17 July 2009: “On the Frontlines of Climate Change,” an internet forum launched by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in partnership with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), has published an article on the early impacts of climate change.

The article, titled “Impacts on Water Resources in African Deltas and Pacific Islands,” highlights perspectives from Nigeria and Micronesia. Discussing climate impacts to the Niger Delta, the Nigerian author Etiosa Uyique notes that the region has already been impacted by climate change. Uyique describes the flooding that has transpired and the attendant risks to low-lying populations. He also highlights the changes in rainfall over the past half century and implications for farming. In the second half of the article, Faustino Yarofaisug from Micronesia describes climate impacts to small islands, focusing on saltwater intrusion and migration of communities to more hospitable
land. The article concludes by requesting submissions on observations and experiences related to climate impacts on land, resources and livelihoods. [The article]