Extending NZ citizenship to climate refugees premature – Peters

New Zealand's deputy prime minister Winston Peters says it would be premature to extend New Zealand citizenship to environmental refugees fleeing the effects of climate change.

New Zealand has been warned to prepare for a stream of refugees from the Pacific as low-lying atolls are swamped by sea-level rise.

If sea level rise continues at the current rate, Kiribati and Tuvalu could be completely submerged within decades.

But Peters said if countries work collectively, they can get on top of the climate change problem facing low-lying Pacific atolls.

SOURCE: RNZ PACIFIC/PACNEWS