Save the Children's Vanuatu director Polly Banks. Photo: PMN
Climate change is worsening child malnutrition for a number of New Zealand's Pacific neighbours, according to a new study by a global charity.
The study released today by Save the Children indicates a link between climate change and malnutrition in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Save the Children's Vanuatu director Polly Banks said the changing climate and increasing frequency of weather disasters was making it harder for families to access healthy food.
"Across the world, but especially in the Pacific, the first 1000 days of a child's life is critical, and climate induced cyclones, changing rainfall and rising sea levels will increase the vulnerability that children and their communities are facing," Banks said in a statement.
"We cannot look at the child nutrition crisis in the Pacific and the very real threat of climate change as two separate issues."
The study found that one in three Melanesian children faced stunting, anemia or were overweight.
A third of Solomon Islands children, 29 percent of Vanuatu children, and nearly half (48 percent) of Papua New Guinea children had stunted growth.
Save the Children quoted an account from 32-year-old Vanuatu mother Annette, whose surname was kept private.
"Climate change has had a serious impact on our gardens. The quality of some local produce is not what it was 10 to 15 years ago. For those of us who depend on the local market, it's especially difficult-our small planting areas are no longer healthy or fertile," Annette said.
"I see children becoming malnourished because they're not eating the right kinds of food. Instead, they're filling up on things like uncooked noodles, sweets, and soft drinks."
Polly Banks called for Pacific governments and partners like New Zealand to emphasise nutrition as part of their climate adaptation policies.
"We are calling for increased attention on embedding nutrition in climate adaptation efforts and to increase climate-sensitive approach into key sectors - food, health and water systems. We have an opportunity to act now, before the impacts of climate change on nutrition become irreversible," Banks said.
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