Episode 180: Anote Tong, former President of Kiribati

President Anote Tong of Kiribati addresses General Assembly. UN Photo/J Carrier

To the people of Kiribati, climate change is an existential threat.

This is an Island nation in the pacific -- it is a string of atolls about halfway between Australia and Hawaii. It has a population of about 100,000 and is known for its vast Tuna stocks.

But climate change and rising sea levels are making much of Kiribati uninhabitable--it is a country that is facing extinction. And not in some distant future. This is happening now.

My guest today, Anote Tong, served as President of Kiribati from 2003 to 2016. President Tong is well known in international circles for being a powerful advocate on behalf of people living in small island states that are on the front line of climate change.

What I found so interesting about this conversation was learning how President Tong's advocacy in international forums has evolved over time--and how this existential threat contributed to President Tong's decision to create w…