7 Nov 2011

Ministers to be presented with climate data at Noumea conference

11:24 am on 7 November 2011

Food security and climate change are the main topics on the agenda for Pacific ministers and officials meeting at the Secretariat of the Pacific Communit's headquarters in Noumea over the next two days.

The secretary general of the SPC, Dr. Jimmie Rodgers, says they want to increase the ministers' awareness of how climate change will impact on Pacific Island peoples.

He says they also want to encourage a more integrated and pro-active approach in addressing the effects climate change will have on food and water security.

The New Zealand consul general in Noumea, Simon Draper, who's representing New Zealand at the meeting, says the ministers will be get hard data on these issues.

"Ministers will be able to hear from the real professionals who have been looking at the science. They'll get a clearer understanding of what it means for the region, and also what it means at the country level."