning debris, the smell of decomposing waste, and the presence of insects and flies during the rainy season are common issues.

Furthermore, the open dumping of waste has contributed to the global issue of marine litter, particularly plastic waste. This has led to ingestion and poisoning of marine life, physical damage to reefs and mangroves, and risks to human health and safety.

To address these issues, it is necessary to implement integrated solid waste collection and treatment systems, improve sustainability practices, and raise public awareness about the impacts of inadequate solid waste disposal.

Pollution from mining and agricultural chemicals

Kiribati's ocean waters are among the least polluted on Earth. However, the country has faced pollution from mining and agricultural chemicals. Metals and chemicals from mining activities have adversely affected the environment in Kiribati. Phosphate mining, in particular, devastated the island of Banaba, rendering it almost uninhabitable. The Banabans were forced to move to the Fijian island of Rabi and sued the mine owners, winning special compensation.

Agricultural chemicals have also polluted the coastal waters of Kiribati. The country's inadequate facilities for handling solid waste have been a major environmental concern since 1992, especially in larger population centers. The lagoon of the south Tarawa atoll has been heavily polluted by solid waste disposal.

Kiribati's increasing use of chemicals, predominantly from imports rather than national production, has caused harm to the environment and human health. Obsolete pharmaceutical waste and hazardous school chemicals have been identified as particular issues. Expired pharmaceutical drugs have been repackaged, and national capacity-building training on managing hazardous school chemicals has been conducted.

Kiribati lacks access to comprehensive information about the production, import, transport, use, storage, and disposal of chemicals within its borders. This information gap underscores the need for institutional strengthening to establish a comprehensive chemicals and waste management strategy. The country is taking steps to address this, such as developing a national information-sharing system to enhance data collection, analysis, and accessibility.

The country's environmental challenges are exacerbated by its economic development, transitioning from a traditional subsistence lifestyle to a contemporary market-based economy. As a small island developing state and least developed country, Kiribati is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of pollution and climate change.

Health impacts of climate change

Kiribati is a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean, comprising 33 far-flung islands and home to around 120,000 people. It is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, with none of its islands rising more than four metres above sea level. The rising sea levels are already having a significant impact on the health of the population. Here is an overview of the health impacts of climate change in Kiribati.

Waterborne Diseases

The quality and availability of drinking water in Kiribati have been affected by a recent prolonged drought. This has put people at risk of waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, and typhoid fever. The incidence of diarrhoea has been found to increase with the onset of heavy rains. Contamination of drinking water sources and run-off following heavy rains are believed to contribute to this problem.

Foodborne Diseases and Nutrition

The consistent high temperatures and humidity in Kiribati, coupled with limited refrigeration and food storage facilities, make the country highly susceptible to foodborne illnesses caused by bacterial, viral, and toxin contamination. The risk of these illnesses is likely to be exacerbated by climate change.

Additionally, climate change is making it increasingly difficult to grow fruits and vegetables in Kiribati. This has led to a greater reliance on imported processed foods that are high in fat, sugar, and salt. This dietary shift is contributing to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart and lung disease.

Vector-borne Diseases

Vector-borne diseases, such as dengue fever and lymphatic filariasis, are sensitive to changes in temperature, rainfall, and humidity. Kiribati has experienced several dengue fever epidemics, and the risk of these outbreaks may increase with climate change.

Respiratory Diseases

Respiratory diseases, including pneumonia, asthma, and other infectious and non-infectious causes, have been linked to climate variability and change. Kiribati has high rates of smoking and overcrowding, which further increase the risk of respiratory infections.

Mental Health

As rising sea levels erode land and livelihoods, the mental health of the population is also at risk. While there is limited published research on this topic in the scientific literature, the loss of land and the threat to the country's sovereignty and national identity are likely to have significant psychological impacts.

Reproductive Health

Kiribati faces the challenge of a rapidly growing population within limited habitable land due to rising sea levels. This has led the government to prioritise population control and resettlement, including policies on emigration. Climate change-induced migration has profound health consequences for both source and recipient communities.

Environmental impact on wildlife

Kiribati is a small island nation in the central Pacific Ocean, north of New Zealand and southwest of Hawaii. It is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change, with rising sea levels, global warming, and pollution posing significant threats to its environment and wildlife.

The nation is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including approximately 90 species of birds, 500 species of fish, and 200 species of coral. Two bird species, the Henderson petrel and Kiritimati reed-warbler (locally known as bokikokiko), are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. The green turtle (te on) and the hawksbill turtle (te tabakea or te borauea) are two marine turtle species positively identified in Kiribati waters, with a few others reported anecdotally.

However, pollution and human activity have severely impacted the environment and wildlife in Kiribati. Metals and chemicals from mining activities, as well as agricultural chemicals, have polluted coastal waters. Phosphate mining, in particular, rendered the island of Banaba almost uninhabitable, leading to the displacement of its inhabitants and the establishment of the Phosphate Revenue Equalization Fund (PREF) to compensate the affected people.

The nation also faces challenges with solid waste management, especially in more populated areas. The lagoon of the South Tarawa atoll has been heavily polluted by solid waste disposal. Inadequate waste management facilities and the proximity of the lagoon to populated areas have exacerbated the issue. Additionally, agricultural practices and climate change have made it challenging to grow fruits and vegetables in Kiribati, leading to a greater reliance on imported processed foods, which contribute to non-communicable diseases among the population.

The combination of pollution, climate change, and environmental degradation poses significant risks to the wildlife of Kiribati. The nation's unique and diverse flora and fauna are threatened by these factors, and conservation efforts are crucial to protect them.

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