An official with the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand says the drought crisis in Tuvalu shows the need for New Zealand to develop formal agreements with small islands nations affected by climate change.
This week New Zealand sent aid to Tuvalu after it last week declared a state of emergency because of water stores running critically low.
The church's global mission coordinator, the Very Reverend Pamela Tankerlsey, says while the New Zealand Government is providing assistance, it should be offering relocation to those affected by climate change.
She says New Zealand allocates Tuvalu 75 citizenship places annually but there's no link between this quota and climate change.
The Reverend Tankerlsey says there're increasing numbers of Tuvaluan people in need of relocation and wonders where they will go.
