Contractor welcomes climate change aid for Pacific Islands

With the COP21 United Nations climate change conference having just wrapped up in Paris, attention has turned to nations in the Pacific Islands which have been identified as some of the most vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change.

Cameron Hall, Managing Director of Australian dredging, civil construction and marine civil company Hall Contracting — which has been assisting the island nation of Tuvalu with climate change adaptation services in recent months — said it was promising to see leaders from around the world committing billions of dollars in aid funding to managing climate change issues in the region.

“Countries like New Zealand have been leading the charge in providing aid to Pacific Island nations in recent years, and it’s encouraging to see leaders from other parts of the world also jumping on board and recognising the need for funding,” Mr Hall said.

Mr Hall said his company had recently completed a project funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) in Tuvalu. This project included repair of a significant breach in the storm ridge at the northern part of the atoll, protecting against higher intensity storms and severe coastal erosion caused by climate change.

“With Funafuti experiencing a breach in the coral atoll, our team constructed a sandbag wall made from Elcorock containers. This effectively repaired the coastal barrier stretching from the ocean to the lagoon and removed the threat of the atoll splitting in two.”

“This is just one example of the climate change adaptation works our team has carried out in the Pacific Islands in recent months. We have also been contracted to undertake the design and construction of a seawall on behalf of the Government of Tuvalu and the United Nations Development Program, which aims to protect the country’s Nukufetau atoll against large waves and serious erosion for many years to come.”

“When tropical cyclone Pam battered Tuvalu, Vanuatu and other nations in the South Pacific earlier this year, it caused significant damage to one of Tuvalu’s existing seawalls, so our focus is on not only rebuilding structure but also proposing designs for submerged wave breaks —also known as artificial reefs — which dissipate wave energy and reduce the height of a wave before it reaches the seawall.”

Mr Hall said as part of the works, Hall Contracting had recruited a number of local workers to assist with delivering the projects.

“We recognise self-sufficiency is highly important to the people of the Pacific Islands, so in addition to employing a number of Tuvaluans and Fijians and equipping them with the skills to carry out these works, our team will also teach them how to conduct repairs and maintain the condition of the new seawall over the long term.”

“We’re delighted to have played a role in supporting the Tuvaluan community, and we look forward to continuing works in the Pacific Islands and assisting locals to reap the benefits for years to come.”

Hall Contracting is an Australian-owned and operated company that services the Asia Pacific region and specialises in climate change adaptation including land reclamation, flood mitigation dredging and beach replenishment, development and protection. To find out more, call +61 7 5445 5977 or visit www.hallcontracting.com.au.