5 Jul 2019

Wellbeing of Pacific climate change migrants to be studied

From , 3:03 pm on 5 July 2019

A study has been commissioned to examine the mental health needs of Pacific Islanders forced to leave their homes by the climate crisis.

Auckland University's Jemaima Tiatia-Seath, from the School of Māori and Pacific Studies, has been granted about $US400,000 for the three year study from the Health Research Council of New Zealand.

Ben Robinson Drawbridge spoke with Dr Tiatia-Seath who says the study is timely given a predicted 75 million people in the Asia Pacific region will be forced to flee by climate change.

A high tide across Ejit Island in Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands on March 3, 2014, causing widespread flooding. Officials in the Marshall Islands blamed climate change for severe flooding in the Pacific nation's capital Majuro.

Flooding caused by huge spring tides which Marshall Islands officials have blamed on climate change. Photo: AFP