On his self-built coral jetty, Jean-Marie Williams has a chair where he relaxes while admiring the Manihiki shoreline and the trade winds.
If you look closely, you can see the azure ocean pounding ceaselessly on the seawall defending his home’s lagoon-facing yard.
“There’s erosion big time, big time erosion because the lagoon side is lower than the ocean,” he said.
“Adaptation to climate change is crucial since it is a reality that must be accepted. You raise your wharf when the wave is higher.
Jean-Marie’s not only built a sea wall and L-shaped jetty to protect his home, there are piles of coral rocks and sand which he shovels across his property.
We are currently higher than the community — twice as high, according to him — since I raised the lagoon side where I reside and my neighbour next door did likewise.
It’s all about mitigation for the Manihikians, whose flat coral atolls are only five metres above sea level and located 1200 kilometres from the capital Rarotonga.
They are seeing more and more climate change impacts – a recent king tide swamped much of the land and damaged major infrastructure.
It’s the reason Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is accompanying New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta on this brief visit.
He is eager to demonstrate to her what issues these folks are facing and what solutions might be available.
He told 1News while there’s been international pledges made for climate change resilience projects, it’s been hard to access the funding, especially for some of the smaller things like increasing water storage or foreshore protection.
“We would look at how we advise their cash may be used more efficiently in islands like Manihiki,” he added. “We would look at our development partners New Zealand.”
Mahuta claims it is obvious the locals want to stay on the island where they were welcomed with drums, music, and garlands of flowers; leaving is not an option.
So from the perspective of climate change or climate action, New Zealand needs to be considering – and we are – how we collaborate with the Cook Islands to make this a reality with them, she added.
The airport in Manihiki is being upgraded, and $7.5 million is being spent in Northern Cook Islands solar energy projects.
The people here are also keen to get their lagoon port upgraded as it continually gets damaged in high seas and plays a crucial role for transportation.
Despite how remote the island is, Manihikians are determined to forge their own path.
Now that New Zealand’s Foreign Minister has seen their climate change impact first-hand, they’re hoping Aotearoa will be alongside them to face the challenges that lie ahead..
Cook Islands intensifies efforts to defend imperilled atolls and coastlines
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