Choi Yeeting is from Kiribati which represents a group of islands in the Pacific, and although the highest point on his island is 3m, it wasn’t until Choi studied at University in New Zealand that he realised his home was a global case study for the impacts of climate change. Choi believes that strengthening the movement against climate change will require a coordinated approach with other island nations in the Pacific as well as with big brothers Australia and New Zealand.  Choi’s commitment to the climate cause is literally about the survival of his nation.

In 2010, while studying in New Zealand, a tsunami warning was issued for my country. Kiribati has a population of around 115,000 people including 56,000 people on the main island and the highest point is 3m. When the tsunami warning was issued my family and friends had nowhere to find protection and I lived with the anguish of having to wait and see what would happen, there was nothing I could do and I wished I was there with them. People were panicked and families had tied themselves together with rope to ensure that they would be together if the end came.

Luckily the tsunami did not eventuate, but the events made me realise that the implications of climate change are real and now and I began dedicating myself to raising awareness and taking action to address climate change. In Kiribati, most people on the mainland know about climate change but on the other islands the knowledge is very low, people see that the sea levels are rising but they don’t know why and they don’t know that this situation is going to get worse.

Young people are the future leaders but we don’t always know it, I can see now that my country has invested in my education and capacity and now I am taking on a leadership role in addressing climate change. I work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Asia Pacific Division and the greatest strength I bring to the movement is having good English and strong communication skills. As a young person from Kiribati I believe it is important that the world hears the message coming from the Pacific Islands: that our nations are at risk if the world does not take action.

I am taking the opportunity at GPS to absorb as much knowledge as I can from people around the world to take back to Kiribati to help us grow our movement. I am also hoping to build networks with other people working on climate change in the region.