The Marshall Islands has made its first climate change funding request to the United Nations.
The government in Majuro wants the international community to pay 51 million US dollars towards providing alternative energy, reverse osmosis water making equipment and climate change educational programmes.
The plan is to request 1,600 or 3,600 gallon-per-day reverse osmosis water making units depending on the population for islands that rely nearly entirely on rain for their fresh water and have suffered repeated droughts from El Nino weather conditions.
The plan also aims to provide solar panels and battery systems for households and solar power lighting for community facilities such as churches, community centres, police stations and basketball courts.
The request follows collaboration among about 10 islands and atolls in the Ratak Chain trying to cope with climate change.
